Since March 2026, Iran has witnessed a sharp escalation in executions on political and security-related charges, as 40 people were executed between March 18 and June 3.
In response to this surge, Spreading Justice examined the officials and institutions responsible for facilitating these executions. While such executions continue beyond the reporting period, this report focuses on the two months between March 18 and May 18, 2026, during which at least 32 individuals were executed following grossly unfair trials. The youngest among them, Amirhossein Hatami, was only 18 years old. Although limited in its temporal scope, the findings reflect a broader and ongoing pattern, with executions on political and security-related charges continuing at an alarming pace.
Others executed during this period were accused of involvement in the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom protests or alleged activity connected to the 12-day war with Israel in June 2025.
Comparatively, according to HRA documentation, between March 18 and May 18, 2025, a total of 198 individuals were executed in Iran, compared to 65 executions during the same period in 2026. However, only 8 individuals were executed on political and security-related charges in 2025, underscoring the sharp escalation in the use of executions as a tool of political repression in 2026.
Spreading Justice has identified the judicial authorities responsible for issuing these arbitrary death sentences. These individuals have long-standing records of involvement in violations of the right to life and the systematic denial of fair trial guarantees. Among them, Judge Iman Afshari has played a particularly central role. During this same period, Afshari sentenced at least eight individuals to death on political and security-related charges, including:
- ●Ehsan Hosseinipour Hessarlou (Sentence upheld)
- ●Matin Mohammadi (Sentence upheld)
- ●Erfan Amiri (Sentence upheld)
- ●Maryam Hodavand (Sentence upheld)
- ●Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl (Sentence overturned)
- ●Bita Hemmati (Sentence overturned)
- ●Behrouz Zamaninejad
- ●Kourosh Zamaninejad
Afshari is also implicated in at least six additional cases outlined below that resulted in arbitrary executions.
14 Individuals Executed Between March 18 and May 18, 2026, in Connection with the January 2026 Dey Protests
| Victim | Individuals Involved in Violations of the Right to Life | |
|---|---|---|
 |
Mehdi GhasemiAge: Not specified Date of Execution: March 19, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh through use of a bladed weapon in unlawful gatherings leading to the killing of law enforcement agents; operational action for Israel and the United States; inciting people to war and murder |
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Saleh MohammadiAge: 19 Date of Execution: March 19, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh through use of a bladed weapon in unlawful gatherings leading to the killing of law enforcement agents; operational action for Israel and the United States; inciting people to war and murder |
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Saeed DavoudiAge: Not specified Date of Execution: March 19, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh through use of a bladed weapon in unlawful gatherings leading to the killing of law enforcement agents; operational action for Israel and the United States; inciting people to war and murder |
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Amirhossein HatamiAge: 18 Date of Execution: April 2, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh through participation in operational activities against national security for Israel, the United States, and opposition groups |
Abolghasem SalavatiGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Mohammad-Amin BiglariAge: 19 Date of Execution: April 5, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh through participation in operational activities against national security for Israel, the United States, and opposition groups |
Abolghasem SalavatiGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Shahin VahedparastAge: 30 Date of Execution: April 5, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh through participation in operational activities against national security for Israel, the United States, and opposition groups |
Abolghasem SalavatiGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Ali FahimAge: 23 Date of Execution: April 6, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh through participation in operational activities against national security for Israel, the United States, and opposition groups |
Abolghasem SalavatiGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Amirali MirjafariAge: 24 Date of Execution: April 21, 2026 Charge: Operational action for the Israeli regime and hostile governments; collaboration with Mossad-linked networks; arson and destruction of public property |
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Erfan KianiAge: Not specified Date of Execution: April 25, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh through use of a bladed weapon to intimidate the public and participate in destruction of public property |
Revolutionary Court of IsfahanGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Sasan Azadvar JunaqaniAge: 21 Date of Execution: April 30, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh (enmity against God) |
Seyed-Mahmoud Kazem ZadehGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Mehdi RasouliAge: 25 Date of Execution: May 3, 2026 Charge: Operational activities against national security for Israel, the United States, and opposition groups |
Gholamreza Akbari MoghadamGhasem MazinaniGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Ebrahim DolatabadiAge: Not specified Date of Execution: May 3, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh and leading the protests |
Gholamreza Akbari MoghadamGhasem MazinaniGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Mohammadreza MiriAge: 21 Date of Execution: May 3, 2026 Charge: Operational activities against national security for Israel, the United States, and opposition groups |
Gholamreza Akbari MoghadamGhasem MazinaniGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Mohammad AbbasiAge: Not specified Date of Execution: May 13, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh (enmity against God) |
Abolghasem SalavatiSeyyed Kazem Sadati FiruzabadGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
18 Individuals Executed on Political and Security Charges Unrelated to the January 2026 Protests
During this period, 18 individuals were also executed on political and security-related charges. However, these charges were not connected to the January protests. Instead, these individuals were executed for their alleged involvement in the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom protests and alleged activity during the 12-day war with Israel.
| Victim | Individuals Involved in Violations of the Right to Life | |
|---|---|---|
 |
Kourosh KeyvaniAge: Not specified Date of Execution: March 18, 2026 Charge: Espionage for Israel |
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Akbar Daneshvar-KarAge: 59 Date of Execution: March 30, 2026 Charge: Baghi (armed rebellion) through membership in opposition groups |
Iman AfshariGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Seyed Mohammad Taghavi-SangdehiAge: 60 Date of Execution: March 30, 2026 Charge: Baghi (armed rebellion) through membership in opposition groups |
Iman AfshariGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Babak AlipourAge: Not specified Date of Execution: March 31, 2026 Charge: Baghi (armed rebellion) through membership in opposition groups |
Iman AfshariGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Pouya GhobadiAge: Not specified Date of Execution: March 31, 2026 Charge: Baghi (armed rebellion) through membership in opposition groups |
Iman AfshariGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Abolhassan MontazerAge: 68 Date of Execution: April 4, 2026 Charge: Baghi (armed rebellion) through membership in opposition groups |
Iman AfshariGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Vahid BaniamerianAge: 34 Date of Execution: April 4, 2026 Charge: Baghi (armed rebellion) through membership in opposition groups |
Iman AfshariGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Mohammad Masoum ShahiAge: Not specified Date of Execution: April 20, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh, cooperation with a hostile state, assembly and collusion against national security, and membership in a group with intent to disrupt national security |
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Hamed ValidiAge: 45 Date of Execution: April 20, 2026 Charge: Moharebeh, cooperation with a hostile state, assembly and collusion against national security, and membership in a group with intent to disrupt national security |
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Mehdi FaridAge: 55 Date of Execution: April 22, 2026 Charge: Efsad-e fel-arz (corruption on earth) through cooperation with Israel |
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Soltanali Shirzadi FakhrAge: Not specified Date of Execution: April 23, 2026 Charge: Cooperation with Israel and moharebeh |
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Amer RameshAge: 22 Date of Execution: April 26, 2026 Charge: Baghi (armed rebellion) and membership in an armed opposition group |
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Mehrab AbdollahzadehAge: 28 Date of Execution: May 2, 2026 Charge: Corruption on Earth |
Ghorban ShahiniSeyyed Kazem Sadati FiruzabadGhasem MazinaniGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Yaghoub KarimpourAge: Not specified Date of Execution: May 2, 2026 Charge: Distributing information and images of military sites; manufacturing sound bombs; and field cooperation with Mossad officers |
Sajjad DoostiGhasem MazinaniGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Naser BekrzadehAge: 26 Date of Execution: May 2, 2026 Charge: Espionage for Israel |
Ghorban ShahiniSeyyed Kazem Sadati FiruzabadGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Erfan ShakourzadehAge: Not specified Date of Execution: May 11, 2026 Charge: Spying for CIA and the Mossad |
Abolghasem SalavatiGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Abdoljalil ShahbakhshAge: 24 Date of Execution: May 12, 2026 Charge: Baghi (armed rebellion) through armed attacks on law enforcement facilities and membership in the insurgent group Ansar al-Furqan |
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
 |
Ehsan AfrashtehAge: Not specified Date of Execution: May 13, 2026 Charge: Spying for Israel |
Abolghasem SalavatiSeyyed Kazem Sadati FiruzabadGhasem MazinaniSheykh Abbasali Alizade BaygiGholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’iMohammad-Jafar MontazeriMohammad Movahediazad |
