UN office urges Iran to free detained peaceful protesters

The U.N. human rights office is calling on Iran's government to immediately release thousands of people who have been detained for participating in peaceful protests, faulting its increasing harshness as Western countries seek to ratchet up scrutiny of Tehhran's crackdown against demonstrators.

Spokesman Jeremy Laurence of the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said it was calling for all charges to be dropped against the demonstrators and cautioned that Iran can only mete out the death penalty for the “most serious crimes" under international law — amid concerns that some protesters could be facing capital punishment.

“Instead of opening space for dialogue on legitimate grievances, the authorities are responding to unprecedented protests with increasing harshness,” Laurence said at a regular U.N. press briefing in Geneva.

He said at least 10 protesters had been charged with offenses that carry the death penalty — including one found guilty of either "waging war against God” or “corruption on earth” for allegedly damaging public property.