Iran faces surge in arbitrary executions and Kurdish repression

A joint investigation by Human Rights Watch and the Boroumand Center reports a significant surge in arbitrary executions in Iran. Between March and late August 2026, 29 protesters were executed in violation of international law, averaging approximately one death per week.

Reports indicate that many of these executions followed sham trials and were based on vague or disproportionate charges. In 16 of the 29 cases, the accusations did not involve murder, instead citing acts such as damaging police property or possessing Molotov cocktails. Some individuals were also charged with vague ‘operational actions’ in favor of Israel and the United States, a charge facilitated by a 2025 espionage law.

Simultaneously, Kurdish-populated regions in provinces such as Kurdistan, Kermanshah, West Azerbaijan, and Ilam have faced intensified state repression following nationwide protests that began in late December 2025. Documentation shows a pattern of systematic human rights violations against the Kurdish minority, including mass detentions, killings of protesters, and the lethal use of force against Kolbars (cross-border labor couriers). These actions are described as part of a continuous pattern of structural discrimination and the securitization of ethnic and civic identity demands.