Iran executes over 500 since start of 2026 amid growing global outcry
Iran has executed more than 500 people since January 2026, including 29 linked to protests, drawing condemnation from over 30 countries and calls to halt executions.
Key Takeaways
AIThe Norway-based group Iran Human Rights has reported that Iranian authorities have executed more than 500 people since the beginning of 2026, including 29 individuals in connection with anti-government protests that erupted in January. The organization said the executions included 16 women and at least 13 political prisoners affiliated with banned opposition groups.
Activists noted that Iranian authorities are using the death penalty as a tool of intimidation, especially following the escalation of protests and the US-Israeli war against Iran on February 28. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the group’s director, told Agence France-Presse that all death sentences are intended to spread fear and prevent new protests, expressing concern that this trend could worsen in the coming months.
Since executions resumed during the conflict on March 19, two people have been executed over their involvement in the 2022 protests that adopted the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom.” In this context, US President Donald Trump called on Iran to halt executions in a post on his Truth Social platform, describing the situation as a major humanitarian crisis.
Amiry-Moghaddam welcomed Trump’s remarks, noting that increased international attention raises the political cost for Iran. However, he explained that the international community’s focus on the Strait of Hormuz and regional conflict has given Iranian authorities more leeway to carry out executions against protesters and political prisoners.
The organization confirmed that hundreds of other protesters face death sentences or charges that could lead to execution, including more than 70 people in Isfahan, which saw widespread protests in January. According to Amnesty International, Iran carried out at least 2,159 executions in 2025, with a surge in cases involving protesters and prisoners of conscience.
More than 30 countries, including France, the UK, and Canada, condemned Iran’s use of the death penalty against protesters this month. Iranian state media this week reported the execution of Majid Adineh over the January 2026 protests in Karaj near Tehran, in addition to other recent executions for crimes such as murder and armed robbery.