Iran Executes Two Men Convicted of Killing Police in January Protests

Iranian authorities executed two men by hanging on Tuesday, after they were convicted of involvement in the killing of four police officers during protests in the central Iranian city of Isfahan in January. The judiciary announced the executions, with the judiciary's Mizan news agency reporting that "Amir Hossein Maleki and Amir Hossein Ebrahimi, who were among the armed individuals who committed the crime in Isfahan in January 2026, and whose brutal and heinous actions led to the martyrdom of four police officers, were executed by hanging." The agency added that the sentences were carried out after a comprehensive legal review and confirmation by the Supreme Court, following appeals by the condemned men.

Protests erupted in Iran in December over a sharp rise in foreign currency exchange rates, quickly evolving into anti-government demonstrations that peaked on January 8 and 9. Tehran accused Israel and the United States of instigating the protests. Official figures indicate that over three thousand people were killed during the confrontations, including police and security forces, while human rights organizations based outside Iran reported higher casualty numbers.

According to Mizan, the two men were "among the most prominent perpetrators of the crime," described as armed and present at the scene where they committed several criminal acts. The judiciary stated that their death sentences were issued on charges of "waging war and spreading corruption on earth" for actions that "affect national security."

In early October, authorities executed two other individuals, Ali Reza Sepahi and Ali Reza Raisi, for their alleged involvement in the same case. The pace of executions in Iran has accelerated since the start of the US-Israeli war in February. Amnesty International has noted that Iran executes more people annually than any country except China.