Mizan, the news agency affiliated with the Iranian judiciary, announced that the death sentence of Gholamreza Khani Shekarab, a political prisoner accused of “intelligence cooperation and espionage for Israel,” was carried out early Tuesday morning, May 26, 2026, following its confirmation by the Supreme Court.
Khani Shakerab, an athlete and political prisoner, was arrested in October 2025 and subsequently sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of “cooperation with Israel, specifically the Mossad intelligence agency.”
According to the Iranian judiciary, he was accused of operating in connection with Mossad, recruiting personnel, transmitting images of targeted locations, and conducting “anti-security” operations. The judiciary further alleged that he was involved in “facilitating the preparations for the assassination of a Jewish rabbi in a regional country.”
However, no independent information has been released regarding his interrogation process, the methods used to extract confessions, his access to legal counsel of his choice, or the overall fairness of his trial.
Published reports indicate that Khani Shekarab had been transferred from Evin Prison to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison prior to his execution.
The execution took place despite prior concerns raised by human rights organizations regarding the condition of this political prisoner. These groups had repeatedly warned about the lack of transparency in the judicial process, the high probability of forced confessions, the denial of effective access to an independent lawyer, and the broader violation of fundamental fair trial principles.
The Hana Human Rights Organization strongly condemns the execution of Gholamreza Khani Shekarab and the ongoing use of the death penalty in political and security cases, particularly secret executions carried out without prior notification to the inmates’ families. Hana identifies this pattern as a blatant violation of the right to life and in direct conflict with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s international obligations, including the principles of fair trial standards and human dignity. The organization reiterates its demand for an immediate halt to the application of the death penalty and the full guarantee of fundamental rights for all prisoners in Iran.