Politics Amnesty: 30 death sentences threatened after protests in Iran
At least 30 people in Iran are facing the death penalty in connection with the recent mass protests, according to information from Amnesty International. A sentence has already been passed in eight cases, the human rights organization reported.
21.02.2026, 08:33
SDA
Among the 22 other cases before the courts, two men are still minors, Amnesty also reported. The Iranian judiciary has not yet officially pronounced a death sentence. A week ago, however, the Misan news agency, which is affiliated with the authorities, reported on a trial in which three men are facing the death penalty after taking part in riots.
Death penalty as a weapon
Amnesty accuses the Iranian leadership of wanting to break the protest movement with the death sentences and their possible execution. "By using the death penalty as a weapon, they are trying to incite fear and break the spirit of a population that is demanding fundamental change," said Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East.
The Iranian judiciary had already announced in mid-January that the first charges had been brought. Particularly serious cases of "rioters" would be prioritized and dealt with separately. Iran's head of the judiciary had demanded retribution for security forces and police officers killed during the protests.
At the beginning of January, Iran's security apparatus brutally crushed mass protests in the country. According to the activist network HRANA, more than 7,000 people were killed, including more than 200 state forces. There were also around 53,500 arrests.
The most recent demonstrations, initially triggered by the massive economic crisis, were the most serious in years. Crowds also took to the streets in the fall of 2022 and the months that followed under the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom". The judiciary subsequently executed at least twelve people in connection with the uprisings.
