UN experts urge Iran to halt death sentences of 10 men

UN experts on Monday called on Iran to cancel the death penalties given to 10 young men over anti-government protests that rocked the country in January.

Twelve men, aged between their late teens and early twenties, were sentenced and two were executed on July 19.

"Sentencing 12 people to death in one hearing, in a closed courtroom and without clarity as to each defendant's individual responsibility violates established fair trial standards," the experts said.

The 13 experts are special rapporteurs of the United Nations and members of working groups on forced disappearances and arbitrary detention.

But they do not speak on behalf of the world body.

The anti-government protests, which were met with a deadly crackdown on January 8 and 9, were sparked by demonstrations against the high cost of living.

The Iranian authorities said more than 3,000 people died and blamed violence on "terrorist acts" which they said were orchestrated by the United States and Israel.

Foreign-based NGOs said the crackdown left thousands dead.

According to the UN experts, 24 people linked to the January protests have been hanged this year.

The 12 young men condemned to death were accused of involvement in the death of four members of the security forces as well as acts of arson and vandalism during protests on January 8 in Shahid Alikhani Square, Isfahan.

They were convicted based on televised confessions, the UN experts said.

"The charges against them remain unclear, as the Revolutionary Court hearings are closed and judgments are not published," they added.

The men were reportedly arbitrarily deprived of their freedom, and some were forcibly disappeared and ill-treated, a statement read.

According to NGOs, including Amnesty International, Iran makes the most use of the death penalty after China.

At least 1,639 people were executed in 2025 -- the most since 1989 -- according to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group and the anti-death penalty ECPM group in Paris.