Iran Executes Teenager and Young Man Arrested in Anti-Regime Demonstrations
Iran has carried out the executions of a teenage boy and a young man whose cases were highlighted by international media. Mohammadamin Biglari, aged 19, and Shahin Vahedparast Kalour, aged 30, were hanged at Ghezel Hesar Prison at dawn on Sunday. Their deaths have intensified fears for at least 25 other men arrested during anti-regime protests in January, with more than half a dozen already executed last week.
Growing Concerns for Thousands of Detainees
Human rights organisations now warn that thousands more individuals detained in the demonstrations face imminent danger. Former US President Donald Trump had previously pledged to 'help' protesters if they were harmed, adding international dimension to the crisis. Mahmoud Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Iran Human Rights, stated that many more hangings will follow unless significant pressure is applied to the regime.
'These daily executions, carried out under the shadow of war, are part of a deliberate policy to terrorise the Iranian people and prevent new protests,' he told the Daily Mail. 'The Islamic Republic's main threat is not foreign bombs - it is the Iranian people demanding fundamental change. We fear for the lives of political prisoners and hundreds of detained protesters in the coming days and weeks.'
Unfair Judicial Proceedings and Torture Allegations
The families of Mr Biglari and Mr Kalour were denied final visits or opportunities to say goodbye before the executions. Both young men were seized during protests on January 8 and accused of arson related to a fire at a Basij paramilitary base. Mr Biglari's father, despite poor health, spent three weeks searching through thousands of bodies killed by the regime before discovering his son had been detained.
After weeks in prison where extensive reports of torture exist, both men 'confessed' and were brought before the feared Revolutionary Court in Tehran on February 6. They were convicted of 'Moharaebeh' (enmity against God) and sentenced to death by 'Death Judge' Abolghassem Salavati.
Wider Pattern of Executions
On the same day, several others were convicted of capital charges by Judge Salavati, including:
- Abolfazl Siavashani, 51
- Shahab Zohdi, 38
- Ali Fahim, 23
- Yaser Rajaifar
- Amirhossein Hatami, 18
Amirhossein Hatami, a talented musician, was executed last Wednesday. Serious concerns now exist for Mr Fahim and Mr Siavashani, who were moved to pre-execution solitary confinement alongside Mr Biglari and Mr Kalour last week.
Systemic Flaws in Legal Process
Lawyers have pointed to major inconsistencies in the confessions obtained and complained they were barred from presenting proper defences. The Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights reports that at least 13 political prisoners - including six linked to protests - have been executed in Iran since the start of the recent war.
Iran has dramatically increased executions since the 2022 'Woman, Life, Freedom' protests, with campaigners stating thousands have been put to death after deeply flawed trials. The hangings surged even further after the 12-day war in 2025, reaching levels unseen in more than four decades.
Human rights advocates report that thousands of individuals have been executed following judicial proceedings widely criticised as fundamentally unfair, creating an atmosphere of terror aimed at suppressing dissent.
