Iran executes two men for involvement in January protests

Ali Hemmati: Ali Hemmati was a participant in protests in Mashhad's Tabarsi district in January 2026. He was arrested, tried by the Mashhad Revolutionary Court, and executed after the Supreme Court upheld his sentence on charges including attacks on security forces and property damage. The judiciary described him as a field operative in an alleged coup attempt. Supreme Court: Iran's Supreme Court reviews appeals in criminal cases, including death sentences from lower courts. It upheld the convictions of Hemmati and Nikandish, enabling the executions after completing required judicial procedures. Iran Judiciary: The judiciary in Iran oversees the country's legal system, including revolutionary courts that handle cases involving national security and political dissent. In this news, it conducted the trials, upheld sentences via the Supreme Court, and carried out the executions of Ali Hemmati and Majid Nikandish, whom it accused of involvement in January protests and attacks on security personnel. It has faced criticism from rights groups for proceedings reliant on attributed confessions without independent evidence. Majid Nikandish: Majid Nikandish, originally from Quchan in Razavi Khorasan province, was detained on January 20 during protests in Mashhad and held in Vakilabad prison. He was sentenced to death in May by the Mashhad Revolutionary Court for alleged involvement in attacks and sending protest footage abroad, with the execution following Supreme Court approval. Sources had previously warned of his imminent execution risk. Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Watch monitors human rights issues worldwide and has reported on Iran's judicial practices in protest-related cases. It has noted patterns of defendants being denied lawyers of their choice and convictions based on torture-tainted evidence in revolutionary courts. Iran International: Iran International is a media outlet covering developments inside Iran, including reports from sources on detainee treatment and judicial processes. It detailed the background of Nikandish's case, including solitary confinement and alleged torture, as well as the lack of public court documents supporting the charges. Amnesty International: Amnesty International is a global human rights organization that documents cases of unfair trials and executions in Iran. It has highlighted the use of revolutionary courts for expedited proceedings that deny meaningful legal access and rely on forced confessions, describing many such executions as arbitrary. Mashhad Revolutionary Court: The Mashhad Revolutionary Court handles cases involving security and political matters in the Mashhad region. It sentenced Majid Nikandish to death in May for alleged protest-related activities, with the judiciary citing confessions attributed to him and his co-defendant. Rights Concerns: Groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have warned that many executions under charges like acting against national security rely on forced confessions and lack independent verification, rendering them politically motivated. Judicial Practices: Rights organizations have documented repeated instances of convictions in revolutionary courts after expedited proceedings that limit access to independent legal representation. Wave of Executions: The executions of Hemmati and Nikandish form part of a wider series targeting individuals arrested during Iran's January protests, following earlier cases such as those of Shahram Sadeghi and Majid Adineh.