UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Monday condemned Iran’s execution of activist and journalist Ruhollah Zam on Saturday.

Zam was a founder of AmadNews, which became popular during the nationwide protests, and posted articles and social media posts criticizing the Iranian government. Zam was abducted while visiting Iraq by Iranian Revolutionary Guards in October 2019, apparently with assistance from Iraqi authorities. In a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the “operation” was called, “professional, intelligent, and multifaceted,” and claimed that the danger posed by Zam for inciting violence and terroristic acts, had been sufficiently dealt with. The statement also cited claims that Zam, who received political asylum in France following his imprisonment after the 2009 Iranian election, had been operating as an agent of the French and Israeli governments.

Zam was sentenced to death in July for inciting nationwide protests in 2017 and 2018. He was found guilty on 17 charges, including spying in favor of the French intelligence service, cooperation with the US hostile government against the Islamic Republic of Iran, participating in seducing and inciting people to war and killing with the intention of disrupting the security of the country, and “corruption on earth,” which is one of Iran’s most serious charges and brings a death sentence.

Zam’s confession discredited his cause and was widely publicized in Iran. Iran has a history of targeting journalists and other high profile dissidents who criticize the government by forcing highly publicized confessions and broadcasting them on national television.

The Iranian Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence that he received from the lower court on December 8, only four days before his execution was carried out.

In a statement Monday, Bachelet condemned the use of the death penalty to silence yet another journalist who has expressed criticism of the Iranian Government, calling this most recent execution “emblematic of a pattern of forced confessions extracted under torture and broadcast on state media being used as a basis to convict people.” Bachelet also expressed concern over Zam’s abduction outside the territory of Iran, which Bachelet noted was a serious violation of any due process guarantees. Bachelet called for Iran to stop their use of violence and execution to suppress independent voices in Iran, for Iran to free all those who are currently detained for exercising their human rights, and for the end of the death penalty in all but the most serious crimes where due process and a fair trial are guaranteed.