©Artin Bakhan via Unsplash
Iran has once again publicly executed two men for their role in the anti-government protests that broke out in late December and early January. According to the judiciary-affiliated news agency Mizan, they were convicted of, among other things, “waging war against God” and seriously disrupting public order and security.
The two men were hanged in public, a tactic that human rights organizations say is intended to instill fear among the population. The wave of protests began as a reaction to the economic crisis but quickly grew into a broader uprising against the authoritarian regime. The Iranian authorities cracked down harshly on the demonstrations. According to official figures, more than 3,000 people were killed, although Tehran shifts the blame to what it calls “terrorist acts” orchestrated by the United States and Israel. The executions are part of a broader increase in the number of death sentences in Iran. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International rank Iran as one of the countries with the highest number of executions in the world after China, with at least 1,639 people executed in 2025.
International Criticism of Iran’s Approach Is Growing
Since the outbreak of the war on February 28, that number has come under even greater pressure, and a large proportion of those executed were convicted in connection with the protests. This makes the death penalty not only a punitive measure but also a political tool in the regime’s harsh crackdown on dissent.
Meanwhile, international criticism of Iran’s approach is growing. Human rights organizations and UN experts warn that Tehran is using the death penalty to suppress protests and intimidate dissidents. According to Human Rights Watch and the UN, there is a high risk that even more death sentences will be carried out, as the authorities are expediting trials and families are already being summoned for final visits.
©Artin Bakhan via Unsplash - illustrative image