Iran executed two men convicted of membership in the banned People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran on Saturday, marking the sixth and seventh members of the opposition group put to death in five days as the US-Israel war on Iran continues.
Executions Amid Ongoing Conflict
Abolhassan Montazer and Vahid Baniamerian were hanged after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld their earlier sentences, according to the Iranian judiciary website Mizan Online. The men were convicted of PMOI/MEK membership and “armed rebellion through involvement in multiple terrorist acts.”
The executions occurred as the US-Israel war on Iran entered its 36th day. The group, known formally as the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, was originally a supporter of the 1979 Islamic revolution but fell out with the new Tehran leadership in the 1980s. It was subsequently designated a “terrorist” organization by Tehran and has operated in exile since.
Four other convicted members of the PMOI/MEK were executed on March 30 and 31. Those killed were Mohammad Taghavi, Akbar Daneshvarkar, Babak Alipour and Pouya Ghobadi. All six men were arrested and convicted by a Revolutionary Court in late 2024, according to information published on the PMOI/MEK website.
International Condemnation
Amnesty International strongly condemned the executions, accusing Iranian authorities of torturing the men while they were held in prison before abruptly transferring them to an unknown location shortly before their deaths. The human rights organization warned that five additional young protesters previously sentenced to death could face imminent execution after being moved from Ghezel Hesar prison to an unidentified location this week.
It is unconscionable that even as the population is reeling from conflict and mass bereavement amid the ongoing aerial bombardment by Israel and the USA, the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran continue to weaponize the death penalty to eradicate dissenting voices and further terrify people.
PMOI/MEK Response
The opposition group responded to the executions with a statement on April 2, calling Tehran’s actions a “futile” attempt to suppress opposition. “These brutal executions will not silence the opposition; instead, they will only intensify the resolve of Iran’s rebellious youth to overthrow the regime,” the group said.
The PMOI/MEK gained international attention for its role in the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, when American forces allied with the group against Saddam Hussein before later distancing themselves. It maintains active political operations in exile, particularly in Albania and Iraq.
Broader Execution Campaign
Since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28, Tehran has carried out a series of executions targeting individuals convicted of various charges. Among those executed was Kouroush Keyvani, a dual Iranian-Swedish national, who was sentenced for spying for Israel in a case that drew sharp condemnation from Stockholm and the European Union.
On Thursday, a man convicted of acting on behalf of Israel and the United States during anti-government protests was also executed. Earlier, on March 19, three individuals named Saleh Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi were killed after being arrested in connection with the mass uprising.
Human rights observers have noted that Iran is consistently ranked as the world’s second most prolific executioner after China by international rights groups, executing hundreds of people annually under charges ranging from murder to drug offences and national security crimes.