Iran Executes Man Convicted Over Alleged Role in January Protests

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian authorities have executed Siavash Jamshidi, a man convicted of multiple offences including allegedly firing at security personnel during the country's anti-government protests earlier this year.

Iran's judiciary announced the execution on Saturday, saying Jamshidi had been sentenced to death for moharebeh, a legal charge commonly translated as “waging war against God,” in connection with allegations that he brandished and fired a firearm during the unrest. He was also convicted of conspiracy and collusion against national security.

According to Iran's judiciary, Jamshidi faced additional convictions unrelated to the demonstrations, including fraud, threats, theft, illegal possession and carrying of a military-grade weapon, as well as other offences. Iranian authorities said he was active during the protests, which began in December 2025 amid grievances over living costs and escalated into large demonstrations in January 2026.

The government's account of the unrest differs sharply from that of international rights organisations. Iranian authorities have attributed thousands of deaths during the unrest to what they described as terrorist activity involving foreign actors, while rights groups have accused Iranian security forces of using excessive force against demonstrators.

Amnesty International has documented widespread arrests following the January protests and warned that protesters and dissidents faced the death penalty after what it described as unfair trials. In May, the organisation said at least 78 people were under death sentence or at serious risk of execution in politically motivated cases, including 41 people arrested in connection with the January protests.

The organisation also reported that at least 36 people had been executed in politically motivated cases following the start of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran in February 2026, according to information available to it at the time.

Iran's use of capital punishment has drawn sustained international scrutiny. Amnesty International recorded 2,159 executions in Iran in 2025, describing the figure as the highest it had recorded since 1981.

The latest execution adds to concerns over the treatment of people accused of participating in Iran's protests and comes amid a broader period of political and security tensions in the country.

Iranian authorities maintain that those convicted in connection with violent acts and attacks on security personnel are being prosecuted under national law. Rights organisations, however, continue to question the fairness of proceedings in a number of protest-related cases and have called for greater safeguards for defendants.