Iran Sentences Four More People to Death Over January Protests
Growing Use of Capital Punishment Raises International Concern
Iranian authorities have handed down death sentences to four more individuals connected to protests that took place in January, according to multiple human rights organizations who released the information on Tuesday. Among those sentenced is a woman, marking a particularly troubling development in the government’s crackdown on dissent. This brings the total number of people already executed in connection with these demonstrations to seven, with human rights activists reporting that the brutal suppression of the protests resulted in thousands of deaths and led to tens of thousands of arrests across the country. The international community has expressed growing alarm over Iran’s increasing reliance on capital punishment as a method of silencing opposition and maintaining control over its population.
Rights organizations have been outspoken in their criticism of the Islamic Republic’s justice system, accusing the government of weaponizing the death penalty as an instrument of repression designed to spread fear throughout Iranian society. There are mounting concerns that Iran may intensify its use of capital punishment in the current geopolitical climate, particularly following heightened tensions with Israel and the United States. The four individuals were tried and convicted in a Tehran Revolutionary Court, where they faced accusations of conducting activities on behalf of the United States. The proceedings were overseen by Judge Imam Afshari, who has gained notoriety for his role in politically sensitive cases. Information about these sentences came from both the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center, two organizations that closely monitor human rights violations in Iran.
Details of the Charges and Convictions
The regime’s judiciary leveled numerous serious charges against the group, painting them as violent actors who posed a threat to public safety and national security. According to the opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran, the accusations included “using explosives and weapons,” “harming stationed forces on-site,” and “throwing objects including bottles, concrete blocks, and incendiary materials from the roofs of buildings.” These charges reflect the government’s pattern of portraying protesters as dangerous criminals and foreign agents rather than citizens exercising their right to demonstrate. It remains unclear exactly when the verdict was officially issued, adding to the opacity that characterizes Iran’s judicial proceedings in politically sensitive cases.
The four people convicted have been identified as Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl and his wife Bita Hemmati, along with two other men named Behrouz Zamaninejad and Kourosh Zamaninejad. The two men lived in the same Tehran apartment building as the married couple, suggesting that their arrests may have been part of a coordinated sweep of residents in a particular location. Hemmati’s sentence is particularly significant as she is believed to be the first woman to receive a death sentence in connection with the January protests, setting a disturbing precedent. The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center has stated that they believe Hemmati is the same woman who appeared in a video that was broadcast on state television in January, where she was shown being personally interrogated by judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. The organization strongly condemned this broadcast, stating that “the recording and broadcasting of forced confessions from defendants in an opaque process constitutes a blatant violation of the defendant’s rights.” Such televised confessions have long been criticized by international human rights organizations as a form of psychological torture and a violation of basic legal rights.
Alarming Statistics on Executions in Iran
The scale of Iran’s use of capital punishment has reached shocking levels according to various monitoring organizations. Iran Human Rights Monitor reported that Iran carried out 656 executions in just the first three months of this year alone, though the organization believes the actual number is “likely far higher.” This suspicion is based on the fact that Iran experienced widespread internet outages in March, during which only eight executions were officially recorded. The disruption to communications makes it extremely difficult for monitoring organizations to track the true extent of executions during that period, suggesting that many more may have been carried out in secret.
A joint annual report released on Monday by Norway-based Iran Human Rights and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty painted an even more disturbing picture of the situation. According to their findings, at least 1,639 people were executed in Iran during 2025, a staggering figure that includes 48 women. These numbers position Iran as one of the world’s most prolific executors, using capital punishment at a rate that far exceeds most other nations. Beyond the seven people who have already been executed in connection with the January protests, death sentences have been handed down to at least 26 other individuals arrested during the demonstrations. Even more concerning, several hundred additional people are currently facing charges that could potentially result in execution, creating an atmosphere of terror for those who participated in the protests and their families.
Recent Executions and Concerns About Due Process
Last month brought another tragic example of the government’s harsh response when Iran executed three men who were accused of killing police officers during the protests. Among them was Saleh Mohammadi, a young member of Iran’s national wrestling team whose execution drew particular international attention due to his athletic prominence. These executions demonstrate that the Iranian government is willing to carry out death sentences against individuals regardless of their public profile or the international attention their cases may attract. The executions serve as a stark warning to others who might consider participating in protests or opposing the government in any way.
The Center for Human Rights in Iran, based in New York, issued a strong statement condemning the legal proceedings that have led to these death sentences. The organization stated that “dozens of individuals arrested during the January 2026 protests have been sentenced to death following grossly unfair, fast-tracked trials conducted without due process, access to independent counsel and reliance on torture-tainted forced ‘confessions’ as evidence.” This characterization highlights the systematic violations of international legal standards that characterize Iran’s handling of these cases. Defendants are being rushed through a judicial system that denies them basic rights, including the ability to mount a proper defense or have access to lawyers who can represent their interests independently. The reliance on confessions that may have been obtained through torture completely undermines the legitimacy of the legal proceedings and violates international human rights conventions that Iran has signed.
International Response and Calls for Action
The international community, particularly human rights organizations, has responded to these developments with urgent calls for action. The National Council of Resistance of Iran has issued a direct appeal to the United Nations, calling on the international body “to take immediate action to save the lives of prisoners sentenced to death, especially political prisoners and those detained during the uprising.” This call reflects a growing frustration among rights advocates who feel that the international response to Iran’s human rights violations has been insufficient to create meaningful change or protect vulnerable individuals within the country.
The situation represents a critical test for the international community’s commitment to human rights principles and the protection of peaceful protesters. Iran’s actions violate numerous international agreements and conventions regarding the use of capital punishment, fair trial rights, and the treatment of political prisoners. The fact that executions continue at such an accelerated pace despite international condemnation suggests that Iran feels insulated from consequences or does not believe the international community will take substantive action beyond issuing statements of concern. The targeting of protesters with death sentences creates a chilling effect on freedom of expression and assembly in Iran, fundamental rights that are supposed to be protected under international law. As tensions in the region continue and Iran faces both internal dissent and external pressures, the world watches to see whether meaningful intervention will occur to prevent further executions and protect those currently on death row for exercising their right to protest.
