Iran executes political prisoners Mohammad Masoumshahi and Hamed Validi on ‘espionage’ charges
Hengaw – Monday, April 20, 2026
Two political prisoners, Mohammad Masoumshahi and Hamed Validi, have been executed in Karaj Central Prison by the Iranian judiciary after being sentenced to death in an unfair trial on charges of “membership in the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK)” and “espionage for Israel.”
According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the executions were carried out at dawn on Monday, April 20, 2026, when Hamed Validi, 45, and Mohammad Masoumshahi, both held on political and security-related charges, were put to death.
State media, including Mizan News Agency, repeated narratives presented by security institutions, describing the charges against the two men as “waging war against God” (moharebeh) and “cooperation with Israeli intelligence services (Mossad).” These reports claimed that the two had been recruited during travel to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and had carried out “sabotage operations.” Such accusations are routinely used by the Islamic Republic’s security apparatus to suppress dissent and justify the issuance of death sentences.
Mohammad Masoumshahi and Hamed Validi were arrested in Tehran on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, by government forces. They were later sentenced to death in October of the same year by Branch Three of the Revolutionary Court of Karaj on charges including “membership in the MEK” and “collaboration with Israel’s Mossad.”
Both prisoners were denied access to independent legal counsel and a fair trial throughout their detention and judicial proceedings and were subjected to severe torture while in custody.
Hengaw Organization for Human Rights strongly condemns the execution of these two individuals and stresses that issuing and carrying out death sentences based on forced confessions and vague charges such as “waging war against God” (moharebeh) constitutes a grave violation of the right to life and international human rights obligations. Hengaw calls on the international community to respond decisively to the ongoing wave of political executions in Iran.
