This morning 12 individuals were executed by Iran regime

 Despite repeated calls from UN expert and Special Rapporteur on Iran Human Rights. Mr. Ahmed Shaheed to halt these executions, today 12 individuals were executed in Gohardasht (Rajai-Shahr) Prison in Karaj, north-west of Tehran.

Families of the prisoners who rallied in front of prison yesterday, also were urging Iran regime to halt the executions.

“It is regrettable that the Government continues to proceed with executions for crimes that do not meet the threshold of the ‘most serious crimes’ as required by international law, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is State party. It is also troubling that courts continue to issue death sentences in trials that not only breach international fair trial standards but even domestic due process guarantees,” Mr. Shaheed stressed.

The Special Rapporteur renewed his call on the Government of Iran to immediately institute a moratorium on executions and to restrict use of the death penalty for the “most serious crimes” (i.e. intentional killings). He also repeated his calls on the Iranian authorities to adhere to international standards guaranteeing fair trial and due process for those facing the death penalty.

The names of 9 out of 12 individual who were executed are as follows:

Alireza Madadpour, Bahman Rezai, Arman Bahrami, Alireza Asadi, Mohsen Eslami, Hosein Bayrami (transferred from Ghezelhesar prison) Mehdi Rostami, Amir and ALireza Sarkhah.