Iran Executes Two Young Men, Aged 19-20, for January Protest Involvement

Iran has executed two young men, identified as Amirhossein Maleki and Amirhossein Ebrahimi, for their participation in nationwide anti-government demonstrations that occurred in January. The executions took place on Tuesday morning at Isfahan Central Prison, according to the Norway-based Hengaw human rights organization. These protests represented one of the most significant popular challenges to the Islamic Republic since its establishment in 1979.

Hengaw reported that both Mr. Ebrahimi and Mr. Maleki were 20 years old. Mr. Ebrahimi was described as an "outstanding medical student." The Iran Human Rights Organization, also based in Norway, stated their ages as 19 and 20, respectively, and noted they were among 36 individuals executed in Iran this year in connection with the January protests.

According to the Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency, the men were arrested and sentenced for their alleged roles in the killing of four security personnel at Alikhani Square in Isfahan on January 8. Mizan confirmed the executions, stating the men had "committed a horrific crime" and were found guilty of "efsad-e fel arz" (corruption on Earth) and "moharebeh" (enmity against God), both capital offenses under Iran's penal code. These charges are frequently applied to protesters and government opponents.

Human rights organizations frequently highlight severe violations of international standards in Iranian court proceedings, including the denial of legal counsel, coerced confessions, and insufficient notice to families and legal representatives before executions. The Iran Human Rights Organization specifically cited "torture, forced confessions and gross violations of due process" in the case of these two men.

The organization further stated, "The authorities have used the deaths of four security officers to justify these executions, although none of those executed were charged with murder." Hengaw reported that Mr. Ebrahimi was apprehended on January 8 while riding a motorcycle to his grandmother's house, subsequently being identified and arrested by security forces via mobile phone tracking. "During the interrogation, he was subjected to severe physical and psychological torture to extract a forced confession," Hengaw added.

The Iran Human Rights Organization warned that three other defendants arrested in connection with the Alikhani Square case "remain at serious risk of execution" and urged European nations to "go beyond statements of concern and take concrete action to stop further executions" in Iran. This organization has recorded 691 executions in Iran this year amidst a crackdown on dissent during the conflict involving the US and Israel. The crackdown on the January protest movement, which saw thousands killed and tens of thousands detained, has been described by a UN fact-finding mission and Amnesty International as potentially amounting to crimes against humanity, including murder, rape, enforced disappearance, and torture.