Iran executes protester Siavash Jamshidi following January demonstrations

Execution and judicial charges

Iranian authorities executed Siavash Jamshidi Kheirabadi at dawn on Saturday, October 3, 2026, following his conviction on capital charges linked to anti-government demonstrations. According to the judiciary news agency Mizan, the court sentenced Jamshidi to death for "moharebeh", translated as war against God, alongside charges of firearm use and conspiracy against state security. Prosecutors alleged that Jamshidi fired at least three shots at police officers on January 8, leading to his arrest two days later in the southwestern city of Shahrekord with a handgun. Investigators presented mobile phone tracking data during proceedings, alleging that location records proved his repeated presence at demonstrations and his discharge of a weapon. The judiciary also accused him of coordinating online to organize activities against state security and seeking payment for a mission. Mizan reported additional convictions for offenses unrelated to the demonstrations, including theft, fraud, threats, military weapon possession, complicity in kidnapping, and intentional bodily harm.

Origins of the nationwide demonstrations

The unrest began on December 28, 2025, driven initially by living costs and rapid currency depreciation, before spreading into demonstrations calling for the end of clerical rule. Protests intensified across multiple provinces and reached their peak on January 8 and January 9, resulting in widespread property destruction and street clashes. The Iranian government stated that more than 3,000 people died during the January unrest, blaming armed groups and foreign intelligence operatives for the casualties. Human rights groups based abroad reported that security forces fired directly at crowds during the crackdown, killing thousands of demonstrators. The authorities carried out mass arrests in the weeks following the demonstrations, initiating expedited capital proceedings against detainees accused of armed violence.

Foreign involvement and military escalation

Iranian officials attributed much of the violence to armed groups and operatives backed by the United States and Israel. Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu acknowledged during the protests that Israel maintained operatives inside Iran to weaken state capabilities, while denying direct efforts to overthrow the leadership. Donald Trump issued warnings of military intervention against Tehran in response to the crackdown on protesters. On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a military strike against Iranian targets, escalating regional tensions. Iranian courts increased arrests and expedited executions following the start of military strikes and the turn-of-the-year protests.

Human rights data on executions

According to the rights organization Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), Iranian authorities have executed at least 32 men in connection with the turn-of-the-year demonstrations. The group reported that at least 100 additional detained demonstrators currently face the death penalty. IHRNGO director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam commented on the pattern of capital sentences in a public statement.

All executions, regardless of the charges, serve a clear domestic political purpose: to instill fear and prevent new protests.

By late August 2026, Iranian authorities had carried out more than 500 executions across all legal categories. For the full year 2025, Amnesty International recorded at least 2,159 executions in Iran, marking the highest annual total since 1981. Other human rights groups, including Together Against the Death Penalty, documented at least 1,639 executions in 2025, placing Iran second globally behind China in total capital punishments.