08/05/2026
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08/05/2026
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TEHRAN, May 8: Iran is carrying out near-daily executions in secrecy, with families often informed only after prisoners have been put to death and, in some cases, denied access to their bodies, according to a report by The Guardian citing rights groups and sources close to affected families.
At least 24 people have been executed since March, including six within a span of two days, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights organization said.
The reported increase has raised concerns over the fate of hundreds of detainees believed to be at risk of execution following January’s anti-government protests, as well as individuals accused of espionage during the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel.
Rights organizations say Iran’s ongoing internet blackout, now entering its third month, has significantly limited communication between families, activists, and legal representatives, while also restricting documentation of alleged abuses.
A relative of Saleh Mohammadi, a teenage national wrestling champion executed in March, told The Guardian that the family has faced continued harassment.
“After our brother’s execution, individuals who support the government have repeatedly gathered in front of our home, chanting slogans and subjecting us to ongoing harassment and psychological pressure,” the relative said.
Among those reportedly executed over the weekend were Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, who was arrested during the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, and two Kurdish prisoners, Nasser Bakerzadeh and Yaghoub Karimpour, accused of spying for Israel.
Rights groups have also cited allegations of torture and forced confessions. In a voice message reportedly sent before his execution, Abdollahzadeh denied the charges and said he had been subjected to weeks of torture.
A source in Mashhad told The Guardian that families of executed protesters have faced pressure to remain silent, initially in hopes of saving their relatives and later to secure the return of their bodies.
Rights organizations warn that the current conflict has shifted international focus away from Iran’s internal situation, potentially allowing authorities to intensify the use of the death penalty with limited scrutiny.
