Executions Related to Protests in 2025

While the Islamic Republic has a bloody history of executing protesters, the execution of protesters in recent years began in 2020 after a series of nationwide protests in 2016-2019. Protesters Mostafa Salehi and Navid Afkari were both sentenced to death for fabricated charges of moharebeh and murder, but were executed for the latter as the Islamic Republic considers qisas or retribution-in-kind to be the right of the victim’s family and places the responsibility to choose retribution execution on them, making it easier to justify to the international community.[1] Following mass public backlash and international pressure, other known protesters on death row were released. At least two November 2019 protesters, Abbas Deris and Mohammad Javad Vafayi Sani, remain at risk.

The execution of “Woman, Life, Freedom” protesters began in December 2022, with two protesters hastily executed, and continued into 2023 when eight more protesters were executed for security-related and murder charges.[2] In 2024, two protesters were executed for murder charges.[3] At least 16 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protesters remain on death row and at risk.

Following the nationwide protests of December 2025/January 2026 and the bloody massacre of protesters, tens of thousands were arrested. The stark difference with the previous protests is that every case IHRNGO has obtained information about, has included collusion with Israel. At the time of writing, hundreds of people are facing death penalty charges and sentences in relation to the protests and at least 27 have been sentenced to death.

Protesters executed in 2025

Mojahed Kourkour

Mojahed Kourkour (Abbas Kourkouri) was a 43-year-old Bakhtiari protester arrested on 20 December 2022 after being shot in the leg in an armed clash with security forces. He was forced to confess at the scene and denied medical treatment beyond the removal of the bullet. Mojahed was denied the right to be represented by a lawyer of his choice at trial and more torture-tainted confessions were aired by state media. On 7 April 2023, he was sentenced to death by the Ahvaz Revolutionary Court on charges of “moharebeh through drawing a weapon with the intention to kill people and create fear, efsad-fil-arz committed through firing a war weapon, disrupting public order, causing harm to the physical integrity of seven people including Kian Pirfalak, causing major damage to public and private property, forming a baghy group and its membership through armed rebellion against the government.”[4] His sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in December of the same year but was later overturned after a judicial review application. He was resentenced to death in December 2024. Mojahed was also indicted for murder (qisas/retribution-in-kind) by the Criminal Court but nothing further was reported on the case after Kian Pirfalak’s parents, uncle and lawyer stated his murder was carried out by security forces and they had no complaints against him. Mojahed was ultimately hanged in Ahvaz Sepidar Prison on 11 June 2025.[5]

Mehran Bahramian

Mehran Bahramian was a protester arrested for participating in the 40th day commemoration ceremony for slain protesters Morad Bahramian and Ali Abbasi on Semirom on 29 December 2022. Videos published by state media show his torture-tainted confessions and the reconstruction of the alleged crime scene without presenting any evidence, including CCTV footage. Mehran was sentenced to death on the charge of “moharebeh (enmity against god) through the use of an AK47 and assault rifle” by the Isfahan Revolutionary Court on 27 January 2024. His family were also coerced into silence about the case. According to the official report, the Supreme Court overturned the sentence and referred the case back for retrial, “citing investigative deficiencies.” Ultimately, Mehran was resentenced to death at retrial, which was upheld by the Supreme Court. The Court also rejected an appeal thereafter. He was hanged in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 6 September 2025.[6]

[1] See IHRNGO and ECPM, Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran, 2020: https://iranhr.net/media/files/Rapport_iran_2021-gb-290321-BD.pdf, p. 41.

[2] IHRNGO, Executions Related to Protests in 2023, 11 March 2024, https://iranhr.net/en/articles/6614/

[3] https://iranhr.net/en/articles/7366/

[4] https://iranhr.net/en/articles/5807/

[5] https://iranhr.net/en/articles/7656/

[6] https://iranhr.net/en/articles/7971/