Iran’s Death Penalty Crackdown
Many activists are calling for something to be done especially since Iranian authorities are beginning to use the death penalty to repress protests as a whole. These death penalty threats are also against minors as well. In a report released this week, Amnesty International revealed that dozens of people arrested in connection with the January 2026 protests now face execution, with at least some still minors, highlighting what the group calls a “grave disregard for the right to life and justice.”
Security forces responded with mass arrests and a sweeping crackdown that rights groups say has included torture, forced confessions, unfair trials and now the looming threat of executions. “Iran arrests 50,000 in nationwide protests, with rights groups reporting tens of thousands killed, death sentences, torture, and widespread asset seizures,” according to EuroNews.
30 People Potentially Facing Execution
According to Amnesty International’s latest findings, at least 30 individuals are currently at risk of facing the death penalty after being charged with offenses related to the January protests. Of those, eight have already been sentenced to death, including two young adults, an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old. The remaining 22 people, including two 17-year-olds, are either undergoing trial or awaiting trial proceedings that rights groups say are grossly unfair.
“These 30-some individuals, including two 17-year-olds, are currently undergoing or awaiting trial proceedings and are at risk of receiving the death penalty as their trials proceed, according to Amnesty. Their charges include a variety of offenses against the regime, such as arson and connections to the death of a security officer,” according to The Jerusalem Post.
Many of the pending cases involve broad and vaguely defined charges, such as “enmity against God” (moharebeh), often applied to protesters accused of setting fire to buildings, attacking security personnel or committing other politically charged acts. Under Iran’s penal code, such charges can carry the death penalty, even if the underlying actions did not involve intentional killing.
Amnesty’s report notes that these trials have been expedited, with convictions and death sentences issued just weeks after arrest, in some cases without meaningful access to legal counsel. Defendants are often denied the right to choose their own lawyers, forced to remain incommunicado, and pressured to give confessions that their families and rights organizations say were extracted under torture.
Courtesy of Blondinrikard Fröberg (Flickr CC0)Minors At Risk
Perhaps most shocking to international observers is that some of those facing execution began legal proceedings while still under the age of 18. Under international human rights law, including treaties that Iran has ratified, imposing the death penalty on anyone who was a minor at the time of the alleged offense is prohibited. Nevertheless, Amnesty’s documentation indicates that two 17-year-olds are at risk of receiving death sentences as their trials proceed.
The human rights group also points out that the actual number of minors and young adults at risk could be even higher, as authorities reportedly intimidate families and suppress information about the identities and ages of those detained.
Rights Being Abused
In previous protest waves, including those in 2022 and 2023, rights groups documented the deaths of children and young people shot by security forces, as well as widespread use of lethal force against unarmed demonstrators. The patterns of abuse include the use of live ammunition, metal pellets, teargas and beatings to suppress protests, often with little accountability.
The current report is ensuring that they highlight how the authorities are weaponizing the justice system. This is to ensure that they are able to instill fear within the protesters to ensure that they are able to back off.
Criticism
Under international law, Iran is obligated to protect the right to life and ensure fair trials free from torture and coercion. It is also bound by treaties that prohibit executing anyone for crimes committed as a minor. Yet human rights advocates say the Iranian government’s current approach blatantly violates these obligations, exacerbating an already dire human rights situation inside the country.
The Death Penalty
Experts and advocates argue that Iran’s use of the death penalty in this context goes beyond criminal justice, it is a political weapon. By labeling protesters as “enemies of God,” authorities transform acts of dissent into capital offenses, effectively equating political opposition with existential threats to the state. In past protests, Iranian leaders have publicly warned that anti-government actions could be met with “the maximum punishment,” fuelling fears that the death penalty may be used more widely and indiscriminately.
Crisis of Repression
There have so far been tens of thousands of people that have been arrested, and certain figures are suggesting that upwards of 50,000 have been detained nationwide as well. There were many students, minors, activists and more that were detained within that number, which is truly staggering.
The international community faces mounting pressure to respond. Rights advocates say that meaningful action, including public condemnations, multilateral human rights inquiries and economic and diplomatic measures, is essential if Tehran is to be persuaded to halt executions and respect basic human rights.
Sources:
EuroNews: Tehran accused of mass arrests, torture and executions after protests
The Jerusalem Post: Iran’s death penalty crackdown on protesters targets minors, Amnesty International warns
Featured Image Courtesy of Asian Media’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Blondinrikard Fröberg’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
