No to Execution, Yes to Free Life!

34 Executed in 65 Days in Iran Executions in Iran have dramatically increased in recent months, particularly against political and security prisoners. Human rights organizations continue to raise concerns over unfair trials, forced confessions, denial of legal representation, and other serious violations of due process. Between March 17 and May 21, 2026, at least 34 political and security prisoners were executed in Iran. Political and Security Prisoners Executed in the Last 65 Days: 1. Kourosh Keyvani — March 17, 2026 2. Saleh Mohammadi — March 18, 2026 3. Saeed Davoudi — March 18, 2026 4. Mehdi Ghasemi — March 18, 2026 5. Akbar Daneshvarkar — March 30, 2026 6. Seyed Mohammad Taghavi — March 30, 2026 7. Babak Alipour — March 31, 2026 8. Pouya Ghabadi — March 31, 2026 9. Amirhossein Hatami — April 2, 2026 10. Abolhassan Montazer — April 4, 2026 11. Vahid Bani Amerian — April 4, 2026 12. Mohammadamin Biglari — April 5, 2026 13. Shahin Vahedparast — April 5, 2026 14. Ali (Arian) Fahim — April 6, 2026 15. Hamed Validi — April 20, 2026 16. Mohammad Masoum (Nima) Shahi — April 20, 2026 17. Amirali Mirjafari — April 21, 2026 18. Mehdi Farid — April 22, 2026 19. Soltan-Ali Shirzadi — April 23, 2026 20. Erfan Kiani — April 25, 2026 21. Amer Ramesh — April 26, 2026 22. Sasan Azadvar Jonqani — April 30, 2026 23. Naser Bakrzadeh — May 2, 2026 24. Yaghoub Karimpour — May 2, 2026 25. Mehrab Abdollahzadeh — May 3, 2026 26. Mehdi Rasouli — May 3, 2026 27. Mohammadreza Miri — May 3, 2026 28. Ebrahim Dowlatabadi — May 3, 2026 29. Erfan Shakourzadeh — May 11, 2026 30. Abduljalil Shahbakhsh — May 12, 2026 31. Ehsan Afarashteh — May 13, 2026 32. Mohammad Abbasi — May 13, 2026 33. Ramin Zaleh — May 21, 2026 34. Karim Maroufpour — May 21, 2026

Warning Over the Risk of Execution of Three Kurdish Political Prisoners in Iran Following the execution of two Kurdish political prisoners, Ramin Zaleh and Karim Maroufpour, concerns are growing over a new wave of political executions in Iran. Human rights activists warn that, with the increasing number of executions carried out in the past nearly three months, the lives of several other Kurdish political prisoners are now in serious danger. At the moment, Pakhshan Azizi, Yousef Ahmadi, and Hatem Ozdemir are facing an imminent risk of execution. Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld their death sentences, and their requests for retrial have been rejected. Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish civil activist from Mahabad, was arrested in Tehran in August 2023. She was held for months in solitary confinement and denied access to a lawyer before being sentenced to death on charges of “armed insurrection” (baghi). Yousef Ahmadi, a Kurdish political prisoner from Baneh, was arrested in April 2020. According to reports, he was tortured and denied medical treatment before being sentenced to death on the same charges. Hatem Ozdemir, a Kurdish political activist holding Turkish citizenship, was arrested in 2019. He was reportedly subjected to interrogation and torture before receiving a death sentence, which was later upheld by the Supreme Court after several stages of review. Human rights activists are calling on the international community, the United Nations, human rights organizations, and global public opinion to take urgent action to stop these executions and not remain silent in the face of the rising executions of political prisoners in Iran.

Pakhshan Azizi at Imminent Risk of Execution With the growing number of political executions in Iran and the continuing wave of death sentences, concerns over the fate of Kurdish political prisoner Pakhshan Azizi have sharply increased. Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld her death sentence, raising fears that her execution could be carried out at any moment.

Two Kurdish Political Prisoners Executed in Iran Ramin Zaleh and Karim Maroufpour, two Kurdish political prisoners, were executed in Iran early Wednesday, May 21, 2026. Ramin Zaleh, from Naqadeh in West Azerbaijan (Urmia) Province, had previously been sentenced to death in December 2025 by Branch One of the Revolutionary Court in Mahabad. He was charged with “acting against national security through membership in a Kurdish opposition party (baghi)". Karim Maroufpour, also from Naqadeh, was arrested by security forces in Sardasht in April 2021 and was reportedly beaten during his arrest. According to reports, both prisoners were detained on charges of cooperating with the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan and were held for long periods in enforced disappearance without contact with their families.

Zeynab Jalalian Denied Medical Treatment in 20th Year of Imprisonment According to reports published by the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, Zeynab Jalalian, the longest-imprisoned and only female political prisoner serving a life sentence in Iran, continues to suffer from uterine fibroids in the twentieth year of her imprisonment. Despite doctors’ recommendations for further medical treatment and follow-up care after her embolization procedure, she remains deprived of proper medical attention and is being held in difficult physical conditions.

Iran Police Chief Claims Over 6,500 Arrests Since Start of War Ahmadreza Radan, the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces, announced that since the beginning of the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, more than 6,500 people have been arrested on charges of “espionage.” He also claimed that 567 of those detained were specifically connected to opposition groups that the Iranian government refers to as “counter-revolutionary.” Radan also played a key role in the crackdown on the nationwide protests that took place in Iran in January this year. During those protests, Iranian security forces carried out widespread arrests, intensified security measures across the country, and, according to documented reports and human rights sources, thousands of protesters were killed during the crackdown.

- 32 Executed - 93 Facing Death - Iran’s Execution Crisis In recent months, executions in Iran have increased at an alarming rate, raising serious concerns among human rights organizations, families of prisoners, and the international community. Alongside growing repression, mass arrests, and heavy pressure on civil society, Iranian authorities have increasingly used the death penalty against political opponents, protesters, activists, and members of ethnic minorities. Human rights groups warn that many of these cases involve unfair trials, forced confessions, long periods of solitary confinement, lack of access to independent lawyers, and serious violations of due process. Many observers believe the increasing number of executions is part of a broader effort to spread fear and silence dissent across the country. In less than 60 days, from March 17 to May 13, 2026, at least 32 political and security prisoners were executed in Iran. At the same time, at least 93 political and security prisoners are currently facing death sentences in prisons across the country. Political and Security Prisoners Executed in Less Than 60 Days: 1. Kourosh Keyvani — March 17, 2026 2. Saleh Mohammadi — March 18, 2026 3. Saeed Davoudi — March 18, 2026 4. Mehdi Ghasemi — March 18, 2026 5. Akbar Daneshvarkar — March 30, 2026 6. Seyed Mohammad Taghavi — March 30, 2026 7. Babak Alipour — March 31, 2026 8. Pouya Ghabadi — March 31, 2026 9. Amirhossein Hatami — April 2, 2026 10. Abolhassan Montazer — April 4, 2026 11. Vahid Bani Amerian — April 4, 2026 12. Mohammadamin Biglari — April 5, 2026 13. Shahin Vahedparast — April 5, 2026 14. Ali (Arian) Fahim — April 6, 2026 15. Hamed Validi — April 20, 2026 16. Mohammad Masoum (Nima) Shahi — April 20, 2026 17. Amirali Mirjafari — April 21, 2026 18. Mehdi Farid — April 22, 2026 19. Soltan-Ali Shirzadi — April 23, 2026 20. Erfan Kiani — April 25, 2026 21. Amer Ramesh — April 26, 2026 22. Sasan Azadvar Jonqani — April 30, 2026 23. Naser Bakrzadeh — May 2, 2026 24. Yaghoub Karimpour — May 2, 2026 25. Mehrab Abdollahzadeh — May 3, 2026 26. Mehdi Rasouli — May 3, 2026 27. Mohammadreza Miri — May 3, 2026 28. Ebrahim Dowlatabadi — May 3, 2026 29. Erfan Shakourzadeh — May 11, 2026 30. Abduljalil Shahbakhsh — May 12, 2026 31. Ehsan Afarashteh — May 13, 2026 32. Mohammad Abbasi — May 13, 2026 Political and Security Prisoners Currently Facing Execution in Iran 1. Abbas Deris* 2. Abdolghani Shahbakhsh 3. Abdolrahim Ghanbarzehi 4. Abdolrahim Kouhi 5. Abdolreza Fathi 6. Abolfazi Salehi Siavashani 7. Adham Narouyi 8. Afshin Ghorbani Mishani 9. Ahmad Reza Jalali 10. Ali Abidavi 11. Ali (Soran) Ghasemi* 12. Ali Pishevarzadeh 13. Alireza Barmazpournak* 14. Alireza Kafai 15. Alireza Mardasi 16. Amanollah Balouchi 17. Amir Rahimpour 18. Amirhosein Maghsoulou 19. Amirmohammad Khosheghbal* 20. Armin Nourmohammadi 21. Bita Hemmati 22. Behrouz Zamani Nejad 23. Ehsan Faridi 24. Ehsan Hosseinipour 25. Eidoo Shahbakhsh 26. Erfan Amiri 27. Farhad Baranzehi 28. Farshad EtemadiFard 29. Farshid Hassan Zehi 30. Farzad Moradi 31. Fazel Bahramian 32. Hamid Koushki 33. Hamidreza Fathi 34. Hamidreza Sabetray 35. Hatam Ozdemir 36. Hasan (family name unknown) 37. Hossein Nemati* 38. Hossein ShahouZehi 39. Isa Eid Mahmoudi 40. Isa Mazarzehi 41. Kaveh Salehi* 42. Karim Khojasteh 43. Kourosh Zamani Nejad 44. Majid Nassiri 45. Manouchehr Fallah 46. Masoud Jamei 47. Mansour Jamali 48. Maryam Hodavand 49. Masih Abbaskhani Davanlou 50. Matin Mohammadi 51. Meisam Koushki 52. Milad Armoon 53. Mohammad Darvish Naroui 54. Mohammad Faraji 55. Mohammad Javad Vafayi Sani 56. Mohammad Mehdi Soleimani 57. (Seyyed) Mohammad Mousavi 58. Mohammad Reza Majidi Asl 59. Mohammad Reza Tabari 60. Mohammad Zeinoddini 61. Mohsen Eslamkhah 62. Morteza Mahnapour 63. Nasim Eslamzehi 64. Navid Najaran* 65. Omid Tabari Moghaddam 66. Omran Aghal 67. Pakhshan Azizi 68. Peiman Farahavar 69. Pejman Soltani* 70. Pejman Toubreh Rizi 71. Ramin Zeleh 72. Raoof Sheikh Maroufi 73. Razgar Babamiri* 74. Reza Abdali 75. Saeid Zareikordshouli 76. Seyed Malek Mousavi (DavarShenas) 77. Shahab Dadkhah 78. Shahab Zohdi 79. Shahin Basami 80. Soleiman Shahbakhsh 81. Teyfour Salimi Babamiri* 82. Varisheh Moradi* 83. Yasin Kabdani 84. Yassin (Mosayyeb) Shahbakhsh 85. Younes Bakhshi 86. Yousef Ahmadi 87. Yaghoub Derakhshan 88. Yaser Rajaifar 89. Vahid Rigi 90. Younes Dahmardeh 91. Zahra Shahbaz Tabari 92. Zabiolllah Kouhkan 93. No-name male prisoner in Qezelhesar * Cases currently under retrial.

Dozens of Political Parties and Human Rights Groups Warn European Parliament About a New Wave of Executions in Iran A coalition of Iranian political parties, civil society organizations, and human rights groups has published an open letter addressed to senior officials of the European Union and the European Parliament, warning about the risk of a new wave of mass political executions in Iran and calling for urgent international action. The letter was addressed to Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament; Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs; Mounir Satouri, Chair of the European Parliament’s Human Rights Subcommittee; Hannah Neumann, Chair of the Delegation for Relations with Iran; and Saskia Bricmont, Member of the European Parliament from the Belgian Green Party. The signatories said that in recent weeks and months, the Iranian government has sharply intensified its organized repression against political opponents, activists, and prisoners. According to the letter, authorities are using accusations such as “espionage” and “collaboration with enemy states” to justify arrests, fabricated cases, and death sentences against dissidents. The letter also warned about enforced disappearances, torture, forced confessions, internet shutdowns, and severe restrictions on the free flow of information. The groups called on the European Union to publicly oppose all death sentences in Iran, demand the immediate release of political prisoners, expand targeted human rights sanctions against officials involved in repression and executions, and support independent international investigations into human rights violations in Iran. The letter stressed that the current situation in Iran is not only an internal crisis, but also a matter connected to fundamental human rights and the responsibility of the international community in the face of organized state violence. The signatories of the letter include: 1. PJAK (Kurdistan Free Life Party) 2. Broad Solidarity for Freedom and Equality in Iran, including: - United Balochistan Front – Iran (Republicans) - Movement of Democratic and Secular Republicans of Federal Iran - Bakhtiari and Lorestan Unity Party - Democratic Solidarity Party of Ahwaz - Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan - Green Party of Iran - People’s Party of Balochistan - Organization of Iranian People’s Fedai Guerrillas – Unity - Council of Socialist Freedom Seekers - Turkmen Sahra Cooperation Council - Komala of Toilers of Kurdistan - 25 Shahrivar Group - Republican Solidarity Institution for the Overthrow of the Islamic Republic 3. Congress of Nationalities for a Federal Iran, including: - United Balochistan Front – Iran (Republicans) - People’s Front of Balochistan - Turkmen Sahra Solidarity Council - Bakhtiari and Lorestan Unity Party - Democratic Solidarity Party of Ahwaz - Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan - Komala Kurdistan of Iran - Korramaj People’s Organization (Khorasan Kurds) - People’s Party of Balochistan - Azerbaijan Political and Cultural Center - Democratic Party of Azerbaijan - Turkmen Sahra Cultural and Political Organization 4. Iranian-German Women’s Association of Cologne 5. Hamburg Activists for the Path of Freedom 6. Left Party of Iran (Democratic Group) 7. Christian Democratic Party of Iran 8. Komala Kurdistan of Iran 9. Worker-Communist Party of Iran 10. Balochistan Human Rights 11. Hana Human Rights Organization 12. Khabat Organization of Iranian Kurdistan 13. Solidarity Network for Human Rights in Iran 14. Woman, Life, Freedom Network – Belgium 15. Iranian Council of Cologne (Supporters of Resistance) 16. Council for Organizing Actions in the Netherlands 17. Berlin Medical Staff for Human Rights and Democracy (Berlin Med) 18. Campaign to Stop “Honor” Killings 19. Congress of Democratic National Republicans – Overthrow Movement 20. Republican Medical Staff for Human Rights and Democracy (DIMA) 21. Cooperation Center of Iranian Republican Organizations 22. Human Rights Activists of Iran 23. Joint Congress of Democratic Republicans and Federal Democrats 24. Hanay Rojhelat 25. Solidarity of Iranian Republicans and Democracy Supporters in Belgium

Protester Mohammad Abbasi Executed in Iran Mohammad Abbasi, one of the people arrested during the nationwide protests of January 2026, was executed at dawn today in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. His death sentence had recently been confirmed by Iran’s Supreme Court. According to reports, prison authorities asked Abbasi’s family to come to the prison for a final visit. However, after they arrived, they were not allowed to see him. A few hours later, the family was informed by phone that the execution had already been carried out. At the same time, the 25-year prison sentence of his daughter, Fatemeh Abbasi, who is currently held in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, was also fully upheld.

Increased Pressure on Women Political Prisoners in Evin Prison Verisheh Moradi, Golrokh Iraee, Sakineh Parvaneh, Forough Taghipour, Zahra Safaei, Marzieh Farsi, Elaheh Fooladi, and Shiva Esmaili, eight women political prisoners held in the women’s ward of Evin Prison, have been denied visits with their families and lawyers following increased security measures and crackdowns on prisoners who took part in collective and protest activities.

Ehsan Afarashteh, a political prisoner sentenced to death, was executed early this morning on charges of “spying for Israel". He had previously been sentenced to death by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court under Judge Salavati. Human rights organizations had repeatedly warned about the risk of his imminent execution.

The 52nd Anniversary of Leyla Qasim’s Execution; A Symbol of Resistance and Freedom Today, May 12, marks the 52nd anniversary of the execution of Leyla Qasim, one of the most well-known figures in the Kurdish political movement in Kurdistan. She became a symbol of resistance, freedom, and the struggle of Kurdish women. Leyla Qasim was born in 1952 in Khanaqin. From a young age, she joined the Kurdish political movement and became active against the policies of Iraq’s Ba’ath regime during a time of severe repression and dictatorship. She was eventually arrested by the Iraqi government and executed in Baghdad on May 12, 1974. Leyla Qasim is remembered as the first female symbol of the modern Kurdish struggle. Many Kurds also call her “The Bride of Kurdistan” because of her courage and loyalty to the cause of freedom. More than five decades later, her name and memory are still alive among the Kurdish people. She continues to be remembered as a symbol of bravery, resistance, and the important role of women in the fight for freedom.

Execution of Abduljalil Shahbakhsh; Continuing Wave of Political Executions in Iran Abduljalil Shahbakhsh, a Baloch political prisoner who had been accused by the Iranian judiciary of membership in the group “Ansar al-Furqan” was executed early this morning on charges including “acting against national security” and “baghi” (armed rebellion).

Execution of 29-Year-Old Student After Months in Solitary Confinement and Forced Confessions Erfan Shakourzadeh, a 29-year-old aerospace engineering student, was executed this morning in Ghezel Hesar Prison after being transferred there in recent days for the implementation of his death sentence. He had been accused of “spying for Israel” and was reportedly held for months in solitary confinement while under pressure to give forced confessions. Human rights activists had repeatedly raised concerns about his case, warning about the lack of a fair trial, prolonged solitary confinement, and the use of forced confessions in the judicial process.