Iran executes Majid Adineh over January protests following Supreme Court confirmation

Execution in Karaj

Iranian judicial authorities executed Majid Adineh on the morning of 23 August 2026 after the country's Supreme Court confirmed his capital sentence. The Revolutionary Court in the northern city of Karaj issued the original ruling following legal proceedings that concluded with a death penalty and an order for the total confiscation of Adineh's assets. Official judicial statements cited multiple charges against him, including "warfare against God," arson, and assembly and collusion to commit crimes against internal security. State prosecutors additionally alleged that Adineh engaged in operational activities supporting the United States, Israel, and other hostile groups. Adineh denied all allegations of espionage, armed violence, and state subversion during his trial, maintaining his innocence prior to his hanging.

January arrest and evidence

Adineh was apprehended alongside another suspect on 9 January 2026 in Alborz province, located directly west of Tehran. Judicial authorities based the conviction on physical evidence collected during the arrest and statements given during the trial. Iranian authorities stated that security forces confiscated several weapons and tools from the suspects at the time of detention. The seized inventory included a revolver, ammunition, two stun guns, two tear gas canisters, a cordless chainsaw, and a bottle of gasoline. Investigators alleged that Adineh carried the firearm during the mass demonstrations in January and discharged it during the unrest. His hanging followed the execution of another individual linked to the unrest on 20 August 2026, alongside two executions conducted in late July 2026.

Winter unrest and casualties

The demonstrations began in late December 2025 across several Iranian cities in response to mounting economic distress and the deteriorating standard of living. The gatherings rapidly expanded into broad public demonstrations against the clerical leadership, reaching their peak intensity on 8 and 9 January 2026. State authorities deployed security forces to disperse the crowds, resulting in thousands of deaths nationwide. The Iranian government formally acknowledged that more than 3,000 people died during the winter demonstrations, attributing the violence to terrorist operations orchestrated by the United States and Israel. Human rights organizations disputed that explanation, documenting that the death toll was caused by lethal force used by state security forces during the crackdown.

Wave of capital punishment

The execution of Adineh follows a continued rise in capital punishment across Iran, particularly following the outbreak of war in late February 2026 after US and Israeli strikes against Iranian sites. Iranian authorities have carried out repeated executions targeting protesters and alleged foreign operatives. Human rights groups criticize the Iranian legal system for using broad charges such as espionage, endangering national security, and blasphemy to intimidate the domestic population. International monitors documented steep increases in Iranian executions during 2025, with both major reporting bodies recording the highest annual levels in decades. Amnesty International reported at least 2,159 executions in Iran in 2025, representing the highest annual figure recorded since 1981. The Norway-based organization Iran Human Rights and the French group Together Against the Death Penalty documented at least 1,639 executions in 2025, which marked the highest total recorded since 1989. Iran continues to carry out more executions each year than any nation except China.