TEHRAN, Mar 31 (V7N) — In a rapid sequence of capital punishments, Iranian authorities have executed four political prisoners over the past 48 hours. Babak Alipour and Pouya Ghobadi were hanged at dawn on Tuesday, March 31, at the Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, according to reports from Iran International and the judiciary-affiliated Mizan Online.

Their executions follow the hangings of two co-defendants, Akbar Daneshvarkar and Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi, just 24 hours earlier on Monday. All four men were convicted in the same high-profile case involving alleged membership in the banned opposition group, the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).

The Case Details

The four men, along with two other defendants—Abolhassan Montazeri and Vahid Bani-Amerian—were sentenced to death in late 2024 by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The judiciary cited their charges as "rebellion" (Baghi) and "acting against national security."

Specific allegations against the group included:

  • Armed Operations: Participation in multiple "terrorist operations" within Tehran.

  • Infrastructure Attacks: Alleged use of projectile launchers to target state institutions, including an entrance to the Ministry of Intelligence.

  • Explosives: Possession of equipment for manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Human rights organizations, including Iran Human Rights (IHR) and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), have condemned the trials as "grossly unfair," alleging that confessions were extracted under severe physical and psychological torture during months of solitary confinement.

Escalation Under the "Shadow of War"

The timing of these executions—carried out while Iran is in a state of open conflict with the United States and Israel—has drawn sharp criticism from international observers. Activists warn that Tehran is utilizing the "fog of war" and regional instability to accelerate the execution of political detainees and suppress domestic dissent.

With four of the six co-defendants now executed, concerns are mounting for the remaining two, Abolhassan Montazeri (66) and Vahid Bani-Amerian (33), who are believed to be at imminent risk.

Following the news, NCRI leader Maryam Rajavi called on the United Nations and the international community to take immediate action to save those still on death row, describing the executions as a "clear confession" of the regime's fear of internal resistance.

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