Iranian authorities have sentenced four more individuals, including a woman, to death in connection with protests from January, according to several rights groups. This brings the total number of executions related to the protests to seven, with activists claiming the crackdown resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests. The Tehran Revolutionary Court, led by Judge Imam Afshari, convicted the four of acting on behalf of the United States, with charges including using explosives and harming forces. The convicted individuals are Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl, his wife Bita Hemmati, and two men, Behrouz and Kourosh Zamaninejad. Hemmati is reportedly the first woman sentenced to death over these protests. Rights groups criticize the use of forced confessions and fear an increase in executions amid tensions with Israel and the U.S. Iran Human Rights Monitor reports 656 executions in early 2026, with the actual number likely higher. In 2025, at least 1,639 people were executed, including 48 women. Iran Human Rights warns that many more arrested during the protests face charges that could lead to execution.
QUESTION: How might the international community respond to Iran’s use of the death penalty in suppressing protests, and what impact could this have on global human rights efforts?
Woman among 4 more Iranians sentenced to death over protests
