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UN Rights Office: Iran has Executed More Than 200 People this Year

A general view of Tehran city, in Tehran, Iran June 12, 2020. Ali Khara/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/File Photo
A general view of Tehran city, in Tehran, Iran June 12, 2020. Ali Khara/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/File Photo
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UN Rights Office: Iran has Executed More Than 200 People this Year

A general view of Tehran city, in Tehran, Iran June 12, 2020. Ali Khara/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/File Photo
A general view of Tehran city, in Tehran, Iran June 12, 2020. Ali Khara/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/File Photo

Iran has executed 209 people so far this year, a spokesperson for the UN human rights office said on Tuesday, describing its record as "abominable" and calling for them to halt.
"The UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk today expressed dismay at the frighteningly high number of executions this year in Iran," Ravina Shamdasani told a Geneva press briefing.

"On average so far this year, over 10 people are put to death each week in Iran, making it one of the world's highest executors," she added, saying most were for drug-related offences.

Iran hanged two men Monday convicted of blasphemy, authorities said.

The streak of executions, including members of ethnic minority groups in Iran, comes as monthslong protests over the September death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after her arrest by the country's morality police have cooled.

Already, at least four people charged over alleged crimes from the demonstrations have been put to death. The protests reportedly saw over 500 people killed and 19,000 others arrested.

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South Korea's President Attends Court Hearing on Extending Detention

A blue van believed to be transporting impeached South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the Seoul Western District Court after a hearing in Seoul on January 18, 2025, as the court weighs whether to extend the detention of Yoon, after investigators arrested him over a failed martial law bid. (Photo by JUNG Yeon-je / AFP)
A blue van believed to be transporting impeached South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the Seoul Western District Court after a hearing in Seoul on January 18, 2025, as the court weighs whether to extend the detention of Yoon, after investigators arrested him over a failed martial law bid. (Photo by JUNG Yeon-je / AFP)
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South Korea's President Attends Court Hearing on Extending Detention

A blue van believed to be transporting impeached South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the Seoul Western District Court after a hearing in Seoul on January 18, 2025, as the court weighs whether to extend the detention of Yoon, after investigators arrested him over a failed martial law bid. (Photo by JUNG Yeon-je / AFP)
A blue van believed to be transporting impeached South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the Seoul Western District Court after a hearing in Seoul on January 18, 2025, as the court weighs whether to extend the detention of Yoon, after investigators arrested him over a failed martial law bid. (Photo by JUNG Yeon-je / AFP)

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a court hearing on Saturday to fight a request by investigators to extend his detention on accusations of insurrection.
Yoon on Wednesday became the country's first sitting president to be arrested, in a criminal probe related to his short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3.
Investigators requested a detention warrant on Friday to extend their custody of Yoon for up to 20 days. He has been refusing to talk to investigators and has been held in Seoul Detention Center since his arrest.
After the hearing, Yoon returned to Seoul Detention Center to await the court's decision, which is expected on Saturday or Sunday, Reuters reported.
The hearing at Seoul Western District Court lasted nearly five hours. Yoon spoke for about 40 minutes during the hearing, Yonhap said, citing Yoon's lawyer.
"(Yoon) sincerely explained and answered questions on factual relationships, evidence and legal principles... We will quietly wait for the court to decide," said Yoon's lawyer, Yoon Kab-keun, after the hearing.
Yoon had decided to attend the hearing "to restore his honor by directly explaining the legitimacy of emergency martial law and that insurrection is not established", his lawyer said earlier on Saturday.
TV channels showed a convoy of around a dozen cars and police motorbikes escorting Yoon from the detention center to the court, as well as back to the detention center.
Since police broke up a crowd of Yoon's supporters blocking the court gate in the morning, thousands of supporters surrounded the court after the hearing began at around 2 p.m. (0500 GMT) behind a police barricade chanting "release the president".
"There are so many supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol around the court, who still believe in the rule of law and are defending the president," said Lee Se-ban, a 30-year-old man.
Multiple people were arrested by police for trying to break into the court grounds, including a young man who tried to escape, according to a Reuters witness.
Insurrection, the crime alleged against Yoon by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, is one of the few that an incumbent South Korean president does not have immunity from.