Republished with full copyright permissions from The Washington Daily Chronicle.

The recent escalation of executions and human rights violations in Iran is a grave concern for the global community. The Islamic Republic authorities in Iran are leveraging the instability in the Middle East as a smokescreen for their egregious crimes against the Iranian people. These actions are in direct violation of international human rights standards and demonstrate a flagrant disregard for the rule of law.

The case of Mohammad Ghobadlou, a 23-year-old street protester, is particularly distressing. Despite his bipolar condition and a previous quashed death sentence, he was executed with only 12 hours’ notice to his lawyer. This act of injustice, along with the arbitrary execution of other dissenters, underscores the urgent need for action to halt the Iranian regime’s reign of terror.

In response to these injustices, a labor strike has erupted in Iran’s Kurdistan, signaling widespread opposition to the regime’s disproportionate use of the death penalty against ethnic and religious minorities. Furthermore, political prisoners in Evin Prison have initiated a hunger strike, including Nobel Peace Laureate Narges Mohammadi, as a bold protest against the ongoing executions.

The Iranian people’s resilience and determination to fight for their basic rights demand unwavering support from the international community. It is imperative that global lawmakers and human rights bodies take decisive action to address these grave violations. A crucial step is to demand an immediate moratorium on the death penalty in Iran and extend the mandate of the UN Fact Finding Mission to thoroughly investigate the deaths in custody and subsequent protests.

Additionally, the upcoming visit by UN Human Rights Commissioner’s representatives to Iran should be contingent upon the Iranian authorities agreeing to a moratorium on the death penalty and granting unrestricted access to political prisoners and victims’ families. This is essential to prevent the authorities from manipulating international human rights mechanisms to legitimize their actions.