Iran executes January protest detainee Mehdi Khanki at Ghezel Hesar Prison

Hengaw – Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Iranian authorities have executed Mehdi Khanki, a resident of Karaj who was arrested during the January 2026 protests and later sentenced to death on security-related charges.

According to information obtained by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Khanki was executed at dawn on July 22, 2026, at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. Iranian state media, including the Fars News Agency, reported the execution.

Neither Khanki’s arrest nor his death sentence had been publicly reported prior to his execution.

Khanki was arrested at his home in Karaj on February 10, 2026, by officers of the Intelligence Organization of Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA). He was later sentenced to death and had his assets confiscated by the Revolutionary Court on charges including “operational action in favor of the Zionist regime and the United States,” “membership in groups opposed to the state,” and “possession of weapons and explosive devices.”

His execution was carried out swiftly, without due process or adherence to international fair trial standards, and after he was denied the fundamental guarantees of an effective legal defense.