Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, on Tuesday urged courts to accelerate verdicts related to the ongoing US-Israeli war, including the implementation of capital punishment, as rights activists raise concerns over a rise in executions.
Since the war began on February 28, Iran has executed seven individuals linked to January protests. Among them were six people convicted of belonging to the banned opposition group People’s Mujahedin of Iran and a dual Iranian-Swedish citizen accused of spying for Israel.
Rights groups warn that dozens more individuals could face execution over their involvement in the protests or for allegedly assisting Iran’s enemies during the conflict.
“You need to speed up the issuing of sentences for executions and the confiscation of property,” Ejei said during a televised meeting with senior judiciary officials.
He added that, under existing espionage laws, courts should continue issuing verdicts against those accused of collaborating with enemy forces with greater speed.
Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, who lives in exile, criticized the move, saying that instead of protecting citizens from external threats, the government is increasing executions, repression, and property seizures targeting opposition figures.
According to rights groups, two teenagers are among those executed following the January protests, which were violently suppressed, leaving thousands dead. Authorities have labeled those convicted as “terrorists” acting on behalf of Israel and the United States, but activists argue that many were subjected to unfair trials.
The US-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center said that carrying out executions during wartime through opaque and expedited processes appears aimed at instilling fear and maintaining control over the population.
Amid ongoing arrests, Iran’s police chief, Ahmad Reza Radan, said 85 individuals had been detained across 25 provinces for allegedly participating in an organised network that transmitted sensitive location data to hostile forces.
He added that details of their alleged collaboration would be made public. Human Rights organisations have also accused Iranian authorities of using torture to extract forced confessions from detainees, which are sometimes broadcast on state television.