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Iran executed Ghaem Hosseini, a 21-year-old Afghan national, on Thursday after he was convicted of involvement in the deaths of four police officers during anti-government demonstrations, at Isfahan central prison. This marks the 30th execution since the resumption of wartime executions on March 19, according to the Iran Human Rights group.
Ghaem Hosseini was executed at Isfahan central prison, marking him as the fifth individual hanged in relation to the deaths of four police officers during the protests. Iran Human Rights reported that at least 12 defendants have received death sentences in this case since the anti-government demonstrations escalated in January.
Rights group Iran Human Rights condemned the execution of Ghaem Hosseini as indicative of “the arbitrary use of the death penalty by the Islamic Republic.” The organisation reported that at least 12 defendants connected to the protests have been sentenced to death, indicating ongoing legal actions linked to the events in Isfahan.
What remains unclear — It is not specified whether any additional defendants in the case will face execution or if further trials are pending.
Iran executes Afghan national convicted of police officers’ deaths during protests
Iran on Thursday executed an Afghan national convicted of the killing of police officers during anti-government demonstrations, the 30th in a wave of hangings since the start of the Iran war, a rights group said.
Ghaem Hosseini was executed after being convicted of involvement in the deaths of four police officers, according to the state-linked outlet Nour News.
Hosseini was listed only as a foreign national, but the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) group said the 21-year-old was from Afghanistan and was hanged at Isfahan central prison.
The Mizan Online news website, linked with Iran’s opaque judiciary authorities, said Hosseini was convicted “of drawing a weapon and causing fear and terror, creating widespread insecurity, acting against people’s physical integrity and national security in a manner that seriously disrupted public order,” according to the AFP news agency.
According to IHR, however, Hosseini was accused of kicking one of the policemen, and “authorities have presented no evidence proving that his actions led to the death of any of the policemen.”
The case “is a stark example of collective punishment and the arbitrary use of the death penalty by the Islamic Republic,” said IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam.
He is the fifth person to be hanged over the case involving the death in Isfahan of four police
officers during nationwide anti-government protests that peaked in January.
At least 12 defendants in the case have been sentenced to death, said IHR, adding that since wartime executions resumed on March 19, at least 30 protesters have been executed.
According to Amnesty International, Iran executed at least 2,159 people in 2025.
WTX/AFP