Since the US-Israeli unlawful attacks on Iran began on 28 February 2026, Iranian authorities have arbitrarily executed at least 36 individuals sentenced to death after being convicted of politically-motivated charges following grossly unfair trials. At least 78 protesters, dissidents and others with real or perceived links to banned opposition groups are under sentence of death and at risk of execution. They include 41 people arrested in relation to the January 2026 protests. At least five of them were children at the time of the alleged offence. Fears of further executions are heightened as Iranian authorities continue to weaponize the death penalty to repress dissent and senior officials call for expedited proceedings and “harsh” penalties against those arrested since the war started.
