Iran conducting near-daily prisoner executions in secrecy, say rights groups

Lead

Iran is carrying out near-daily executions of prisoners in secrecy, with rights groups and family members reporting a sharp increase in state killings since March. According to a Norway-based monitoring group, Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), at least 24 people have been executed in the past two months, with six carried out over a two-day period. The executions have raised fears for hundreds of prisoners believed to be facing the death penalty over mass anti-government protests in January, as well as those held on espionage charges during the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel.

Coverage comparison

Two reports—one from The Guardian and one from The Jerusalem Post—highlight the recent executions but focus on different aspects. The Guardian emphasizes the broader pattern of secretive executions and the psychological toll on families, citing a message from a relative of a teenage wrestling champion executed in March. The Jerusalem Post, meanwhile, concentrates on the specific cases of three men executed in Orumiyeh Central Prison, detailing allegations of torture and the denial of family visits. Both outlets rely on statements from rights groups, including IHRNGO and the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN), and both describe the executions as part of a larger pattern of repression by the Iranian government. The Guardian's report also notes the difficulty of communicating with people inside Iran due to an internet blackout imposed more than two months ago, which has complicated verification of events on the ground.

Key claims

According to reports from both The Guardian and The Jerusalem Post, the following claims have been made:

• Iran has executed at least 24 people since March, with six executions over two days, as reported by Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), a Norway-based monitoring group.
• Hundreds of prisoners are believed to be facing the death penalty over mass anti-government protests in January, according to rights groups.
• Iran is believed to have executed at least 1,600 people in 2025, according to a UN special rapporteur's report citing local rights groups. Most executions were for drug or murder charges, but rights groups allege authorities are using the chaos of war to target government critics.
• In a specific case reported by The Jerusalem Post, Yaghoub Karimpour, 43, Nasser Bakerzadeh, 26, and Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, 28, were executed in Orumiyeh Central Prison on consecutive days (Saturday and Sunday, exact dates not specified). The men were accused of spying for Israel or involvement in the killing of a security officer.
• The three men were subjected to torture and mistreatment before their executions, according to letters and recorded phone calls shared with the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) and The Jerusalem Post. Karimpour, who was disabled, wrote that he confessed under duress after authorities threatened to intensify the torture of his wife, whose cries he could hear during interrogation.
• The men's families were not informed of the executions in advance, despite Iranian law guaranteeing families a final visit, according to KHRN.
• The recent spike in executions has worsened fears among families of detainees. A family member of Saleh Mohammadi, a teenage national wrestling champion executed in March, told The Guardian that the family has faced “profound psychological trauma” and ongoing harassment from government supporters gathering outside their home.

Perspectives

Rights groups and family members describe the executions as an intensification of state repression. The Guardian's reporting emphasizes the psychological impact on families and the difficulty of obtaining information due to the internet blackout. The Jerusalem Post's report focuses on the alleged torture and the denial of due process, particularly in espionage cases, which it frames as part of a broader struggle between Iran and Israel. Neither report includes a response from the Iranian government, and the claims have not been independently verified by third parties. The Iranian government has not publicly commented on the recent executions. The UN has previously expressed concern over the number of executions in Iran, but it has not confirmed the figures cited in the reports. As of this writing, the Iranian government has not responded to requests for comment, and the reports from The Guardian and The Jerusalem Post remain based on the accounts of rights groups and relatives.

This article is based on reporting from The Guardian and The Jerusalem Post. The claims have not been independently verified by Tertius News.