Iran’s Escalating Political Executions 2026

Iran’s Escalating Political Executions: Opposition Members and Protesters Hanged as Death Penalty Used to Silence Dissent

At Least 38 Political Executions Documented Since February 2026 as Opposition Supporters and Protest-Related Defendants Face a Rapid Wave of Executions

Qezel Hesar Emerges as the Main Site of Political Executions While Security Charges Continue to Fuel Death Sentences

*Date Updated: October 24, 2026

May 2026 — Iranian authorities have sharply intensified the use of the death penalty in cases linked to political affiliation, protests, and national security allegations. Since March 19, 2026, Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM) has documented at least 46 political executions, revealing an alarming pattern in which the death penalty appears increasingly deployed as a tool of repression against perceived dissent and opposition activity.

Reports collected from state media outlets and judicially affiliated sources indicate a concentrated campaign targeting individuals accused of political opposition, participation in protests, alleged affiliation with opposition groups, and broad national security offenses.

Among the documented cases, 9 individuals were identified as members or supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), while 37 executions involved protest-related or politically motivated cases. Nine additional executions involving alleged espionage-related charges are documented separately for reference.

Most notably, Qezel Hesar Prison has emerged as the primary site for these executions, raising concerns regarding coordinated judicial and security practices.

Key Findings: A Growing Pattern of Political Executions

At least 46 political executions documented since February 28, 2026
9 PMOI-related executions
37 protest-related or politically motivated executions
9 additional espionage-related executions documented separately
Qezel Hesar Prison recorded the highest concentration of executions
Multiple cases involved national security or political accusations
Several executions were linked to protest-related allegations
Documentation remains ongoing and the actual number may be significantly higher

These executions increasingly reflect a pattern in which capital punishment is used beyond criminal prosecution and appears aimed at suppressing dissent and instilling fear throughout society.

Growing concerns among human rights advocates stem from longstanding patterns involving allegations of forced confessions, lack of transparency, restrictions on legal defense, and politically driven judicial proceedings. Due to limited public information, internet restrictions, and reports of secrecy surrounding many cases, the true number of executions and individuals at risk may be considerably higher.

Political Prisoners Executed for PMOI Affiliation

Iran HRM documented nine executions involving individuals accused of affiliation with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK). Most of these executions were carried out in Qezel Hesar Prison.

The known cases include:

Date of Execution	Names	Location
March 30, 2026	Akbar Daneshvarkar, Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi	Qezel Hesar Prison
March 31, 2026	Babak Alipour, Pouya Qobadi	Qezel Hesar Prison
April 4, 2026	Abolhassan Montazer, Vahid Bani Amerian	Qezel Hesar Prison
April 20, 2026	Mohammad Masoum Shahi (Nima Shahi), Hamed Validi	Qezel Hesar Prison
July 22, 2026	Mehdi Khanaki	Qezel Hesar Prison,

The concentration of these executions in Qezel Hesar Prison raises concerns regarding coordinated judicial practices and the treatment of prisoners accused of affiliation with opposition movements.

Protest-Related and Politically Motivated Cases

Iran HRM documented 37 executions involving protesters and individuals prosecuted in cases linked to political unrest or security allegations.

Many of these defendants reportedly faced broad charges commonly used in political cases, including “enmity against God,” national security offenses, or accusations linked to protest activities.

R	Name	Last Name	Execution Date (Gregorian)	Execution Location	Allegations
1	Mehdi	Ghasemi	19-Mar-26	Public – Qom	Charges including Moharebeh (enmity against God), killing two law enforcement officers, and operational actions for Israel and the US
2	Saleh	Mohammadi	19-Mar-26	Public – Qom	Charges including Moharebeh, killing two law enforcement officers, and operational actions for Israel and the US
3	Saeed	Davoodi	19-Mar-26	Public – Qom	Charges including Moharebeh, killing two law enforcement officers, and operational actions for Israel and the US
4	Amirhossein	Hatami	3-Apr-26	Qezel Hesar Prison	Operational actions for Israel and the US, entering military centers to steal weapons, destroying and setting fire to government property.
5	Mohammadamin	Biglari	5-Apr-26	Qezel Hesar Prison	Main charge: Moharebeh due to alleged attack, arson, and attempt to access weapons at a Basij base
6	Shahin	Vahedparast	5-Apr-26	Qezel Hesar Prison	Main charge: Moharebeh due to alleged attack, arson, and attempt to access weapons at a Basij base
7	Ali	Fahim	6-Apr-26	Qezel Hesar Prison	Assaulted restricted military locations to seize armories and steal military weapons
8	Amirali	Jafari	21-Apr-26	Unspecified	Attacking law enforcement officers and security forces; destruction of buses, setting fire to police motorcycles, destroying and burning Qolhak Grand Mosque, leading Mossad network gatherings, carrying cold weapons, injuring security personnel, and blocking roads by burning garbage bins.
9	Erfan	Kiani	25-Apr-26	Isfahan	Detained protester of the January 2026 uprising in Isfahan. Charge: “Acting on a Mossad mission to destroy public and private property, create terror in the city, and brandish weapons.”
10	Sasan	Azadvar	30-Apr-26	Isfahan	Effective cooperation with the enemy through attacking law enforcement officers during the January protests to counter the regime, destroying police vehicles, inciting people to conflict and killing to disrupt national security, and encouraging riots.
11	Mehrab	Abdollahzadeh	3-May-26	Urmia	Killing a law enforcement officer in the 2026 uprising.
12	Mehdi	Rasouli	4-May-26	Mashhad Central Prison (per Hengaw)	Mossad agent – Complicity in killing Basij elements.
13	Mohammadreza	Miri	3-May-26	Mashhad Central Prison (per Hengaw)	Mossad agent – Complicity in killing Basij elements.
14	Ebrahim	Dolatabadi	3-May-26	Mashhad Central Prison (per Hengaw)	Leadership of protests/riots.
15	Mohammad	Abbasi	13-May-26	Qezel Hesar Prison	Cooperation with Mossad – Killing a police colonel
16	Abbas	Akbari Feyzabadi	25-May-26	Isfahan	Armed leadership of protests.
17	Mohammad	Mohammadi-Nia	1-Jun-26	Tehran	Participation in operational actions against national security for the Zionist regime, the hostile US government, and affiliated groups resulting in terror and insecurity, plus entering religious/sacred sites with intent to destroy and burn government/private property (mosques, seminaries) to oppose the Islamic Republic.
18	Ashkan	Maleki	1-Jun-26	Tehran	Participation in operational actions against national security for the Zionist regime, the hostile US government, and affiliated groups resulting in terror and insecurity, plus entering religious/sacred sites with intent to destroy and burn government/private property (mosques, seminaries) to oppose the Islamic Republic.
19	Fathollah	Avari	2-Jun-26	Hamedan	Moharebeh – Killing a law enforcement officer in the 2026 uprising.
20	Javad	Zamani	16-Jun-26	Semnan	Destroying and burning public/private property, assembly and collusion against national security, disrupting public order, creating terror, carrying/using firearms and cold weapons, Moharebeh, Efsad-fil-arz (corruption on Earth), and inciting people to join protests.
21	Abolfazl	Saedi	16-Jun-26	Semnan	Destroying and burning public/private property, assembly and collusion against national security, disrupting public order, creating terror, carrying/using firearms and cold weapons, Moharebeh, Efsad-fil-arz, and inciting people to join protests.
22	Mohammad	Amini Dehaghani	15-Jul-26	Isfahan	Charged with Moharebeh and setting fire to the police station and governorate of Dehaghan.
23	Aref	Khoshkar	15-Jul-26	Qezel Hesar Prison	Charged with the death of a Basij member.
24	Erfan	Esfandiari	19-Jul-26	Isfahan	Charged with the death of 4 Basij members.
25	Golmohammad	Mohammadi	19-Jul-26	Isfahan	Charged with the death of 4 Basij members.
26	Mehdi	Khanki	22-Jul-26	Arrested in Karaj	Operational actions in favor of the Zionist regime, US, and hostile groups; manufacturing, acquiring, and possessing military weapons and ammunition and using them (PMOI member).
27	Amirhossein	Safari	28-Jul-26	Public – Isfahan (Alikhani Sq.)	Killing 4 Basij members during the January 2026 protests
28	Abolfazl	Sepahi	28-Jul-26	Public – Isfahan (Alikhani Sq.)	Killing 4 Basij members during the January 2026 protests
29	Arvin	Kheirkhwahan	1-Aug-26	Shahroud Prison	Moharebeh.
30	Shahram	Sadeghi	16-Aug-26	Offense occurred in Karaj	Charged with “operational action for the benefit of the Zionist regime, US, and hostile groups under Article 1 of the Law Intensifying Penalties for Espionage and Cooperation with the Zionist Regime and Hostile Countries against National Security and Interests”
31	Ghaem	Hosseini	20-Aug-26	Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan	Killing 4 Basij members during January 2026 protests- Efsad-fil-arz.
32	Majid	Adineh	23-Aug-26	Arrested in Mohammadshahr, Karaj	Operational action for the benefit of the Zionist regime, US, and hostile groups under Article 1 of the Law Intensifying Penalties for Espionage and Cooperation with the Zionist Regime and Hostile Countries against National Security and Interests.
33	Ali	Hemmati Sistani	30-Sep-26	Mashhad Central Prison	Moharebeh – Killing 4 security personnel in the 2026 uprising, throwing Molotov cocktails.
34	Majid	Nikandish	30-Sep-26	Mashhad Central Prison	Moharebeh – Killing 4 security personnel in the 2026 uprising, throwing Molotov cocktails.
35	Siavash	Jamshidi Kheirabadi	3-Oct-26	Detained protester from Shahrekord	Moharebeh and “assembly and collusion against national security”.
36	Alireza	Sepahi	5-Oct-26	Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan	Moharebeh, Efsad-fil-arz, membership in rebellious groups against national security, destroying and burning public property, and complicity in killing 4 officers.
37	Alireza	Raeisi	5-Oct-26	Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan	Moharebeh.

Espionage Cases

Additional Cases for Reference

The following executions involved allegations of espionage or intelligence-related offenses. Due to the distinct nature of these charges and limited publicly available information, these cases are listed separately and are not included in the primary documented count.

Date of Execution	Names	Location
March 18, 2026	Kourosh Keyvani (Swedish-Iranian dual national)	Qezel Hesar Prison
April 22, 2026	Mehdi Farid (former employee of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization)	Qezel Hesar Prison
April 23, 2026	Soltanali Shirzadi Fakhr	Qezel Hesar Prison
May 2, 2026	Yaghoub Karimpour, Naser Bakerzadeh	Urmia
May 11, 2026	Erfan Shakourzadeh	Qezel Hesar Prison
May 13, 2026	Ehsan Afrashteh	Tehran
May 24, 2026	Mojtaba Kian	Not specified
May 26, 2026	Gholamreza Khani Shekarab	Not specified

The True Numbers May Be Higher

Iran HRM believes the true number of politically motivated executions and individuals facing execution may be considerably higher than currently documented.

Internet disruptions, restricted access to legal representation, lack of judicial transparency, and reports of secret executions continue to obstruct independent documentation efforts. Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that executions conducted under opaque judicial processes create significant barriers to determining the full scale of state repression.