All Eyes on Iran’s Bloody Crackdown

Death toll by the thousands
As a professor of Public International Law, I have always emphasized to my students that jus cogens are peremptory norms. Any law student would easily know that these norms should never be derogated. At least this is what the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
provides. [1]

Is it possible that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, missed this chapter in his international law books? My speculation emanates from the fact that his regime began a crackdown on protesters over the last few weeks, which is estimated to have resulted in 25,000
deaths, according to a report issued by a Norway-based Iran Human Rights organization. However, the organization has documented 3,428 cases as of January 22, 2025. These numbers are far more alarming compared to the 550 confirmed deaths from the protests arising from the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.