‘Everyone is thinking about oil prices’: is Iran using the war to hide a surge in executions?
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Peyvand Naimi, arrested in connection with January protests in Iran, has endured solitary confinement, torture, mock executions, and forced televised confessions; he faces accusations without formal charges and denied legal access, with fears of execution growing.
- At least 145 executions have been confirmed in Iran in 2026 amid a surge in death sentences related to protests, with many more unverified due to internet shutdowns and lack of official announcements.
- Public hangings and executions of protest-related detainees, including young activists and dual nationals, have been reported, often following trials criticized for torture and forced confessions.
- Human rights organizations warn that Iranian authorities are using the death penalty to suppress dissent and instill fear following the 2022 protests, while families of detainees face intimidation and lack of information.
- Overcrowding, denial of basic needs, enforced disappearances, and torture in prisons continue amid ongoing conflict tensions, with detainees being forcibly transferred and families left uninformed about their whereabouts.
