Iran Human Rights released data on Thursday which shows Iran executed 142 people in May, making it the highest number of Iranian executions in one month since 2015.

Some of the charges used to justify executions this year include blasphemy and adultery. Iran executed Yousef Mehrad and Sadrollah Fazeli Zare after finding them guilty of blasphemy and “insulting the prophet,” along with other actions including burning the Quran and insulting Islamic sanctities. Ahmad Nikouyi was executed for adultery as a result of allegations he had sexual relations with a married woman.

On May 9, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk called on Iran to end the death penalty or halt executions as execution numbers continue to rise. He stated:

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. Since 1 January, sources say at least 209 people have been executed — mostly for drug related offenses and a disproportionately high number representing minorities.

Amnesty International reported on the escalation of the death penalty and unfair trials in Iran. As of March, 28 members of the Ahwazi Arab and Baluchi ethnic minorities have been executed, with a majority of the charges stemming from drug-related offenses. 

There has been a 76 percent increase in the number of executions in Iran from May 2022. Iran recently executed three men after they were found guilty of charges of “enmity against god” for their involvement in protests over Mahsa Amini‘s death from 2022.