The World Medical Association (WMA) has appealed to authorities in Iran to cease all forms of corporal punishment, including amputation and align with international human rights standards.

The call came amid reports that five men in Iran are at the risk of having their fingers amputated as punishment for robbery; a practice the WMA said violates international law and medical ethics.

In a statement, the WMA highlighted the cases of Hadi Rostami, Kasra Karami, Mehdi Shahivand, Mehdi Sharifian and Morteza Esmaeilian, who are reportedly scheduled to undergo amputations.

WMA President, Dr. Ashok Philip described the punishment as ‘cruel, inhumane, and degrading,’ adding that “amputation purposely inflicts extreme pain, causes irreversible disability and destroys human dignity.”

Iran’s use of corporal punishment, according to WMA, contradicts its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which the country ratified in 1975. The ICCPR strictly prohibits any form of cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment.