Iran Using Executions To Deter Dissent, Rights Groups Say

Human Rights Watch and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran reported on September 10, 2026, that Iranian authorities have significantly increased the use of the death penalty against protesters and political dissidents. The organizations stated that these executions often follow expedited trials characterized by allegations of torture and a lack of due process.

According to the rights groups, at least 59 individuals were executed between March 18 and the end of August 2026 on national security charges. This figure includes 29 people arrested in connection with protests that occurred between December 2025 and January 2026. The report noted that several of those executed were 18 or 19 years old, and five executions were carried out in public.

The groups stated that in 16 of the 29 protest-related cases, authorities did not allege that the defendants had killed anyone, instead citing charges such as damaging public property or breaking into government buildings. Defendants were reportedly denied access to independent legal counsel and convicted on charges including waging war against God and corruption on earth. In some instances, the period between arrest and execution was as short as five weeks.

Bahar Saba, a senior Iran researcher at Human Rights Watch, stated that authorities are using the death penalty to instill fear and deter public dissent. The organizations have called on United Nations member states to pressure Tehran to implement a moratorium on the death penalty.

The report also highlighted a broader increase in capital punishment in Iran. The Boroumand Center recorded at least 2,113 executions in 2025, which it described as the highest annual figure since the late 1980s. Separately, the Iran Human Rights group reported 549 executions recorded so far in 2026.

Article and image source: sierraleonetimes.com