A Tehran revolutionary court has sentenced four protesters to death following the January 2026 nationwide uprising, human rights organizations reported Tuesday.
Judge Iman Afshari of Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court handed down the sentences to Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl, Bita Ali-Hemati, Behrouz Zamani-Nejad, and Kourosh Zamani-Nejad.
The defendants were tried in a joint case with a fifth individual, Amir Mohammad Ali-Hemati, who received a prison sentence of five years and eight months.
Human rights groups noted that Majidi-Asl and Ali-Hemati are a married couple, while Amir Mohammad Ali-Hemati is the brother of Bita Ali-Hemati.
Execution rates hit multi-year highs
The recent sentences follow a period of intensified capital punishment in Iran. Human rights monitors recorded at least 1,639 executions throughout 2025, an average of approximately four deaths per day.
These executions involve a range of offenses, including drug-related crimes, murder, and security-related charges. Analysts suggest the increase in capital punishment serves as a deterrent against internal unrest.
Rights organizations have criticized the lack of transparency regarding many of these cases, noting that some executions are conducted without public announcement.
Judiciary head Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei recently stated that Iranian authorities are adopting a "wartime posture" when handling cases involving alleged collaboration with foreign entities.
