Political Prisoners Mehdi Hassani and Behrouz Ehsani Secretly Hanged

The Judiciary’s Mizan News Agency reported the hangings of political prisoners Mehdi Hassani and Behrouz Ehsani on 27 July 2025. While the report does not specify the exact location of the executions, Mehdi’s daughter, Maryam Hassani confirmed that they were executed at Ghezelhesar Prison, where they were transferred to from Evin Prison in January 2025.

The report states they were sentenced to death on charges of “baghy (armed rebellion) through collaboration with Mojahedin Organisation (PMOI/MEK).”

In a video, Mehdi’s distraught daughter confirmed the news of her father’s execution and stated that the hangings were carried out without prior notice, depriving their families of last family visits.

Behrouz Ehsani, a 70-year-old father of two, was arrested in October 2022 and Mehdi Hassani, a 49-year-old father of three, was arrested in September 2022. They were held incommunicado and subjected to psychological and physical torture to extract self-incriminating confessions.

In September 2024, Mehdi and Behrouz were sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari. Four subsequent appeals were rejected by the Supreme Court and according to Mehdi’s lawyer, they were executed while their fifth appeal was still pending a decision. According to the lawyer, he was never granted access to the case file and the appeal arguments were never looked at by the Supreme Court.

Behrouz and Mehdi were also members of the “No Death Penalty Tuesdays” before being placed on death row themselves. In a letter written in prison on 18 September 2024, Behrouz Ehsani wrote: “I, Behrouz Ehsani, imprisoned in Ward 4 of Evin Prison, was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence in October 2022 and transferred to the solitary confinement cells of Ward 240 (under supervision of Ward 209) and after 3 and a half months I was transferred to Ward 4 of Evin. Finally, after 22 months of uncertainty, they have now issued me a death sentence without any evidence. Nothing else can be expected of this execution regime."

Calling for support of the “No Death Penalty Tuesdays” movement, Behrouz wrote: “As long as heads are being hung from the gallows, we will continue our Tuesday hunger strikes. I call on my fellow citizens, international community and human rights organisations to act today against executions in Iran because tomorrow will be too late.”