Iran executes two men accused of links to ISIS

Iran executed two men accused of ties to ISIS on Tuesday, according to reports from domestic authorities and international human rights organizations. Mohiuddin Abdullahi and Hossein Palani were hanged at Kermanshah Central Prison after being convicted of “baghi,” a judicial term for armed rebellion against the state. The men, who had been held since 2018 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence division, were identified as part of a cell linked to ISIS, according to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency. The executions occurred amid a broader uptick in capital punishment in Iran, with at least 370 people executed so far this year. The Iran Human Rights Organisation noted that the rate of executions accelerated following the resumption of a ceasefire with the United States in early April, leading to 101 executions in June alone. Mizan confirmed the deaths of Abdullahi and Palani, stating that the pair were members of a group attempting to rebuild ISIS after its decline in Iraq and Syria. The group, based in the mountainous border region between Iraq and Iran, reportedly engaged in recruitment and preparation for attacks within Iran. Security forces conducted an operation that led to the arrest of the two men. Their convictions were affirmed by the Supreme Court, though human rights groups such as Hengaw and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Centre stated that no independent information about the trial, case files, or access to legal counsel was made public. These organizations have previously highlighted systemic issues in Iranian judicial processes, including restricted access to defense attorneys, forced confessions, and failure to notify families prior to sentencing. The rise in executions extends beyond ISIS-linked cases. According to the Iran Human Rights Organisation, two other individuals were executed this year on similar charges. Many of the remaining death sentences were imposed for murder and drug offenses. The trend also encompasses those involved in the large-scale anti-government protests that erupted in January, marking the most significant challenge to the Islamic Republic’s authority in decades. Between March 18 and June 16, 20 people associated with the January demonstrations were executed, including 18-year-old Amirhossein Hatami and Saleh Mohammadi, a former national wrestling team member. The protests, which saw massive participation, were violently suppressed by security forces, resulting in thousands of casualties. Human rights monitors estimate the death toll to be significantly higher than official figures, citing numerous accounts of fatalities caused by gunshot wounds to the head and back. Amnesty International expressed condemnation of the use of the death penalty in these cases, calling it a tool to silence opposition and instill fear among the population. Recent executions have included Shouresh Sattarzadeh, who was put to death in Sanandaj Central Prison on July 1 after spending two decades on death row for an accidental killing when he was 18. Other recent victims include Abdolreza Heydari, 59, from Bandar Abbas, and Mehdi Latifi, 27, from Tabriz, both executed on Monday for drug-related crimes. The Iran Human Rights Organisation warns of a potential increase in executions in the near future, urging the international community to address the human rights crisis during diplomatic engagements with Iran. The organization emphasizes the need to incorporate concerns regarding the treatment of prisoners and the application of the death penalty into discussions involving the country.