Iran carried out the executions on Wednesday of two men who had participated in demonstrations in the northeastern city of Mashhad in January, with judicial authorities alleging they were involved in the killings of four security personnel. These hangings occur as part of a broader surge in executions connected to the protests, which started in December 2025 and reached their peak in early January.
Judicial officialls named the executed individuals as Ali Hemmati annd Majid Nikandish, labelling them as field operatives in what they described as a coup attempt. Human rightss organisations argue these executions form part of a systematic strategy to instil fear and deter further unrest, noting that at least 29 protesters arrested in January had already beem executed by late September.
According to the judiciary, the death sentences were implemented at dawn on Wednesday following the Supreme Court's confirmation of their convictions and the completion of legal procedures. Mizan, the judiciary's news soutlet, reported that Hemmati and Nikandish participated in protests in Mashhad's Tabarsi district on 8 Jan 2026 and were involved in attacking a shop, setting buildings ablaze and damaging public property.
Judicial authorities accused them of involvement in the deaths of four members of the security forces during unrest. Right groups have contested the fairness of the trial, alleging confessions were obtained through torture and defendans were denied adequate legal representation.
With the executions of Hemmati and Nikandish, the total number of people executed in connection with the January protests has risen to at least 31, according to Iran International and other right monitors.
Context of the January protests
The protests began in December 2025, partly driven by grievances over Iran's struggling economy, including high inflation, unemployment and shortages of basic goods. They intensified into nationwise rallies against the Islamic regime, peaking a mass demonstrations on the nights of 8 and 9 January 2026.
Following the protests, over months upto September 2026, a total of 29 were given the hanging punishment.
The executions are part of a wider pattern of repression following the January protests. Right groups report ongoing arrests, torture and death sentences for protesters and political dissidents with at least 60 others, including three arrested as children, remaining at risk of execution. Iranian authorities have also intensified surveillance,internet shutdowns and restrictions on independent media to prevent further mobilisaition.
Families of detainees have staged protests outside prisons and judicial buildings, demanding information about their relatives and an end to the death penalty.
The hangings of Hemmati and Nikandish underscore the Iranian government’s determination to crush dissent through fear and force. As the death toll among protesters rises, rights groups warn that the cycle of repression could fuel further resentment and instability in the long term.
