9th November 2025 - A cross-party conference at the UK Parliament, on 1st November, brought together Members of both Houses, human rights advocates, and members of the Iranian diaspora to address Iran’s escalating wave of executions and discuss the need for a stronger international stance toward Tehran. The meeting focused on the regime’s systematic use of the death penalty to suppress dissent and called for a policy shift that prioritises human rights and accountability.
In her keynote address, Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said that more than 1,400 people have been executed since the start of 2025—an unprecedented number in nearly four decades. She described the mass executions as an attempt by Iran’s leadership to prevent renewed uprisings.
Speakers urged the UK government to condition engagement with Tehran on a complete halt to executions and to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which many described as the “centre of repression” in Iran. Among parliamentary speakers, Lord Bellingham described the surge in executions and arrests as “a sign of great weakness” in a regime fearful of collapse.
MP Bob Blackman criticised decades of appeasement policies and recommended targeted sanctions against senior Iranian officials. Baroness Redfern emphasised the regime’s use of the death penalty “as a weapon, not a law,” while Baroness O’Loan condemned the “absolutely shocking” case of Zahra Tabari, a 67-year-old woman sentenced to death after a ten-minute trial, calling for urgent international action to save political prisoners and uphold fair-trial standards.
A deeply moving part of the event centred on testimonies from young Iranian activists, and volunteers of AWYAF, whose families have endured imprisonment and execution. Amir Hossein, a biomedical engineering graduate, spoke of relatives tortured and killed, declaring, “These are not distant stories—they are daily realities for countless Iranian families.” Neda Zabeti, aged 20, recounted that five of her relatives were murdered and another was forced to give birth in prison. Rosa Zarei, whose aunt was executed in the 1988 massacre, paid tribute to the courage of women in Evin Prison today. Sixteen-year-old Mehrnoosh spoke for her generation, vowing, “We will speak for those silenced and we will not stop until Iran is free.” Their stories, both painful and resolute, gave the conference its moral centre, reminding attendees that the fight for human rights is deeply personal for millions of Iranian families. Her closing message, “Your silence is complicity,” drew sustained applause.
Delegates agreed that the UK and its allies must replace cautious diplomacy with a firm policy that supports the Iranian people’s demand for justice and democracy. They stressed that a coherent international response—combining sanctions, UN referrals, and support for civil society—would not only save lives but also strengthen global security. The conference concluded with a united call for action, recognising that Iran’s human-rights crisis is no longer a distant tragedy but a defining test of the world’s commitment to freedom, dignity, and the rule of law.
