Iran Carries Out Two Executions of Opposition Group Members

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian authorities executed two men Saturday morning on charges of armed rebellion and membership in a banned opposition group, marking a continuation of a sharp increase in capital punishment following recent regional hostilities.

The Iranian judiciary’s Mizan Online news portal identified the men as Abolhassan Montazer, 68, and Vahid Baniamerian, 34. Both were convicted of "armed rebellion" (baghy) and involvement in terrorist activities on behalf of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).

The judiciary alleged the men planned and executed explosions in Tehran using rocket launchers. The executions were carried out after the Supreme Court confirmed their death sentences, which originated from a Revolutionary Court trial in late 2024.

The judiciary has signaled a policy shift characterized by a "no mercy" approach toward capital offenses, specifically targeting espionage conducted on behalf of "hostile states" such as the United States and Israel. This stance further extends to acts of terrorism, the destruction of state infrastructure, and armed rebellion against the Islamic system. This hardening of the judicial position follows a February 28 conflict involving direct strikes between Iran, the U.S., and Israel.

On Tuesday, officials confirmed that the application of the death penalty would be expanded to include any offenses deemed to cause "fear and terror" among the general population.

Executions of January 8 Protesters

The recent wave of executions has also targeted individuals involved in the nationwide protests that peaked on Jan. 8, 2026. On Thursday, authorities executed 18-year-old Amirhossein Hatami at Ghezel Hesar Prison. Hatami, who was arrested during the January unrest, was convicted by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court (presided over by Judge Iman Afshari) of "waging war against God" (moharebeh) for allegedly attacking a Basij militia facility.

His execution follows the March 19 hangings of three other protesters in the city of Qom: Saleh Mohammadi, 19; Saeed Davodi, 21; and Mehdi Ghasemi. The judiciary-affiliated Mizan News Agency stated the three men were convicted of participating in the murders of two police officers, identified as Mohammad Ghasemi Hamapour and Abbas Asadi, during the Jan. 8 demonstrations. While Mohammadi and Ghasemi were executed under the law of retribution (qisas), Davodi was hanged on the charge of moharebeh.

Judicial Misconduct

Interviews with former detainees and legal observers indicate a systemic pattern of procedural violations used to secure these capital convictions.

Defendants frequently report being subjected to physical and psychological torture, including beatings and mock executions, to extract "confessions" that are later broadcast on state television. These often occur before the formal trial begins, which is a specific violation of both Iranian and international law regarding the presumption of innocence.

These televised statements often serve as the primary evidence in Revolutionary Court proceedings, which critics describe as "sham trials" characterized by a lack of independent legal counsel, closed-door hearings, and sentences issued just weeks after initial arrests. In the case of the January 8 protesters, several defendants reportedly told family members they were coerced into signing blank documents under threat of further violence.

Timeline of Related Executions

Montazer and Baniamerian were co-defendants in a larger case involving six men. Their executions follow those of four other group members earlier this week. On March 30, Akbar Daneshvarkar and Mohammad Taghavi-Sangdehi were hanged, followed by the executions of Pouya Ghobadi and Babak Alipour on March 31.

The PMOI, an exiled opposition group that supported the 1979 revolution before falling out with the leadership, has been designated a terrorist organization by Tehran for decades.

Imminent Risk for Remaining Co-Defendants

The legal trajectory of the remaining co-defendants in the PMOI case, Abolhassan Montazer and Vahid Baniamerian, remains critical following a specialized retrial on Nov. 16, 2025, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari of Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

Despite a prior Supreme Court reversal, Judge Afshari reportedly reinstated the capital sentences in separate hearings lasting less than ten minutes each, while denying defense motions for a consolidated trial.

Concern for the men intensified following a March 29 security raid on Ward 4 of Ghezel Hesar Prison, after which both were moved to an undisclosed location and held incommunicado.

Judicial patterns suggest the state is carrying out these executions in staggered pairs to maximize the psychological impact of its "no mercy" policy, placing both Montazer and Baniamerian at imminent risk.

Simultaneously, monitors have identified several other individuals arrested during the January 8 unrest, including Mohammad Amin Biglari and Ali Fahim, who were recently transferred alongside the late Amirhossein Hatami and face similar procedural fast-tracking toward the gallows.

Legal and Procedural Background

Legal records indicate the defendants in the PMOI case were originally sentenced to death on Nov. 30, 2024, by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. While the Supreme Court initially overturned the sentences in July 2025 due to procedural flaws, they were reinstated following a retrial in November 2025.

Official state media reported that the men were provided due process, though they remained incommunicado following their final transfer to solitary confinement. Iranian officials maintain that the use of capital punishment is a necessary tool for national security during periods of "hybrid warfare" and external aggression.

Source: DPN, News outlets, Staff, AI, April 4, 2026

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

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