Iran | Tehran prosecutor takes legal action against opponents of executions

Tehran's prosecutor has launched legal action against an unspecified number of people for opposing the execution of detainees arrested during the January protests and defendants convicted in cases linked to the recent war, Iran's judiciary news outlet Mizan reported on Thursday.

Mizan said the cases were opened after referrals from security and intelligence agencies and reviews of social media posts. It did not identify those targeted, specify the charges, or disclose how many people were under investigation.

According to Mizan, the cases have been referred to court.

The Tehran prosecutor's office said it welcomed what it described as "academic criticism" of judicial proceedings but would act "firmly and without leniency" against anyone it said directly or indirectly supported those convicted in the cases.

The statement described the January protests as a "coup" and referred to the recent 40-day conflict with the United States as the "Ramadan War." It characterized those convicted in the cases as "coup plotters," "agents of the enemy," and "rioters."

Executions draw growing criticism

The announcement comes as Iran has faced mounting criticism over its use of the death penalty against political prisoners and protesters following the January unrest and the recent conflicts with Israel and the United States.

Earlier this week, Iran executed Abolfazl Sepahi and Amirhossein Safari, two men arrested during the January protests in Isfahan. Their public executions prompted widespread criticism from rights advocates and social media users.

Human rights groups have also raised concerns about due process in capital cases. Amnesty International said this week that at least 26 people had been executed in connection with the January protests since the start of 2026, while another 26 people had been executed on other politically motivated charges. The organization said at least 60 more people accused in political cases remain at risk of execution.

Source: iranintl.com, Staff, July 31, 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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