Iran publicly executes protester in Isfahan as crackdown intensifies

On July 28, Iranian authorities publicly hanged 23‑year‑old protester Abolfazl Sepahi‑Badejani in the southern city of Isfahan. Video footage shows him removing his black hood, kissing the noose and forming a heart with his fingers moments before the execution, which was carried out alongside 27‑year‑old Amirhossein Safari‑Hosseinabadi. Both men were convicted of killing four police officers during the January anti‑government protests.

The execution is part of a broader crackdown that has seen mass arrests, public hangings and lethal force against demonstrators across Iran. Human‑rights lawyers describe the public hangings as a “calculated use of death to terrorize the public.” Protests have continued in Isfahan and Tehran, with crowds chanting “Shame on you!” and demanding international action. The incident has drawn condemnation from UN bodies and human‑rights organizations, raising concerns about further instability in the country.