Iran ramps up execution of political prisoners amid war with US, human rights data shows
Iran Ramps Up Political Prisoner Executions Amid US War
A Family’s Struggle During Rising Death Sentences
Iran ramps up execution of political prisoners as conflict with the United States intensifies. Niki Nikbakht lives in Osnabrück, a city in northwest Germany, where she stays connected to her Iranian roots. She frequently looks at photos of her two older brothers, Hadi and Fazlollah, remembering happy times together. One photo shows Hadi smiling while holding his two young sons. He also has a five-month-old daughter who has never met her father. Hadi has been imprisoned since before Niki was born, sentenced to death by Iran’s Islamic Republic.
“I keep wondering, what if it really happens? What if I never see my two brothers again?” Nikbakht says through tears. “But then I remind myself, ‘Niki, you must keep going. Keep fighting. Stay strong. Don’t let this destroy you.'”
At forty-five, Hadi and his fifty-year-old brother Fazlollah are among many Iranian political detainees facing execution. Iran Human Rights (IHR), an Oslo-based NGO with members inside and outside Iran, reports the regime has sharply increased executions during the war period.
Tracking the Surge in Capital Punishments
On Wednesday, IHR criticized the execution of Mohammad Amini Dehaghani, detained for January demonstrations and given a death sentence after what the group called an unfair trial. This year alone, Iranian authorities have executed at least forty-seven political prisoners, a steep rise from sixteen during the same period last year. CNN has reached out to Iranian officials for comment.
“While the world focused on the war, Iran saw an opportunity to execute political prisoners because normally these executions draw international condemnation and carry high political costs,” IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam explained to CNN.
From Street Protests to Military Conflict
When massive protests swept Iran late last year, US President Donald Trump warned Tehran against using violence against demonstrators, promising America would “come to their rescue.” Instead of backing down, Iran escalated its response, deploying lethal force to suppress the unrest. While exact death tolls vary, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) confirms over six thousand protester deaths, with seventeen thousand more under investigation. Iranian authorities acknowledge more than three thousand deaths but blame most on “rioters” in what they called an Israeli-led conspiracy.
Trump later claimed his warning—and decision not to intervene militarily—prevented further casualties. Weeks later, as the US and Israel launched comprehensive military operations against Iran, Trump encouraged Iranians to “seize the moment” and “take back” their country. “America stands with you. I made a promise and kept it. The rest is yours, but we’ll be there to help,” he stated.
Diplomatic Changes and Ongoing Repression
As Trump and the White House grew tired of the conflict and global economic pressures mounted, their tone softened and support for Iranian opposition waned. The fourteen-point Memorandum of Understanding signed between the US and Iran on June 17 mentioned no protesters, dissidents, or human rights issues. Meanwhile, human rights groups note Iran had already begun increasing executions while negotiating with Washington.
“The seemingly unlimited freedom given to the regime as the world hopes for peace—and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz—offers little comfort to Nikbakht’s brothers.”
The two brothers were arrested before the January protests at their home in Golpaygan. Human rights organizations say they were taken on October 25, 2025, when authorities tried to seize their property. Both men had long engaged in political activities, including supporting a campaign for a referendum on Iran’s political system.