Iran Executes Two Convicted of Mosque Attack Amid Ongoing Crackdown

By Euronews Persian

Published: June 1, 2026, 11:28 GMT+2 • Updated: 11:29

Two men convicted of attacking a mosque during the January 2026 protests have been executed, the judiciary‑affiliated Mizan News Agency reported, as Amnesty International noted at least 39 political executions since February.

Mehrdad Mohammadi‑Nia and Ashkan Maleki were put to death after Iran’s Supreme Court confirmed their sentences. Authorities identified them as key perpetrators of the assault on the Jafari Mosque in Tehran’s Gisha district that erupted during the December 2025‑January 2026 protests.

The judiciary stated that they had been found guilty of arson, damage to public property, clashes with security forces, road blockades and actions undermining national security, and ordered the seizure of their assets.

The precise capital charge under which they were sentenced was not disclosed in the official announcement.

The protests, which began in late December 2025 after the rial collapsed, quickly spread to nearly every Iranian city.

Security forces killed thousands of demonstrators during the crackdown on 8 and 9 January.

Iran’s Supreme Council of National Security officially acknowledged more than 3,000 deaths, while the UN special rapporteur placed the minimum toll at 5,000 and some estimates suggest up to 42,000.

A strict internet blackout was imposed on 8 January, severely limiting verification of the events.

Amnesty International reported last Thursday that authorities have detained over 6,000 individuals since the conflict began, including protesters, journalists, lawyers and human‑rights defenders.

The organization documented a surge in prosecutions, including capital cases, as well as enforced disappearances, torture, coerced confessions and unfair trials, concluding that at least 39 political executions occurred during this period.

These figures are part of a broader tally that includes executions linked both to the protests and to Iran’s ongoing war, a category in which Iran carries out the highest number of executions worldwide.

Human‑rights groups continue to voice concerns about the treatment of detainees arrested during the January protests, many of whom remain charged with political or security‑related offenses.

Iran regularly rejects international criticism of its judicial processes, asserting that those executed were convicted of serious crimes after due process.

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