According to Iran International, drawing on data from human rights organizations, Iran has executed at least 70 political prisoners since the start of Dey month protests on December 17, 2025 (January 2026); approximately half of these individuals were convicted in cases directly connected to the protests. The report states that 194 additional people—113 of them among Dey month protest detainees—currently face execution orders.
According to the report, of the 70 people executed during this period, 35 died for cases related to the Dey month protests, 9 for cases connected to the "12-day" and "40-day" conflicts, and 26 for other political and ideological cases. The Iran Human Rights Organization had recorded 32 protest-linked executions through October 3, a figure that rose to 35 with the October 5 execution in Isfahan of Alireza Reisi and Alireza Sepahi, and the execution in Shahroud of Arvin Heyrhah.
According to Iran International's report, among the 26 people executed for other political cases, 13 were executed on charges of "collaboration or membership" with opposition parties and movements: nine for links to the People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran, two for links to the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, and four for connections to Jayshal-Adl and Ansar al-Furqan groups. Seven were among those executed on spying charges; four of these were tried for espionage for Israel, one simultaneously on charges of collaboration with the U.S., and two were executed on charges of spying for an unnamed Arab state. The remaining four include two protesters from the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement and two individuals accused of DAESH membership; this last case relates to the 2017–2018 Kuh-i Bemu conflict and execution came after approximately nine years of detention.
According to the report, of the 194 people currently under execution orders, 113 are connected to the Dey month protests, 10 to the recent two conflicts, and 71 to other cases; the legal status of these individuals varies, encompassing first-instance decisions, upheld verdicts, and cases in retrial or appeal.
Context
The wave of protests that began in January 2026 (Dey 1404) was triggered by economic hardship and political demands, and met with harsh security force crackdowns. In Iran, execution is frequently applied for charges including espionage, drugs, murder, and "waging war against God." While human rights organizations contend that executions linked to protests aim to deter dissent, Iranian authorities maintain that execution decisions result from independent judicial proceedings.
These figures are based on Iran International's compilation from human rights organizations and lack independent verification from official Iranian sources; the source itself notes that these figures cover only verifiable cases and that the actual total may be higher.
In the same week, according to another report carried by Iran International, death penalty opponents launched a campaign called "No to Execution Tuesdays" and called for unity against executions, characterizing them as a "tool of repression." It was also reported that authorities have not permitted families of some executed protesters to choose burial sites, and some graves have been designated by officials in cities other than where families live; human rights organizations have raised this as a separate concern.
