Overview
- State-linked media and the judiciary reported that Abolfazl Sepahi and Amir‑Hossein Safari were hanged publicly in Malekshahr for their alleged roles in the December–January antigovernment demonstrations, a move confirmed on Tuesday by Mizan Online and Mehr.
- The authorities said both men were convicted of moharebeh, or 'waging war against God,' and 'corruption on earth' for allegedly brandishing weapons, spreading fear and seriously disturbing public order.
- Amnesty International and UN rights experts condemned the executions as an escalation, saying many protest-related death sentences followed closed or summary hearings that violated fair-trial norms.
- Human-rights groups warned roughly 60 other people remain at risk of execution, including three who were arrested as minors, while prison protests and hunger strikes have intensified inside Iran to protest mass sentences.
- The hangings come as executions have surged since a wider security escalation began on February 28 and after NGOs recorded a record number of executions in 2025, underlining a broader clampdown on dissent.