Iran Hangs Abolhassan Montazer & Vahid Baniamerian After Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentences

Iran has executed two men accused of membership in the banned People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), intensifying its campaign against political dissent amid heightened regional tensions linked to the ongoing United States–Israeli conflict involving Tehran. The executions, carried out early Saturday after the Supreme Court upheld their death sentences, underscore the government’s continued reliance on capital punishment in cases framed as threats to national security, drawing renewed scrutiny to Iran’s treatment of opposition figures.

Glenn Torshizi, whose brothers were executed by Iran, protested at the U.S. State Department on March 30, 2026, in Washington D.C. The demonstration highlighted the executions of People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran members in Karaj, Iran. [Rod Lamkey JrAP] — Glenn Torshizi, whose brothers were executed by Iran, protested at the U.S. State Department on March 30, 2026, in Washington D.C. The demonstration highlighted the executions of People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran members in Karaj, Iran. [Rod Lamkey JrAP]

IRAN — Iran has carried out the execution of two men accused of belonging to the outlawed opposition group, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), marking the latest development in a widening crackdown on dissent as tensions surrounding the ongoing United States–Israeli war involving Iran continue to simmer.

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The executions took place early Saturday morning after Iran’s Supreme Court affirmed the verdicts previously handed down by a lower court. The men, identified as Abolhassan Montazer and Vahid Baniamerian, had been convicted of membership in the PMOI/MEK and of engaging in what authorities described as “armed rebellion” tied to multiple acts classified as terrorism.

In an official statement released Saturday, the judiciary’s news outlet, Mizan Online, confirmed that the two men were executed following the completion of their trials and the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold their sentences. The announcement underscored that the judicial process had concluded prior to the implementation of the death penalty.

The PMOI/MEK, once aligned with revolutionary forces during the 1979 Islamic Revolution that led to the fall of Iran’s monarchy, later experienced a dramatic rupture with the country’s new clerical leadership. By the 1980s, the group had been declared a terrorist organization by Iranian authorities and subsequently operated from exile. Over the decades, it has remained one of the most prominent and controversial opposition movements challenging Tehran’s ruling establishment.

The executions of Montazer and Baniamerian follow closely on the heels of similar actions carried out at the end of March. Four other individuals convicted of affiliation with the same organization were put to death on March 30 and 31. According to information published on the PMOI/MEK’s official channels, those executed were Mohammad Taghavi, Akbar Daneshvarkar, Babak Alipour, and Pouya Ghobadi.

The opposition group has stated that all six men were detained in late 2024 and later prosecuted before a Revolutionary Court, a tribunal that handles cases involving national security and political charges. Their convictions, according to the group, stemmed from allegations of organizational membership and involvement in activities deemed hostile to the state.

The latest executions highlight the continued use of capital punishment in cases tied to national security and political dissent in Iran, drawing renewed attention to the fraught relationship between the government and opposition movements operating both within and beyond its borders.

Iran Executes Opposition, Stifles Dissent

An Iranian opposition group has sharply denounced the recent executions, describing them as a desperate and ultimately ineffective effort by authorities in Tehran to stifle dissent. In a strongly worded statement issued on April 2, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) characterized the hangings as a “futile” maneuver aimed at intimidating critics of the government and deterring further resistance.

According to the group, the executions will not achieve their intended purpose. Instead of crushing opposition, they argued, the deaths would deepen public anger and embolden a new generation of activists. The PMOI/MEK asserted that what it described as “brutal executions” would only strengthen the determination of Iran’s defiant youth, many of whom have taken to the streets in recent years, demanding sweeping political change and the end of clerical rule.

International human rights organizations have echoed concerns over what they describe as a troubling surge in executions. Advocacy groups have long accused Iran of carrying out one of the highest numbers of executions worldwide, frequently ranking it second only to China in the use of capital punishment. Critics argue that death sentences are often imposed following trials that fall short of international standards for fairness and transparency.

In a statement released after an earlier round of executions on March 31, Amnesty International leveled serious allegations against Iranian authorities. The organization claimed that the men had been subjected to torture during their imprisonment and were then suddenly transferred to an undisclosed location shortly before being put to death — a move that, according to Amnesty, deprived families and lawyers of any meaningful opportunity to intervene.

Amnesty International also warned of the possibility of further executions in the near future. The group expressed particular alarm over the fate of individuals detained during widespread anti-government protests in January. Those demonstrations, which reportedly resulted in thousands of deaths, marked one of the deadliest crackdowns in recent memory. Rights advocates fear that some of those arrested could now face capital punishment, raising concerns of an expanding campaign of reprisals against dissent.

Together, the statements from opposition groups and international watchdogs paint a grim picture of escalating tensions in Iran, where the use of the death penalty has once again become a flashpoint in the broader struggle between state authority and calls for political reform.

Amid intensifying conflict and mounting civilian suffering, Amnesty International has sharply condemned Iranian authorities for pressing ahead with executions during a time of national trauma.

Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, described the actions of the Islamic Republic as “unconscionable,” arguing that while the country grapples with grief, instability, and the devastation brought by ongoing aerial bombardments from Israel and the United States, the state has chosen to escalate repression rather than ease tensions. According to Eltahawy, the continued use of capital punishment in this climate amounts to a deliberate strategy to silence dissent and instill fear across an already shaken population.

Since the outbreak of hostilities between Iran and the United States and Israel on February 28, Tehran has carried out multiple executions. Among those put to death was Kouroush Keyvani, a dual Iranian-Swedish national accused of spying for Israel. His case drew sharp criticism from Stockholm and the European Union, both of which expressed outrage over the proceedings and the severity of the sentence.

On Thursday, authorities executed another man who had been convicted of collaborating with Israel and the United States during recent protests. His execution added to a growing list of individuals punished amid heightened political tensions and unrest.

Earlier, on March 19, four others — Saleh Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi, and Saeed Davoudi who had been detained in connection with the uprising were also executed. Their deaths further intensified concerns among human rights groups that Iran is accelerating the use of capital punishment in cases tied to political dissent and alleged foreign ties.

Amnesty International has warned that the wave of executions may not be over. The organization reports that five young protesters previously sentenced to death were recently transferred from Ghezel Hesar prison to an undisclosed location a move that often precedes imminent execution. Rights advocates fear that these individuals could soon face the same fate, raising alarm that Iran’s campaign of capital punishment is expanding even as the nation endures the pressures of war and widespread public grief.

As international scrutiny deepens, human rights observers argue that the timing and scale of the executions reflect a broader effort to consolidate control during a period of instability a move critics say risks further isolating Iran on the global stage.

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