A new escalation of repression is being recorded in Iran, as Tehran’s prosecutor’s office announced that some of the arrested protesters face charges punishable by death, amid ongoing anti-government demonstrations.
According to a statement from the prosecutor’s office, an unspecified number of protesters will be prosecuted for “war against God” (moharebeh), one of the most serious charges in Iranian criminal law. Authorities labeled the arrested individuals as “rioters,” claiming they will soon be brought before justice.
Iran and death penalty: Fears of fast-track trials
Human rights organizations report hundreds or even thousands of deaths from the crackdown on demonstrations, one of the largest protest movements since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. State media, meanwhile, reports dozens of security force casualties.
Iran ranks among the countries with the highest number of executions worldwide, second only to China, according to non-governmental organizations. As Iran Human Rights notes, at least 1,500 people have been executed in recent years, while twelve protesters were executed following the wave of demonstrations in 2022–2023.
International concern over Iran’s crackdown
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed serious concern about public statements by judicial officials that leave open the possibility of imposing the death penalty through expedited judicial procedures.
Iran Human Rights warns that the regime seeks to organize summary trials without basic fair trial guarantees. A characteristic case is that of 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, who was arrested in Karaj and, according to his family, has already been sentenced to death, with the risk of execution considered imminent.
