IRAN: UNITED NATIONS, ‘AT LEAST 176 PEOPLE HANGED IN 2014’

March 12, 2014: four United Nations experts on human rights – Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran; Christof Heyns, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Juan E. Mendez, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and Rashida Manjoo, Special Rapporteur on violence against women – expressed alarm about the number of executions in the country.
At least 176 people were reportedly hanged in Iran in 2014 alone, and the rate of executions appears to have increased steadily since the summer of 2013, the UN said. Most of the executions were for drug-related offenses, in violation of international legal provisions, which limit the permissibility of capital punishment to the "most serious" crimes, the UN reported.
“The Government continues to execute individuals at a staggering rate, despite serious questions about fair trial standards,” said Christof Heyns, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. 
The United Nations experts urged the government of Iran “to heed to calls by the international community to declare a moratorium on executions.” They expressed shock at the continued surge and at the recent comments issued by Iranian officials, claiming that the executions perpetrated by the government to date are a “great service to humanity.” (Sources: turkishpress.com, 12/03/2014)