A comprehensive findings paper from the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the clerical regime in Iran, submitted to the Human Rights Council’s sixty-first session, has documented a grave escalation in the use of the death penalty against individuals for their alleged affiliation with the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK). The Mission’s findings underscore a pattern of structural discrimination and persistent impunity within the Iranian regime’s judicial system, particularly following the hostilities of June 2025 and the subsequent waves of domestic protest.
The report identifies a sharp rise in executions throughout 2025, noting that at least 16 individuals were executed due to their alleged membership in political groups, with a specific focus on those associated with the MEK. According to this report, as of early 2026, at least 16 additional individuals, including two women, remain on death row facing similar charges. The Mission noted that these judicial actions often occur without proper legal safeguards or transparency.
Among the most prominent cases cited are the July 27, 2025, executions of 49-year-old Mehdi Hassani and 79-year-old Behrouz Ehsani in Karaj. The report details that Hassani was subjected to severe physical abuse during interrogations in Evin Prison, resulting in long-term spinal injuries. Furthermore, his execution was carried out while a retrial petition was still pending before the Supreme Court, and notably, no prior notification was provided to his legal counsel or his family. The Mission also documented the case of Behrouz Ehsani, who was held in solitary confinement for several months prior to his sentencing.
#Iran News Alert 🚨
30 political prisoners in Evin warn: “The lives of prisoners are in danger!”
In a joint statement, they demand accountability for the death of Somayeh Rashidi, return of transferred women prisoners, release of sick inmates, & proper medical care.#FreeIran pic.twitter.com/0uvGTgasuP— SIMAY AZADI TV (@en_simayazadi) October 2, 2025
The report further examines the fatal consequences of medical neglect within the Iranian penal system, specifically regarding the death of Somayeh Rashidi in September 2025. Following her arrest for protest-related activities, Rashidi was denied adequate medical treatment despite a rapid decline in her health. While the judiciary’s official news agency later justified her detention by an association with the MEK, the UN Mission emphasized that the delay in her transfer to a hospital caused irreversible damage.
Despite the prevailing climate of repression, the Mission highlighted the critical role of international intervention. The suspension of the death sentence for Ehsan Faridi, was directly attributed to advocacy by UN Special Procedures and international human rights organizations. The Mission concluded that such continued global pressure is essential to preventing further reinstatements of capital sentences currently under appeal.