Iran Executes Protesters as Death Row Inmates Launch Hunger Strike

The Government of Iran publicly hanged two protesters, Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi, on July 28, 2026, in Malekshahr, Isfahan. The men were convicted of 'moharebeh' (waging war against God) and 'corruption on earth' for an attack at Alikhani Square during January protests, where they allegedly killed four police officers. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the executions, while security forces used tear gas to disperse crowds attempting to prevent the hangings.

These killings follow a broader crackdown involving the Revolutionary Court, which sentenced 12 young men in a single closed hearing for the January unrest. UN experts and human rights groups condemned the proceedings for relying on coerced confessions and violating fair trial standards. Two other protesters were executed on July 19, and ten others face imminent death sentences.

In response to the escalating violence, at least 1,500 death row prisoners at Ghezel Hesar prison near Tehran launched a mass hunger strike on July 12. Some inmates have sewn their lips shut to protest the surge in executions for political crimes and drug offenses. Iran Human Rights reports at least 424 executions in 2026.

International reactions have been sharp. President Donald Trump condemned the actions and characterized Iranian leaders as "savages." The U.S. State Department and Amnesty International called for an immediate halt to the executions, alleging that Tehran is using its conflict with the United States to justify the suppression of dissent.