Exiled Iranians demonstrate in Brussels against the Iranian death penalty (2023).Image: EPA
April 20, 2026, 1:34 p.mApril 20, 2026, 1:34 p.m
Iran’s judiciary has executed two men on espionage charges. The execution took place at dawn, the justice-affiliated Misan news agency reported. A revolutionary court in the city of Karaj near Tehran handed down the verdict.
Iran’s judiciary accused the two men of spying for the Israeli foreign secret service Mossad. It was initially unclear when they were arrested and when the verdict was handed down.
Human rights activists, on the other hand, spoke of political prisoners who were said to have belonged to the controversial People’s Mujahideen opposition group. The Iran Human Rights organization strongly condemned the executions, as its director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam wrote on X.
#Urgent: Two political prisoners were executed this morning. The Islamic Republic Judiciary reported these executions, stating that they were charged with “moharebeh” (waging war against God) and “cooperation with hostile groups and Israel” among several other charges. They have… pic.twitter.com/2slCEqzi9c
— Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam (@iranhr) April 20, 2026
Human rights groups have been criticizing the rigorous use of the death penalty in Iran for years and accusing the authorities of using executions as a means of intimidation. According to the Iran Human Rights Organization (IHRNGO), at least 1,639 people were executed last year, more than in 35 years. (nil/sda/dpa)