At least 80 prisoners executed in Iranian prisons during May 2026, including 17 political prisoners

At least 80 prisoners, including 17 political prisoners, were executed in prisons across Iran during May 2026, according to data compiled by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights. The figure represents a decrease of 83 executions, or approximately 51%, compared with the same month in 2025, when at least 163 executions were recorded.

Hengaw has verified the identities of 76 of those executed, while the identities of four others remain under investigation.

Among those executed was a woman, Esma Zarei, a 28-year-old from Parsabad, who was executed in Ardabil Central Prison after being convicted of murder.

Of the 80 executions recorded during the month, only 15 cases, approximately 19%, were officially announced by Iranian state media or judiciary-affiliated outlets. In addition, at least 19 prisoners were executed in secret, without prior notification to their families or the opportunity for a final visit.

Execution of 17 political prisoners

During May, at least 17 political prisoners, including four Kurdish political prisoners and two foreign nationals, were executed on charges including moharebeh (“Waging war against God”) and espionage for Israel.

The executions included:

1. Naser Bakrzadeh, a 26-year-old Kurdish prisoner from Urmia, executed on May 2 in Urmia Central Prison on charges of espionage for Israel.
2. Yaghoub Karimpour, a Turk from Miandoab and a follower of the Yarsan religion, executed on May 2 in Urmia Central Prison on charges of espionage for Israel.
3. Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, a Kurdish prisoner from Urmia and a detainee from the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, executed on May 3 in Urmia Central Prison.
4. Ebrahim Dolatabadi from Mashhad, arrested during the January protests, executed on May 3 in Mashhad Central Prison.
5. Mehdi Rasouli from Kashmar, arrested during the January protests, executed on May 3 in Mashhad Central Prison.
6. Mohammadreza Miri from Mashhad, arrested during the January protests, executed on May 3 in Mashhad Central Prison.
7. Erfan Shakourzad, a university student from Tehran, executed on May 11 in Ghezel Hesar Prison.
8. Abduljalil Shahbakhsh, a Baloch prisoner from Taftan, executed on May 12 in Zahedan Central Prison.
9. Ehsan Afreshteh from Isfahan, executed on May 13 in Ghezel Hesar Prison on espionage charges.
10. Mohammad Abbasi from Malard, Tehran province, and a January protest detainee, executed on May 13 in Ghezel Hesar Prison.
11. Ramin Zaleh, a Kurdish political prisoner from Naqadeh, executed on May 21 in Naqadeh Central Prison after being convicted of "moharebeh through membership in the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI)."
12. Karim Maroufpour, a Kurdish political prisoner from Naqadeh, executed on May 21 in Naqadeh Central Prison on the same charge.
13. Mojtaba Kian, executed on May 24 in Ghezel Hesar Prison on charges of espionage for Israel.
14. Akbar Moradi Feyzabadi from Naein, Isfahan province, and a detainee from the January protests, executed on May 25 in Isfahan Central Prison.
15. Gholamreza Khani Shakarab, a Turk from Ardabil, executed on May 26 in Ghezel Hesar Prison on charges of espionage for Israel.

Hengaw also confirmed that two prisoners executed in April were publicly reported for the first time in May:

16. Ali Nader Al-Obeidi, an Iraqi national, executed on April 4, 2026, in Ghezel Hesar Prison on charges of espionage for Arab Gulf states.
17. Fazel Sheikh Karim, an Iraqi national, executed on April 4, 2026, in Ghezel Hesar Prison on similar charges.

Executions by charge

According to Hengaw’s findings, prisoners convicted of murder accounted for the largest category of executions during May, with 36 cases representing 45% of all recorded executions.

Murder: 36 executions
Drug-related offenses: 26 executions
Political and espionage-related charges: 17 executions
Rape: 1 execution

Executions by ethnic/national background

Among those executed during May:

• Persian prisoners: 26 cases (32.5%)
• Kurdish prisoners: 17 cases
• Baloch prisoners: 12 cases
• Turkish prisoners: 8 cases
• Gilak and Mazani prisoners: 4 cases
• Lor prisoners: 2 cases
• Iraqi nationals: 2 cases
• Afghan nationals: 2 cases
• Nationality not confirmed: 7 cases

Executions by province

Fars Province recorded the highest number of executions during May, with 14 cases.

The provincial breakdown is as follows:

• Fars Province: 14 executions
• West Azerbaijan Province (Urmia) and Isfahan Province: 11 executions each
• Alborz Province: 9 executions
• Razavi Khorasan Province: 8 executions
• Kermanshah Province: 4 executions
• Gilan and Kerman provinces: 3 executions each
• Qom, Qazvin, South Khorasan, Sistan and Baluchestan, and Ardabil provinces: 2 executions each
• Kurdistan (Sanandaj), Mazandaran, Hamedan, Markazi, Golestan, Zanjan and East Azerbaijan provinces: 1 execution each

Source: Hengaw, Staff, June 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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