Iran | Growing fears over torture and executions of individuals accused of ‘espionage’ for Israel

The Iranian authorities must halt all plans to carry out arbitrary executions and protect all those arrested over accusations of espionage for Israel from enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, Amnesty International said today.

Since Israel’s attacks on Iran began on 13 June, Iranian authorities have arrested scores of people over accusations of “collaboration” with Israel, made chilling calls for expedited trials and executions, and executed one man on 16 June.

There are also grave concerns for those who were already on death row, including at least eight men sentenced to death for such accusations following unfair trials.

“Official calls for expedited trials and executions of those arrested for alleged collaboration with Israel show how the Iranian authorities weaponize the death penalty to assert control and instil fear among the people of Iran. The authorities must ensure all those detained are protected from enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, and afforded fair trials at all times, including during armed conflict,” said Hussein Baoumi, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.

“The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and it should not be used under any circumstances. Its use for espionage or other related offences that do not involve intentional killing is particularly prohibited under international law. A rush to execute people after torture-tainted ‘confessions’ and grossly unfair trials would be a horrifying abuse of power and a blatant assault on the right to life. The authorities must immediately halt all plans to carry out further executions or to impose death sentences and urgently establish a moratorium on all executions.”

The authorities must ensure all those detained are protected from enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, and afforded fair trials at all times, including during armed conflict.

— Hussein Baoumi, Deputy Regional Director for MENA

Alarming calls for expedited trials and executions

Fears of arbitrary executions have mounted following alarming official statements,reviewed by Amnesty International, announcing scores of arrests across the country for alleged “espionage” or “collaboration” with Israel, along with orders for expedited trials and executions.

On 15 June, the Head of Iran’s Judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje’i, instructed the country’s Prosecutor General and provincial prosecutors to punish “elements who disturb the peace and security of the people” or “collaborate” with Israel. He said expedited proceedings will “deter” people and ordered individuals be tried, convicted, and punished “extremely quickly.”

The same day, the Supreme Council of National Security, Iran’s highest decision-making body, announced that so-called actions “in favour of Israel would be met with a decisive response and the harshest punishment” of execution under the charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh) and “corruption on earth” (efsad fel-arz), which incur the death penalty under Iranian law.

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The statement explained that the actions, which the Supreme Council of National Security deems as falling under these two capital charges, include efforts to: “legitimize or sanitize the image of the Zionist regime”; “disseminate rumors or false information”; “incite or encourage individuals or groups to act against national security”; or “sow division among the segments of society, ethnicities, and religious sects of the country”.

The statement underscores long-standing concerns about the overly broad charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh) and “corruption on earth” (efsad fel-arz), which under Iranian law permit use of the death penalty to punish the exercise of the right to freedom of expression, which should never be criminalized, and for internationally recognizable offences such as espionage that, while criminal, do not meet the threshold of “most serious crimes” involving intentional killing required under international law for the application of the death penalty.

On 17 June 2025, Iran’s parliament also approved a motion to fast-track a bill which facilitates greater use of the death penalty for “espionage” or “cooperation with hostile governments”, including Israel and the United States. Currently, the punishment for the charge of espionage is imprisonment; therefore, to pursue the death penalty, prosecutors must combine various different acts to argue that they collectively amount to “corruption on earth” (efsad fel-arz). Under this bill, “espionage” or “cooperation with hostile governments” will automatically fall under the charge of “corruption on earth” (efsad fel-arz) and incur the death penalty.

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Given the Iranian authorities’ long and harrowing record of violating the rights of those detained on national security charges, Amnesty International renews its urgent calls on them to ensure that all those recently arrested are protected from enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment. All people deprived of their liberty must be granted access to lawyers of their choosing from the time of arrest and provided fair trials in line with international law, without resort to the death penalty. Those detained for their peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression must be released immediately and unconditionally.

Heightened risk of execution for those already on death row

Following the execution of one man, Esmail Fekri, on 16 June, in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj, Alborz province, after a grossly unfair trial, Amnesty International is concerned that in a misguided attempt to project strength, the authorities may execute at least eight other individuals sentenced to death in separate cases on accusations of espionage or collaboration with Israel following grossly unfair trials.

Amongst them is Swedish-Iranian academic Ahmadreza Djalali, held in Tehran’s Evin prison, who has been arbitrarily detained since 2016. A Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death for “corruption on earth” (efsad-e fel-arz) in October 2017 following a grossly unfair trial based on forced “confessions” made under torture and other ill-treatment, including threats to execute him and kill or otherwise harm his family.

Others at risk include Afshin Ghorbani Meyshani, Azad Shojaei, Edris Aali, and Iraqi national Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul, all held in Urumieh Central prison, West Azerbaijan province; Mohammad Amin Mahdavi Shayesteh, held in Ghezal Hesar prison, Alborz province; Rouzbeh Vadi, held in Evin prison, Tehran province; and Shahin Basami, held in Adel Abad prison, Fars province.

Ahmadreza Djalali, Afshin Ghorbani Mishani, Azad Shojaie, Edris Aali, and Mohammad Amin Mahdavi Shayesteh are all at imminent risk of execution as the Supreme Court has upheld their death sentences.

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty without exception, regardless of who is accused, the nature or circumstances of the crime, guilt or innocence, or the method of execution.

Source: Amnesty International, Staff, June 20, 2025

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde