The United Nations has reported that Iran executed at least 901 individuals last year, a significant rise from 853 in 2023. Most condemned were sentenced for drug offenses, as protests erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman detained for not wearing her hijab properly. The Iranian government has allegedly used the death penalty to intimidate demonstrators amidst growing dissent against enforced hijab laws. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk condemned the executions as a violation of the fundamental right to life, urging an end to the practice.