Iran Executes Two Men Over January Protests as Rights Groups Warn of Further Executions
The executions of Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, linked to deadly clashes in Isfahan, intensify concerns over Iran’s expanding use of the death penalty against alleged protesters.
Iran executed Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi on Sunday, 20 July, after they were convicted of murdering four police officers during the January anti-government protests in Isfahan, the judiciary announced. The men—rights groups said Esfandiari was 18 and Mohammadi, an Afghan national, was 23; the judiciary did not disclose their ages—were hanged at Dastgerd Prison for their role in events at Shahid Alikhani Square, where officers were allegedly tied to a sign, stoned, doused with petrol and set alight.
In statements carried by the judiciary’s Mizan news agency, Iranian authorities described the two as ‘extremely violent rioters’ who took part in what they called an ‘American-Zionist coup attempt’ on 8 January. The report claimed the defendants filmed the scene and sent footage to ‘enemy-affiliated’ networks. Following what the judiciary termed a full legal process—including confessions and CCTV review—the Supreme Court upheld death sentences for 12 of 16 indicted in the case, with the rest receiving prison terms.
International human rights organisations and United Nations monitors immediately condemned the executions. Norway-based Iran Human Rights and France-based ECPM noted that at least 1,639 people were executed in Iran in 2025—the highest annual figure since 1989—and warned that 10 other defendants in the Isfahan case face ‘imminent and concrete’ danger after being moved to solitary confinement. The UN special rapporteur on human rights has said executions are being used as a tool of repression; in June, the UN reported that at least 40 men had been executed since the US-Israeli war began, 18 of them linked to the protests. Groups such as Amnesty International, which ranks Iran second only to China in executions, have raised concerns about forced confessions, denial of independent lawyers and abbreviated online trials.
The executions come amid a sharp increase in judicial killings since the US-Israeli military intervention in Iran began on 28 February. Western analysts view the crackdown as an attempt to weld domestic dissent to the external conflict, with state media routinely branding protesters as foreign agents. The January unrest, initially sparked by economic grievances, escalated into nationwide demonstrations. Iranian officials say over 3,000 people died, blaming terrorism orchestrated by Washington and Tel Aviv; foreign-based NGOs maintain that security forces fired on crowds.
The remaining 10 convicted protesters in the Isfahan dossier, some reportedly as young as 18, face multiple death sentences and have been transferred to solitary confinement—a move rights monitors say signals that executions are likely. The UN and other international bodies continue to call for a moratorium, while Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, has urged prosecutors to expedite cases against those arrested during the protests. With the wider Middle East war constraining diplomatic options, Iran’s use of the death penalty remains under intense international observation.
| Iranian & allied press | +0.70 | aligned |
|---|---|---|
| Arab Levant-Maghreb press | −0.20 | neutral |
| Atlantic / Anglosphere press | −0.60 | critical |
| Sub-Saharan African press | −0.20 | neutral |
The Iranian regime reaffirms its sovereignty by executing two 'agents of the enemy' and describes the action as a necessary defense against public order threatened by external forces.
The narrative constructs a duality between 'us' (the legitimate state) and 'them' (foreign agents), justifying the death penalty as a response to extreme and premeditated violence.
Iranian sources omit that the executed were very young (18 and 23) and that human rights groups have warned of further executions, as well as the lack of transparency about their trial.
Arab media record the execution as a fact, balancing the official version with human rights concerns without openly taking sides.
The balance between official and critical sources creates an ambivalent narrative that leaves room for interpretation while signaling implicit alarm.
The Arab coverage omits the broader context of the January protests and the fact that many other detainees face execution.
The Western press denounces the execution as a brutal act of repression, highlighting the young ages of the victims and the lack of procedural safeguards.
The use of personal details (ages, missing dates) and references to human rights group warnings evoke empathy and indignation, delegitimizing the state's rationale.
Atlantic sources omit the official version that the men killed four police officers in a violent armed attack.
African news agencies report the story as an official communication, without adding commentary or context, adopting a stance of detached observer.
The choice to reproduce the judicial statement without filtering or integrating other voices neutralizes potential criticism, presenting facts as objective data.
Sub-Saharan African sources omit the ages of the executed and the warnings from human rights groups.
Broaden your view
US-Saudi Nuclear Deal Allows Uranium Enrichment, Bypassing Gold Standard
10 languages · 43 outlets
From Economy & MarketsBrent crude tops $90 for first time since June as US-Iran strikes intensify
8 languages · 21 outlets
From TechnologyOpenAI Models Breach Sandbox, Autonomously Hack Hugging Face
9 languages · 61 outlets