A new report by Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM) has identified 166 protesters who have been sentenced to death, whose cases are before the Supreme Court, or who are otherwise reported to be at risk of capital punishment in Iran.
Published on 28 September 2026, the report provides names, ages where available, places of detention, charges and the reported judicial status of individual cases. The prisoners are being held across numerous facilities, including Qezel Hesar Prison, Isfahan Central (Dastgerd) Prison, Mashhad Central (Vakilabad) Prison, Shiraz Central (Adelabad) Prison, Lakan Prison in Rasht and other prisons throughout Iran.
Many of the cases relate to the nationwide protests of December 2025–January 2026, while others date back to the 2022 protests.
Among the charges appearing repeatedly in the documented cases are “moharebeh” (enmity against God) and “efsad-fil-arz” (corruption on Earth)—offences under Iranian law that can carry the death penalty. Other defendants face charges connected with national security, arson, destruction of property or alleged involvement in the deaths of members of the security forces.
Particularly alarming is the presence of extremely young defendants. The list includes 16-year-old Amir Hossein Sarban, while several others are recorded as being 17, 18 or 19 years old. In one case, Moslem Eslamkhah, now 21, is reported to have been only 17 at the time of the 2022 protests.
Iran HRM alleges serious violations of due-process guarantees in a number of these cases. According to the organisation, defendants have faced expedited proceedings, restrictions on access to independent lawyers and, in some cases, forced confessions obtained under torture or severe pressure. The organisation further reports that some death sentences have already been upheld or confirmed, while other cases have reached or are being reviewed by the Supreme Court.
The situation therefore demands urgent international scrutiny.
The Iranian Academics Association calls on the United Nations, international human-rights institutions, governments and parliamentarians to urgently examine these cases and press for the suspension of executions. Every defendant must have access to independent legal representation, a fair and transparent judicial process, and protection from torture and coerced confessions.
The death penalty must never be used to suppress dissent or punish participation in peaceful protest.
Behind every name on this list is a human life—a son or daughter, a parent, a student, a worker, a young person with a future.
The international community must act before it is too late.
Source: Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM), “Iran: 166 Protesters on Death Row Amid City Militarization,” 28 September 2026.