On Tuesday, July 29, 2026, Iran publicly hanged two young men, Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi, in Isfahan's Shahid Alikhani Square. Authorities accused them of offenses related to the nationwide anti-government protests that took place in January 2026.

According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an exiled opposition group, onlookers chanted "Dishonorable, dishonorable!" during the executions. Security forces responded by firing tear gas to disperse the crowd. The NCRI also reported that security personnel were deployed on rooftops and surrounding streets to maintain control.

Iranian state media confirmed the executions, with the semi-official news agency Mehr stating they were carried out "in the presence of a group of people" at Alikhani Square. The two men were reportedly among 12 protesters sentenced to death in what is known as the Alikhani Square case.

Human Rights Watch noted that at least 50 people have been executed over the past four months on vague national security charges. U.N. experts referenced the protests in Shahid Alikhani Square in a recent statement.

Iran Human Rights Director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam condemned the public hangings, stating on X, "By resorting once again to the medieval practice of public hangings, the Islamic Republic is trying to instill fear throughout society and deter future protests."

The executions follow the killing of four members of the State Security Force during demonstrations at the same square.

Public executions have been described as a cruel form of state terror that the international community must not tolerate.

Sources