The European Union’s foreign policy chief on Wednesday slammed Iran for an “alarming increase” in the number of executions carried out in the country.
“The rate of executions in Iran during the first five months of 2012 confirmed the country as one of the world’s leading users of the death penalty,” Catherine Ashton said in a statement. In the week of May 14 alone, Iran executed 35 people, authorities confirmed, according to Ashton.
“Thousands of individuals remain at risk of execution, even for acts which are not considered as among the most serious crimes according to international minimum standards,” Ashton said. “The situation in Iran goes against the worldwide trend towards the abolition of the death penalty.”
The EU calls upon Iran and other states who cling to the capital punishment to commute all outstanding death sentences, she added.
The Islamic Republic is one of the world’s leaders in executions, together with China, North Korea and Yemen. In the Western world, the only country still carrying out capital punishments is the US. Between 2007 and 2011, 220 people were executed there.
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