Iran Imposes Death Sentences on Protesters Despite International Outcry
Iran has quietly sentenced dozens of individuals to death for their alleged involvement in last month's nationwide protests, according to a detailed report from Amnesty International. The human rights organisation disclosed that at least thirty people are currently facing execution, with nine of these sentences being handed down hastily this month, merely weeks after their arrests.
Rapid Trials and Fair Trial Violations
Amnesty International highlighted that the Iranian regime has been conducting expedited judicial proceedings that blatantly violate the right to a fair trial. At least twenty-two additional individuals, including two seventeen-year-olds, are assessed to be at imminent risk of receiving the death penalty, awaiting legal processes that the rights group condemns as fundamentally unjust.
Nassim Papayianni, a senior campaigner on Iran at Amnesty International, stated that the true number of those endangered could be "much higher" due to the regime's intimidation tactics against families, preventing them from speaking out. Authorities have systematically denied the accused access to independent legal representation since the crackdown on anti-government demonstrations began in January.
Weaponising Capital Punishment to Suppress Dissent
Ms Papayianni explained that the Iranian government, under significant pressure from internal dissent, is deliberately "weaponising the death penalty" to instil fear among the population and crush the spirit of those demanding fundamental change. "They are trying to send a clear message that this is what you might face if you also decide to protest," she said on Tuesday.
By fast-tracking trials and expediting judicial processes, the regime has abandoned any pretence of fair proceedings. "Even that veneer is now gone," Ms Papayianni added, emphasising the severity of the situation.
Specific Cases Highlight Injustice
Among those sentenced to death is eighteen-year-old Saleh Mohammadi, who was arrested in January in connection with the death of a security agent in Qom. Amnesty International reported that he was sentenced by Criminal Court One in Qom on February 4, less than three weeks after his arrest on January 15. A verdict reviewed by the rights group revealed that Mr Mohammadi retracted his "confessions" in court, claiming they were extracted under torture. The court dismissed his pleas without investigation, and an anonymous source indicated he sustained hand fractures from beatings.
Another case involves fifty-five-year-old Mohammad Abbasi, identified as at risk in Amnesty's report published last Friday. A source close to his family confirmed to Reuters that an Iranian revolutionary court has since issued a death sentence against him. Mr Abbasi is accused of killing a security officer, an allegation his family vehemently denies. He and his daughter, who received a twenty-five-year sentence for her role in the protests, have been denied access to their chosen lawyer.
Charges of "Enmity Against God"
Mr Abbasi faces the charge of "enmity against God," believed to be the first such sentence linked to the recent demonstrations. The source noted that Iran's judiciary has not publicly announced his sentence, reflecting a pattern of secrecy. Similarly, nineteen-year-old Mohammad Amin Biglari and six others were sentenced to death for enmity against God on February 9, accused of setting a Basij base on fire. Mr Biglari was forcibly disappeared for weeks before being transferred to prison, where he was allegedly denied a chosen lawyer and instead appointed one by the state.
International Pressure and Historical Context
Ms Papayianni observed that while the regime seeks to deter future protests, it remains wary of international pressure if it publicises its use of the death penalty. She referenced a similar pattern after the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' uprising in late 2022, following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. At that time, global campaigns pressured authorities to halt executions, leading to a reduction in public announcements.
"What we believe they are doing now is they are going back to the same playbook... they are still trying to weaponise the death penalty, but they are now trying not to let information come out about the cases," she explained, stressing the urgent need for coordinated international diplomatic pressure on the regime.
Broader Crackdown and Political Tensions
These reports emerge weeks after Iran released condemned protester Erfan Soltani on bail, as former US president Donald Trump threatened "very strong action" if the regime began executing protesters. Rights groups, including Amnesty International and the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, report that thousands were killed in the crackdown on protests, which originated from economic grievances and escalated into Iran's largest demonstrations since the 1979 Revolution.
Iranian lawyers informed Independent Persian earlier this month that Iran appeared to be planning to execute "thousands" of people, depending on the outcome of diplomacy with the United States. The Norwegian-based Iran Human Rights group assessed in December that executions nationwide had doubled from 2024, with at least 975 confirmed last year. Amnesty International has yet to publish its 2025 figures but acknowledges a rapid increase in the use of the death penalty since 2022.
Protests over economic grievances in December grew into nationwide demonstrations in January 2026 before the regime imposed an internet blackout and intensified its crackdown on dissent. Trump threatened Iran with military force in January, pledging to aid peaceful protesters if the regime resorted to killings. Tensions temporarily cooled as delegations met to discuss a potential nuclear deal in February, but without a breakthrough, Trump moved US military assets to the region and threatened military action amid renewed protests at universities across Iran.
