Iran’s Expanding Use of the Death Penalty Amid Protests and International Outcry

On July 28, authorities prepared a public execution at Alikhari Square in Isfahan. Three men—Amirhossein Safari, 27; Abolfazl Sepahi, 23; and Alirez Sepahi, 25—were taken to the site. Two were hanged; the third collapsed and was taken to a hospital. Families and observers allege the defendants endured days of torture, were denied counsel, and were forced to sign confessions.

Iran executes protesters in public as regime expands postwar repression, human rights groups say

Marzieh Nieri, 23, was executed at Qazvin Central Prison after a trial rejected her self-defence claim. Iran Human Rights said her death raised the 2026 tally of women executed to at least 14. On the same day, the Mazandaran judiciary sentenced Kolthoum Akbari to ten qisas death sentences for killing multiple elderly men she had married temporarily.

Euronews

• UN human-rights chief reported at least 56 executions on national-security charges since 19 Mar 2026, including 27 linked to the January protests.

Canada and 33 Other Countries Condemn Executions of Protesters in Iran

• The “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign, now in its 133rd week, recorded 342 executions since 21 Mar 2026, among them 10 women, 2 minors at the time of the alleged offenses, and 37 political prisoners.

Iran’s ‘No to Execution Tuesdays’ Reaches 133rd Week as Hunger Strikes Continue Across 59 Prisons

• Amnesty International documented at least 26 executions of protest participants, describing the trials as grossly unfair.

Canada and 33 Other Countries Condemn Executions of Protesters in Iran

• Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the sentences, stating “the death penalty is incompatible with the right to life and irreconcilable with human dignity.”

Iran executes protesters in public as regime expands postwar repression, human rights groups say

• Amnesty International called the executions “a deadly rampage” and urged coordinated diplomatic action.

Canada and 33 Other Countries Condemn Executions of Protesters in Iran

• A joint statement on 12 Aug 2026 by Canada, thirty-two other nations and the EU’s High Representative condemned Iran’s use of capital punishment to suppress dissent and demanded the release of arbitrarily detained individuals.

Canada and 33 Other Countries Condemn Executions of Protesters in Iran

• Iranian officials defended the practice as consistent with domestic law and necessary for public security.

Euronews

Eyewitnesses described scaffolding and a crane erected quickly at Alikhari Square, the arrival of the van under armed guard, and crowds chanting slogans before security forces dispersed the gathering.

Iran executes protesters in public as regime expands postwar repression, human rights groups say

Human-rights groups, including Amnesty International and Iran Human Rights, highlighted the surge in executions of women—often linked to forced marriages and domestic violence—and warned that the lack of fair-trial guarantees violates international standards.

Canada and 33 Other Countries Condemn Executions of Protesters in Iran

• The UN figure of 56 executions since 19 Mar 2026 contrasts with the campaign’s claim of 342 since 21 Mar 2026.

Euronews

• Iran Human Rights cites at least 14 women executed in 2026, while the U.S. State Department reported 61 women executed in 2025, illustrating differing tallies and verification challenges.

Euronews

• “The death penalty is incompatible with the right to life and irreconcilable with human dignity,” — Volker Türk

Iran executes protesters in public as regime expands postwar repression, human rights groups say

The United Nations and the coalition of signing states have called for urgent diplomatic measures to pressure Tehran to halt further executions and to ensure due-process protections for those facing the death penalty. No specific deadline for compliance has been announced.

Canada and 33 Other Countries Condemn Executions of Protesters in Iran