Iran Executes Students, Nuclear Worker in Wave of Controversial Death Sentences
Iran has carried out a series of executions following controversial trials at Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court. Among those sentenced to death are a 40-year-old mother, students, and a nuclear sector employee. The charges range from arson and espionage to vaguely defined national security offences, with little transparency in the evidence presented. In late 2025, Aqil Keshavarz, a 27-year-old architecture student, was arrested for photographing a military building. He was convicted of espionage and executed on December 20, 2025.
On April 2, 2026, Amirhossein Hatami, an 18-year-old industrial design student, was put to death after being convicted of 'enmity against God' for an alleged arson attack. Less than three weeks later, Amirali, a 24-year-old computer engineering student, faced a similar fate. Arrested during protests and accused of plotting an arson attack, he was executed on April 21, 2026. The following day, Mehdi Farid, a 55-year-old employee in Iran’s nuclear sector, was executed despite reportedly cooperating with security authorities. His conviction followed an undisclosed trial. Meanwhile, two women remain on death row. Maryam Hodavand, a 40-year-old mother of two, was linked to an arson attack on the Seyed al-Shohada Mosque in Tehran’s Pakdasht district, though no evidence has been made public. Bita Hemmati, another detainee, was convicted on broad charges of 'actions against national security' or 'collaboration with a hostile state'.
The executions have drawn attention to the lack of transparency in Iran’s judicial process. At least five people have been put to death in recent months under charges tied to national security, espionage, or protest-related offences. The cases of Maryam Hodavand and Bita Hemmati remain unresolved, with both facing imminent execution.
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