Wave of executions, prison sentences, arrests reported across Iran amid security crackdown

Iran has carried out multiple executions, issued prison sentences, and detained several individuals across different provinces in recent days, according to reports from Iranian human rights organisations including HRANA, HANA, Rasank, Haalvsh, and Kurdpa. The cases involve convictions ranging from drug-related offences and murder to national security charges, alongside reports of ongoing arrests and enforced disappearances.

Eight executions carried out in Yazd Prison

On 17 June 2026, the death sentences of eight prisoners were carried out in Yazd Prison, according to HRANA and Rasank, News.Az reports.

Two of those executed were identified as Omar Shahbakhsh, approximately 24, and Ghafour Shahbakhsh, approximately 25, both from Zahedan. They were arrested several years ago in Yazd in a joint case involving drug-related offences and were later sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court on drug charges.

Separately, Haalvsh reported that six additional prisoners were executed in the same prison on non-political charges, though their identities and case details were not disclosed.

As of publication, Iranian authorities had not officially confirmed the executions.

Execution of prisoner in Sanandaj on murder charge

In a separate case reported by HANA Human Rights Organization, Mohammad Ahmadi, a prisoner from Sanandaj, was executed on 16 June 2026 at the city’s central prison.

He had been arrested around three years earlier in connection with a premeditated murder case and was sentenced to death by Iran’s judiciary. His sentence was reportedly carried out after completion of legal proceedings and final confirmation by judicial authorities.

Prison sentences for protest-related and security charges

Iranian courts also issued multiple prison sentences in cases involving protest activity, national security accusations, and alleged cooperation with foreign actors.

In Mashhad, Tayebeh Nazari Maki Abadi, a retired teacher, was sentenced to five years in prison by the Revolutionary Court. According to HRANA, four years were imposed for “assembly and collusion against national security” and one year for “propaganda against the regime.” She had been arrested during a memorial gathering following the death of Khosrow Alikordi. A source cited procedural concerns, alleging she was not given adequate opportunity to present a defence.

In Tehran, Amirhossein Samar Ansari, detained during the January 2026 protests, was sentenced to one year in prison on charges of “propaganda activity against the regime”, along with a two-year ban on membership in political and social groups. He was acquitted of separate charges of assembly and collusion against national security. The court cited social media activity and security reports as evidence.

Separately, singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight members of her production team were sentenced in Qom Province to 74 lashes, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year prohibition on artistic activity. The court convicted them of “offending public decency” over the production and online publication of a concert performance.

Arrests reported across several provinces

A series of arrests were also reported in Kurdish and northern regions, with multiple detainees held without judicial warrants or public disclosure of charges.

Ali Shokri, a 50-year-old cultural activist from Bukan, was arrested at his workplace and transferred to a security detention facility in Urmia.

Farhad Ebrahimzadeh, Qader Bariki, and Jafar Bariki were arrested in Oshnavieh and remain missing, with families reporting no access to legal counsel or information on their whereabouts.

Komar Hosseinzadeh, a veterinarian from Bukan, was detained after security forces searched his home and clinic, with authorities not disclosing charges.

In Sari, Nouyan Hejazi, a member of the Baha’i community, was arrested after reporting to the Ministry of Intelligence and was reportedly beaten and hospitalised under security supervision. He had previously been convicted in a separate case involving propaganda-related charges.

In another case, Donya Hosseini (Azad), who suffers from epilepsy, is serving a prison sentence in Evin Prison despite a medical certificate stating she requires specialised care and monitoring. Her sentence includes imprisonment for “propaganda against the regime in support of and aimed at strengthening the Israeli regime.”

Additional arrests were reported in Amol and Piranshahr, including Samaneh Ebrahimi Navaei, detained without a warrant and held in a Ministry of Intelligence facility in Sari, and Awat Bayazidi, a 19-year-old from Piranshahr, whose whereabouts remain unknown.

Human rights concerns over due process

Human rights organisations cited in the reports say many detainees are being held without warrants, access to lawyers, or confirmed information about their whereabouts, raising concerns over arbitrary detention and due process violations.

Authorities have not issued comprehensive public responses to the individual cases, and many of the reported executions and arrests have not been independently confirmed by official Iranian judiciary statements at the time of publication.

News.Az