SW News: A UN report on Iran's human rights reveals a record number of executions in 2022 including the arrest of thousands of children and numerous claims of torture by security forces.

Nada Al-Nashif, UN deputy human rights chief, delivered the report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. She said the human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran have markedly deteriorated against the backdrop of worsening socio-economic conditions, aggravated by sanctions and the lingering impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report focuses on changes that have occurred since the start of the widespread demonstrations in response to the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16 last year at the hands of the morality police.

The Deputy High Commissioner of the UN human rights office said that 582 people were executed in 2022. “That is a 75 percent increase compared to 2021 during which 333 people were reportedly executed. There were three children among those executed in 2022. Of the total number of executions, 256 were for drug-related offenses.”

Around 20,000 people have reportedly been imprisoned overall for participating in the rallies, according to the report.

Numerous children are believed to have been among those arrested during the protests, and security personnel are accused of employing force to kill at least 44 children, including 10 girls. The province of Sistan and Baluchistan recorded the most fatalities, at least 10 of whom were children.

The Human Rights Council heard that since the onset of protests, respect for the right to freedom has significantly deteriorated.  The President signed a decree on 15 August 2022, which includes a face-recognition technology to track and punish unveiled women or those who actively question compulsory veiling.

The report also highlighted Iran's inability to safeguard female students' physical and mental health as well as attacks on their access to education.

Over 1,000 children, mostly girls, were reportedly harmed by suspected poisoning in 91 schools across 20 provinces as of 2 March this year. Ali Bahreini, the Iranian ambassador and permanent representative to the UN in Geneva dismissed the report.