Condemning the execution of two defendants in the Isfahan protest case, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran called on judicial authorities to immediately stay the execution of 10 other prisoners and warned against the increasing use of capital punishment in protest-related cases.
Iran Human Rights Society, Friday, July 24, 2026 – The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran issued a statement warning of the imminent risk of execution facing 10 prisoners convicted in connection with the Isfahan protests, urging state authorities to immediately halt all protest-related executions.
The Mission also strongly condemned the execution of two other defendants in this case, Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, carried out on July 19 according to state media, describing it as part of an escalating trend in the use of the death penalty against protest detainees.
Fact-Finding Mission Raises Alarm Over 10 Remaining Prisoners
According to the published statement, all 12 defendants in this case were arrested in connection with the January 8 protests at Ali-Khani Square in Isfahan—demonstrations that resulted in the deaths of four security personnel.
The Fact-Finding Mission noted that credible information indicates families of at least two of the 10 remaining prisoners were summoned for a final visit, a development that significantly heightens fears of imminent executions.
Emphasizing that such actions could signal a fresh wave of protest-related executions, the Mission called on Iranian authorities to halt the execution process immediately.
Continued Trend of Executing Protesters
The International Fact-Finding Mission announced that recent executions are part of a pattern that formed following the nationwide protests that began on December 28, 2025.
According to this report, several death sentences in cases related to the protests have been carried out over the past months. In March 2026, three young men were executed in Qom after being convicted in a case involving the murder of security force members. Additionally, in late April 2026, four other young men were executed following their conviction in a case regarding an alleged attack on a Basij base in Tehran.
The Mission believes that these sentences collectively demonstrate an increased use of the death penalty in cases linked to protests and security issues.
More Than 60 Death Sentences Since the Start of Protests
The statement notes that the International Fact-Finding Mission had previously warned in its March 2026 report about the rise in the use of the death penalty during periods of political and social unrest.
According to reliable reports cited by the Mission, more than 60 people have been sentenced to death in connection with the protests since December of last year—among whom at least three women and two boys are included. Furthermore, based on statistics released by the Judiciary, 23 men have been executed in connection with the protests since March, a figure that, in the view of this Mission, reflects a significant increase in the use of capital punishment in security cases.
Warning Regarding the Acceleration of Death Penalty Proceedings
Another main focus of the International Fact-Finding Mission’s statement is the expression of concern over the accelerated pace of proceedings in cases leading to the death penalty.
These concerns heightened after Ali Salehi, the Prosecutor of Tehran, announced on July 15 that, following instructions from Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the Head of the Judiciary, all cases related to the clashes of June 2025, cases initiated since February 28, 2026, as well as the protests starting December 28, 2025, have been finalized and referred to the courts for sentencing.
Members of the Mission believe that this decision could pave the way for the execution of more death sentences in the near future, raising serious concerns for the lives of the defendants in these cases.
Demand for an Immediate Halt to Executions
At the conclusion of the statement, the International Fact-Finding Mission once again called on the ruling authorities to immediately halt the execution of all death sentences, particularly those issued in connection with the protests.
The Mission also emphasized that Iran should suspend the use of the death penalty with the goal of its complete abolition and refrain from carrying out new sentences. According to this body, continuing the current trend not only intensifies international concern but also carries the risk of an increasing number of protest-related executions—a matter that, from the perspective of the International Fact-Finding Mission, requires immediate action and the halting of death sentences.
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