Iran executes at least 89 prisoners in August, up 33% from July
Hengaw – Thursday, September 3, 2026
At least 89 prisoners, including six political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, were executed in prisons across Iran during August 2026. The figure represents an increase of at least 33%, equivalent to 22 more executions, compared with July, when 67 prisoners were executed.
According to data compiled by the Statistics and Documentation Center of Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, at least 89 prisoners were executed in prisons across Iran during August 2026. Hengaw has verified the full identities of 88 of those executed, while the identity of one other prisoner remains under review.
At least six women were executed in prisons across Iran during the month. They were Mahtab Shirmohammadi from Tabriz, Marzieh Niri from Qazvin, Donya Mohammadi from Ilam, Fatemeh Kamak Zare from Karaj, Zahra Azizpour from Ardabil, and Arezoo Rostad from Isfahan. All six were executed on charges of premeditated murder in prisons in Yasuj, Qazvin, Ilam, Karaj, Rasht, and Isfahan, respectively.
No child offenders, including individuals convicted of crimes committed while under the age of 18, were executed in Iran during August.
Of the 89 prisoners executed during the month, only eight cases, equivalent to 9% of the total, were announced by official Iranian sources or websites affiliated with the judiciary. Eleven prisoners were executed secretly, without their families being informed or granted the right to a final family visit. Two other prisoners were executed in public.
Execution of six political prisoners and prisoners of conscience
During August, at least six political prisoners and prisoners of conscience, including individuals detained during the January protests and the 40-day war, were executed on charges including “waging war against God” (moharebeh), espionage, and other offenses. Their identities are as follows:
- Arvin Kheirkhahan, 20, one of the detainees from the January protests, was executed on August 1, 2026, in Shahroud Central Prison.
- Pouria Safvat, a Turk political prisoner from Urmia, was executed on August 3, 2026, in Urmia Central Prison on charges of espionage for Israel.
- Omid Behzad, a Kurdish student from Urmia, was executed on August 3, 2026, in Urmia Central Prison on charges of espionage for Israel.
- Shahram Sadeghi, one of the detainees from the January protests, was executed on August 15, 2026, in a prison in Alborz Province.
- Ghaem Hosseini, a 20-year-old Afghan national and one of the detainees from the January protests, was executed on August 20, 2026, in Isfahan Central Prison.
- Majid Adineh, one of the detainees from the January protests, was executed on August 23, 2026, in a prison in Alborz Province.
Breakdown of executions by charge
During August, the highest number of executions involved prisoners convicted of drug-related offenses, with 42 cases, equivalent to 48% of the total. Another 39 prisoners were executed on charges of premeditated murder, while six were executed in political cases and on espionage-related charges.
- Political, religious, and espionage-related charges: 6
- Premeditated murder: 39
- Drug-related offenses: 42
- Armed robbery: 2
Breakdown of executions by national and ethnic minority groups
According to the report, at least 22 Persian prisoners were executed in Iran during August, accounting for 25% of the total. Seventeen Turk prisoners and 13 Kurdish prisoners were also executed.
- Turk prisoners: 17
- Kurdish prisoners: 13
- Lor prisoners: 7
- Gilak and Mazani prisoners: 7
- Baloch prisoners: 6
- Arab prisoners: 1
- Persian prisoners: 22
- Afghan nationals: 4
- Ethnic identity not verified by Hengaw: 12
Breakdown of executions by province
According to Hengaw’s data, prisons in Isfahan Province recorded the highest number of executions during August, with 11 cases. Executions were carried out in prisons across a total of 20 provinces. Following Isfahan, the highest numbers were recorded in Razavi Khorasan Province, with 10 executions, and Alborz Province, with eight.
- Prisons in Isfahan Province: 11
- Prisons in Razavi Khorasan Province: 10
- Prisons in Alborz Province: 8
- Prisons in Semnan Province: 7
- Prisons in Fars, Ardabil, and East Azerbaijan provinces: 6 each
- Prisons in Gilan and Khuzestan provinces: 5 each
- Prisons in Lorestan Province: 4
- Prisons in Ilam, West Azerbaijan (Urmia), Sistan and Baluchestan, Zanjan, and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces: 3 each
- Prisons in Mazandaran Province: 2
- Prisons in Yazd, Kurdistan (Sanandaj), Qom, and Qazvin provinces: 1 each
