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Iran’s judiciary announced that Amirhossein Hatami, a detainee arrested during the nationwide protests of January 2026 (Dey 1404), was executed on Thursday, April 2. He, along with several others, had been accused of damaging and setting fire to the “Shahid Mahmoud Kaveh” Basij base in Tehran on the evening of January 8, 2026. This marks the ninth execution linked to the January protests, intensifying concerns about the expanding use of capital punishment in politically sensitive cases.
Authorities further claimed that Hatami, following his arrest by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organization, had confessed to his involvement during court proceedings. However, according to a source close to Hatami, available reports and videos suggest that the accused did not initiate the fire or destruction, but merely entered a building that had already been set ablaze by others. These claims raise further concerns regarding the reliability of evidence and the potential use of coerced confessions.
As such, serious due process concerns have been raised. A member of Hatami’s family stated that five additional co-defendants in the same case were removed from the general ward of Ghezel Hesar Prison and transferred to an undisclosed location, raising fears that they may also face imminent execution. Among those reportedly at risk are Mohammadamin Biglari, Shahin Vahedparast Kalur, Abolfazl Salehi Siawashani, Amirhossein Hatami, and Ali Fahim, whose cases have been referred for enforcement of sentences.
The case was adjudicated in Branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati, a figure widely criticized by human rights organizations for overseeing politically charged trials. Death sentences were issued on February 6, 2026.
Since the widespread January 2026 protests, Iranian authorities have announced the execution of multiple detainees. The protests themselves have been described as unprecedented in both scale and the level of violence used by security forces, with reports indicating the use of lethal force resulting in potentially thousands of deaths across the country, although exact figures remain unverified.
The recent execution is part of a broader escalation. In March 2026, individuals including Hadi Ghasemi, Saleh Mohammadi, and Saeed Davoudi were executed on charges of killing law enforcement personnel during the protests. Additionally, Kourosh Keyvani was executed on accusations of espionage for Israel during the twelve-day war. On March 30–31, further executions were carried out against Akbar Daneshvarkar, Mohammad Taghi Sangdehi, Babak Alipour, and Pouya Ghabadi, who were accused of affiliation with the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) and acting against national security.
The near-daily increase in executions has significantly heightened concerns among human rights organizations, which warn that political prisoners are being subjected to extreme pressure and expedited judicial processes that may violate fundamental fair trial guarantees.
Mai Sato, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, stated that the death penalty is being used as a tool to suppress political dissent, particularly under wartime conditions. She also highlighted that due to widespread internet shutdowns, it remains unclear how many individuals have already been executed or are currently at risk of execution.
Human rights groups and civil society activists have expressed alarm at the sharp rise in executions, particularly following the onset of the war involving the United States and Israel, arguing that judicial proceedings in these cases fail to meet international human rights standards.
At the same time, Iran’s judiciary chief has repeatedly warned that individuals deemed “traitors to the nation” will face execution, emphasizing that there will be no leniency or compromise in issuing and carrying out such sentences.
These executions represent a deeply troubling escalation in the use of capital punishment to silence dissent and instill fear within society. NIAC strongly condemns the execution of protest-related detainees and warns that such actions further isolate Iran internationally while inflicting irreversible harm on Iranian families and communities. NIAC also calls on the Iranian government to immediately halt all executions, particularly those involving political prisoners and protest detainees, to commute existing death sentences, and to ensure that all individuals are granted fair trials in accordance with international human rights standards. The continuation of this pattern risks further entrenching repression and undermining any prospects for justice, accountability, and stability in Iran.