At least 11 Afghan nationals have been executed in Iran over the past four months, according to rights groups, with the latest case involving a 23-year-old man convicted in connection with Iran’s anti-government protests.
The execution of Gol Mohammad Mohammadi, an Afghan citizen, was carried out Tuesday at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, according to Mizan News Agency, the Iranian judiciary’s official news outlet.
Mizan said Mohammadi, who was arrested during nationwide protests in 2025, had been convicted after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld his death sentence.
Iranian authorities accused Mohammadi and an Iranian co-defendant of killing four security personnel and setting fire to public property during protests in Ali Khani Square in Isfahan on Jan. 7. The judiciary described him as a “violent rioter.”
Iranian authorities have not publicly released detailed evidence supporting the charges.
The Iran Human Rights organization, based in Norway, has repeatedly raised concerns about Iran’s use of the death penalty, saying defendants in capital cases are routinely denied fair trial guarantees and that families of those sentenced to death often face intimidation to discourage them from speaking publicly.
“The judiciary facilitates and accelerates death sentences for detained protesters through government-approved lawyers,” the organization said in a recent statement. “Families of prisoners sentenced to death are continuously threatened and pressured to remain silent.”
According to figures compiled by Amu TV, at least 11 Afghan nationals have been executed in Iran between March 21 and July 20, including several whose identities have not been made public. Those executed include Abdullah Jalali, Noor Jalal Mojahid, Homayoun Norzahi, Mirwais Khalilzadeh, Ibrahim Ahmadshahi and Gol Mohammad Mohammadi.
Rights advocates have long expressed concern that Afghan nationals in Iran face limited access to legal representation, fair trial protections and consular assistance.
Farzana Rezaei, a human rights activist, said Afghan defendants are particularly vulnerable because many lack the financial means or legal support to defend themselves.
The latest execution comes amid broader concerns over Iran’s use of capital punishment. The Kurdish human rights organization Hengaw has reported that at least 85 Afghan nationals were executed in Iran during 2025, many after convictions on drug trafficking or murder charges.
Iran executes more people each year than any country except China, according to international human rights organizations, and rights groups have repeatedly criticized the country’s judicial process, particularly in politically sensitive and capital cases.
