Full Breakdown
Iran’s Surge in Secret Executions Amid War and Crackdown
5/9/2026, 1:20:20 AM
Accelerated Execution Campaign
Since March 2026 Iranian authorities have carried out at least 24 executions, including multiple deaths on single days, according to the Norway-based monitoring group Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO). Executions are performed in secrecy; families are often informed only after the fact and are denied access to the bodies. The pattern follows a broader increase in capital punishment reported since the regional war began after the February 28 U.S.–Israeli attack.
Context: War, Protests, and Legal Climate
The execution wave coincides with nationwide protests that began in December over living-cost grievances and intensified after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini. The Iranian judiciary frames the unrest as “terrorist acts” orchestrated by foreign powers, while rights groups argue the regime is exploiting wartime conditions to suppress dissent. An internet blackout imposed for more than two months has limited external communication, prompting detainees to use encrypted channels and satellite links to send messages.
Key Cases and Individuals
Notable executed individuals include teenage wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi, Kurdish protester Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, alleged spies Nasser Bakerzadeh and Yaghoub Karimpour, 21-year-old karate champion Sasan Azadvar, and three Mashhad detainees—Mehdi Rasouli, Mohammad Reza Miri and Ebrahim Dowlatabadi. The judiciary also named ten recent death-sentence recipients such as Erfan Amiri and Maryam Hadavandmiri, and denied a retrial for political prisoner Peyman Farah-Avar.
Scale of Executions
The United Nations special rapporteur on Iran estimates at least 1,600 executions occurred in 2025, primarily for drug-related or murder charges. Rights groups contend many of the recent deaths are politically motivated, targeting protesters, ethnic minorities, and individuals accused of espionage.
Official Statements & Responses
Iran’s judiciary, via the Mizan Online portal, described the executed Mashhad men as “Mossad agents” responsible for violent riots. IHRNGO’s Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam warned that “hundreds may face charges punishable by death” and that the regime is intensifying repression under the cover of war. The “No to Executions Tuesdays” hunger-strike campaign, representing prisoners in 56 facilities, attributed the surge to the judiciary’s “submission to security institutions” and called on the international community to intervene.
Criticism & Opposition
Human-rights organizations, including the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) and Iran Human Rights NGO, allege systematic torture, forced confessions, and denial of legal representation. Families report harassment, pressure to remain silent, and denial of bodies, undermining the right to mourn and bury the deceased with dignity.
On-the-Ground Reports
Detainees sent voice notes describing “mental and physical torture,” solitary confinement, and bound hands and legs before execution. Families of executed prisoners recount nightly nightmares and ongoing intimidation by pro-government groups outside their homes. Prisoners participating in the hunger strike reported a memorial held for the three executed men.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact number of executions since March—24 reported by IHRNGO versus the UN’s 1,600 annual estimate. While some accounts emphasize political motives, others note a rise in non-political death sentences, leaving the proportion of each unclear. Verification of execution locations remains limited due to restricted access.
Verbatim Quotes
- “After our brother’s execution, individuals who support the government have repeatedly gathered in front of our home, chanting slogans and subjecting us to ongoing harassment and psychological pressure,” — Family member of Saleh Mohammadi
- “They are mentally and physically torturing me,” — Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, detainee
- “It is against humanity. Their hands and legs were bound. They were first transferred to secure detention facilities for forced confessions, then to solitary confinement for the execution of the sentence.” — Rebin Rahmani, KHRN board member
- “Many detainees have been subjected to physical and psychological torture to extract confessions.” — Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, IHRNGO
- “The increase in executions is the result of the Judiciary’s surrender to the security institutions MOIS, IRGC Intelligence, and the Country’s Intelligence Coordination Council,” — Statement from the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign
- “I am completely innocent, but they want to make me a scapegoat,” — Mehrab Abdollahzadeh
What’s Next
The hunger-strike campaign continues into its 119th week, with prisoners in facilities such as Evin, Ghezel Hesar and Urmia demanding the release of detainees facing death sentences. Rights groups urge UN bodies and foreign governments to press Tehran for transparent legal processes and an end to secret executions. The Iranian regime has signaled no immediate policy shift, suggesting further executions may occur as the war and internal unrest persist.
