Human Rights Day is a global reminder that every person, regardless of where they live, deserves dignity, safety, and freedom. Yet in Iran today, the gap between these universal rights and the lived reality of millions has grown wider than ever. The international commitment to human rights is facing one of its most severe tests in the face of the Iranian regime’s systematic repression.
A nation where executions have surpassed 1,700 Cases
In recent years, Iran has witnessed one of the highest surges in executions in its contemporary history. Independent human rights organizations report that over 1,700 executions have taken place within a short span—a staggering figure that shows capital punishment has become a deliberate tool of intimidation and social control.
Executions are often carried out after deeply flawed judicial processes, including:
- Trials behind closed doors.
- Lack of access to independent lawyers.
- Forced confessions under pressure.
- Verdicts that fail even the minimum standards of fairness.
When a state uses death as a response to dissent, the message is unmistakable: “Do not speak—because the cost of speaking is life.”
Political prisoners sentenced simply for having a voice
Alongside this wave of executions, dozens of political prisoners in Iran face severe and life-threatening sentences—including death sentences—not for violence, but for their voices. They are students, women, workers, teachers, writers, artists, and activists. People who dreamed, questioned, or imagined a different future.
Many have been charged with vague “security” accusations, denied legal representation, or sentenced after trials that lasted only minutes. Their only “crime” was the courage to speak. These individuals sit today in overcrowded, unsafe prisons, facing uncertainty and in some cases imminent execution. Their silence is forced, not chosen.
Why Human Rights Day matters today
Human Rights Day is not simply a symbolic date—it is a commitment to truth and responsibility. It reminds us that the right to life cannot be negotiated, the right to speak cannot be criminalized, and the right to dignity does not depend on politics.
When more than a thousand executions take place, when political prisoners are sentenced to death for peaceful expression, and when families wait in fear outside prison gates, then Human Rights Day becomes more than a commemoration. It becomes an urgent call for accountability from the international community.
Be their voice: A call to action
The people of Iran are living some of their darkest days. But silence—the silence of the world—only deepens injustice. No prisoner is freed by looking away.
On this Human Rights Day, let us raise a collective voice for those who have been silenced:
- For those executed simply for seeking justice.
- For those awaiting execution for the “crime” of speaking.
- For families grieving in silence.
Join Verein Welle in our mission to be the voice of the people of Iran. Your support amplifies these critical stories and pushes for accountability. Let us act humanely, boldly, and without pause.
English 
German 
French