Iran has executed two men arrested during anti-government protests in January, the judiciary said, after crowds reportedly gathered near the execution site to prevent the public hangings, but were dispersed by security forces.
The judiciary’s Mizan Online news website said the death sentences of Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi were carried out before dawn on Tuesday.
The Centre for Human Rights in Iran, a US-based rights organisation, said people assembled in the central city of Isfahan in an attempt to stop the executions after iron scaffolding was erected for the hangings. The Norway-based Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights reported several injuries and arrests.
Unverified video footage shared online by activists showed dozens of people gathering at the site before security forces moved in on motorbikes to clear the area, and the executions were carried out.
“At about 4.45am, after dispersing the crowd, they turned off the lights again, shouted ‘Allahu akbar’ and executed them,” one witness was quoted as saying.
The executions were linked to unrest on January 8 in Isfahan, during a wave of nationwide anti-government protests that became one of the biggest challenges to Iran’s clerical leadership in more than a decade.
The demonstrations sparked by widespread anger over worsening economic conditions – including rising prices, unemployment and declining living standards – expanded into broader demands for political change.
Authorities said clashes at Shahid Alikhani Square in Isfahan during the protests led to the deaths of four police officers. Iranian officials described the incident as a violent attack on security forces, while rights groups said the broader government response to the protests involved a deadly crackdown on demonstrators.
'Confessions obtained under torture'
A rights group said at least 7,000 people were killed during the crackdown that followed the protests, while some media reports cited significantly higher death toll estimates. Iranian authorities have rejected many outside accounts of the protests and defended their actions as necessary to restore security.
Mizan described Mr Badjani and Mr Hosseinabadi as responsible for what it called a “horrific crime” at Shahid Alikhani Square, alleging protesters involved in the incident used weapons including knives, axes, firearms and Molotov cocktails, and damaged property, attacked police and set buildings and vehicles on fire.
The judiciary identified Mr Badjani as one of the main figures in the case, alleging he encouraged attacks, helped block roads and took part in assaults on police officers. It cited witness statements and case documents alleging he attacked officers with a knife and helped set fire to injured police personnel.
Mr Hosseinabadi was accused of joining the unrest while armed with a blade. Mizan said the convictions were based on police reports, phone records, witness testimony, confessions and crime-scene reconstructions. Iran’s Supreme Court later upheld the death sentences.
The hangings triggered condemnation from opposition groups and international rights organisations, which warned more protesters could face execution.
Hengaw reported that sources familiar with the case said Mr Badjani and Mr Hosseinabadi were subjected to "severe physical and psychological torture following their arrest in an effort to obtain forced confessions". It said they were denied access to independent legal counsel and a fair trial, and that their death sentences were "based solely on confessions obtained under torture".
The rights group expressed concern over the fate of Alireza Sepahi, another defendant in the same case. It said his family was summoned for a final visit, but his whereabouts remain unknown, raising fears his execution may be imminent.
International rights organisations have repeatedly criticised Iran’s use of capital punishment and lashes and called for greater transparency in judicial proceedings. Amnesty International said Iran executed at least 2,159 people in 2025, more than double its 2024 figure.
