The Hana Human Rights Organization expresses grave concern over the continued implementation of death sentences against political defendants and protesters in Iran. It states that the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to carry out executions despite reports indicating serious violations of fair trial standards in these cases.
According to published information, Iran’s judiciary announced that the death sentence of Amirhossein Hatami, one of those detained during the January 2026 protests, was carried out on Thursday, 2 April 2026. Hatami had been arrested in connection with a case involving the burning of a Basij base in Tehran and subsequently prosecuted.
The official statement by the judiciary claimed that he was charged with participating in an attack on a military facility, destroying and setting it on fire, and attempting to gain access to weapons and ammunition. It further stated that he had accepted the charges during interrogation and judicial proceedings.
According to the report, after undergoing interrogation by security institutions, Hatami was tried on charges including “acting against national security,” “cooperation with hostile states,” and “creating public insecurity,” and was sentenced to death. The sentence was later upheld by the Supreme Court and ultimately carried out.
Previously, Akbar Daneshvar Kar and Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi were executed in the early hours of Monday, 30 March 2026, followed by the executions of Babak Alipour and Pouya Ghabadi Bistouni on Tuesday, 31 March 2026.
From the perspective of international human rights law, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, these cases constitute clear violations of the right to a fair trial. Defendants in criminal proceedings—especially those facing the death penalty—must be guaranteed prompt and effective access to independent legal counsel, the right to remain silent, the right to challenge evidence obtained under torture, the right to a public and independent hearing, and the right to full examination of evidence by an impartial tribunal. Available evidence indicates that these fundamental guarantees were not upheld in these cases.
Moreover, the use of confessions attributed to defendants under circumstances involving allegations of torture and coercion is in direct contradiction with the absolute prohibition of torture and the inadmissibility of statements obtained under such conditions. In addition, the lack of transparency regarding court proceedings, the evaluation of evidence, and the quality of access to an effective defense has further deepened concerns about the legitimacy of the issued sentences.
The Hana Human Rights Organization emphasizes that carrying out these executions at a time when the country is facing war, crisis, and increasing instability reinforces concerns that the Islamic Republic of Iran is using the death penalty not merely as a criminal sanction, but as a tool to intensify intimidation and eliminate political activists and security-related defendants. Resorting to executions in such a closed and opaque environment further indicates the political use of the criminal justice system under wartime conditions.