When a 68-year-old woman is sentenced to death for holding a protest leaflet, and when a 22-year-old student faces execution for demanding freedom, what we witness is no longer a judicial process — it is the destruction of the very meaning of justice and humanity.
In Iran, the number of executions has risen to alarming levels. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), at least 901 people were executed in 2024, marking the highest number since 2015.
Independent human rights groups have documented even higher numbers — 975 executions or more — confirming that the country has reached the highest execution rate in more than two decades.
Behind these statistics are real human beings — people who dared to think, speak, and hope. Among them are Zahra Tabari and Ehsan Faridi.
Zahra Tabari, 68 years old, educated and peaceful
Zahra Tabari, a well-educated woman who dedicated her life to social and cultural work, was arrested for holding a small leaflet during a peaceful act of protest. She now faces a death sentence.
Despite her age, her education, and her peaceful intention, her act of conscience has been turned into a crime punishable by death. This case exposes the extent to which dissent — even a silent one — is treated as a threat to the regime’s power.
Ehsan Faridi, 22 years old, student
Ehsan Faridi, a young student full of plans for his future, was sentenced to death following charges linked to his participation in peaceful demonstrations. At an age when most young people in Switzerland are studying, working, or dreaming of life, Ehsan now waits in a cell — between hope and execution.
Both he and Zahra Tabari embody the tragic reality of what it means to demand freedom under an oppressive system.
The broader contex
Executions in Iran are carried out with unprecedented frequency.
The UN Human Rights Office has described 2024 as “a shocking escalation in the use of the death penalty.”
Many of these executions occur after unfair trials, without transparent legal representation or independent oversight.
This pattern violates multiple international human rights standards — including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a state party. Yet, the regime continues to use executions as a weapon of fear and control.
Why this project matters
This project is not only about two individuals.
It is about defending the right to life, freedom of expression, and the idea that justice must serve humanity, not destroy it.
- Every execution silences not only one life but the right of all people to speak without fear.
- When both an elderly woman and a young student are condemned to the same fate, it is not justice — it is the collapse of justice.
- Silence from the international community enables this machinery of death to continue.
As a country known for its humanitarian values, Switzerland cannot remain silent.
The moral weight of this moment demands action — not political, but deeply human.
Project goals
- Raise awareness among the Swiss and European public about the rising wave of executions in Iran, focusing on the cases of Zahra Tabari and Ehsan Faridi.
- Document and share verified reports of these and similar cases to mobilize media attention and public pressure.
- Encourage diplomatic engagement by Swiss and EU institutions to urge the immediate suspension of all death sentences in Iran.
- Strengthen collaboration with international human rights networks to provide legal, media, and advocacy support for political prisoners.
- Build solidarity — reminding the world that human rights know no borders, and that moral responsibility is universal.
Call to Action
We call upon every person in Switzerland — every journalist, student, lawyer, and human being — to join this call for life.
Speak out.
Share their names.
Write to your representatives and human rights organizations.
Raise awareness in your communities, in your schools, in your churches and universities.
Let their stories be known — so that silence no longer kills.
Your voice, your action, your solidarity can help prevent two more lives from being taken in the name of oppression.
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