Iran executes two political prisoners at Karaj prison, bringing total in case to six

Hengaw — Saturday, April 4, 2026

Iranian authorities executed two political prisoners, Abolhassan Montazer and Vahid Bani Amerian, at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

According to information obtained by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, the two men were executed early Saturday, April 4, 2026, in secret, without prior notice to their families, and were denied a final visit.

Montazer, 66, from Tehran, and Bani Amerian, 34, from Sonqor, were sentenced to death on charges of “rebellion” (baghi) through alleged membership in the People’s Mujahedin Organization.

Iran’s judiciary-affiliated Mizan news agency confirmed the executions.

The two were initially sentenced in December 2024 by Branch 26 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, along with four other defendants in the same case.

Although Iran’s Supreme Court had previously overturned the verdict due to investigative flaws, the court reissued death sentences for all six defendants on November 16, 2025 following brief hearings.

The defendants were subjected to severe torture during interrogations, including beatings, electric shocks, flogging and threats against their families, to extract forced confessions.

With these executions, all six defendants in the case have now been put to death.
The other defendants in this case had previously been executed in judicial proceedings that were entirely “unfair” and “lacking legal standards.”