Mehrab Abdollahzadeh
Mehrab Abdollahzadeh was executed by the Iranian authorities after being convicted on political and security-related charges connected to the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran that followed the death of Mahsa Amini. Iranian authorities accused him of involvement in the killing of a member of the Basij militia force. Human rights organizations and activists stated that he denied the accusations and said his confession had been extracted under torture and threats while in detention.
According to the report, Mehrab Abdollahzadeh spent approximately 42 months on death row in Oromiyeh Central Prison in western Iran before being executed earlier in May 2026. Prior to his execution, he recorded a voice message claiming innocence and alleging that Iranian security forces had forced false confessions from him through torture and intimidation. Rights groups cited his case as part of a broader surge in politically motivated executions carried out after unrest and conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. Amnesty International and UN officials expressed concern that Iran was increasingly using executions as a means of political repression and intimidation against dissenters and minority communities.
Biography
Mehrab Abdollahzadeh was an Iranian Kurdish political prisoner arrested during the nationwide anti-government protests that erupted in Iran in 2022 after the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. He became known internationally after a voice recording from prison emerged in which he denied the charges against him and alleged torture during interrogations. Human rights groups viewed his execution as part of an intensified crackdown on political dissent in Iran.
Mehrab Abdollahzadeh belonged to Iran’s Kurdish minority and was detained amid widespread unrest that swept the country following Mahsa Amini’s death. Iranian authorities accused him of involvement in the killing of a Basij militia member during the protests. He reportedly spent over three years in detention and on death row. Before his execution, he released an emotional audio message from prison stating that he had been subjected to torture, threats, and forced confessions. His case was highlighted by Kurdish and international human rights organizations as an example of alleged unfair trials and the increasing use of capital punishment in politically sensitive cases. His execution occurred during a period when international organizations reported a sharp rise in executions tied to political and security allegations in Iran.
Additional Information
Mehrab Abdollahzadeh was executed by the Iranian authorities after being convicted on political and security-related charges connected to the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran that followed the death of Mahsa Amini. Iranian authorities accused him of involvement in the killing of a member of the Basij militia force. Human rights organizations and activists stated that he denied the accusations and said his confession had been extracted under torture and threats while in detention.
Sources & References
'This may be the last time you hear my voice': Political executions surge in Iran since start of war1 bbc.com Open source
Abdollahzadeh execution followed torture-tainted confession, rights group says2 iranintl.com Open source
Kurdish political prisoner Mehrab Abdollahzadeh was executed in Urmia this morning. He was arrested during the widespread demonstrations in October 2022, held in solitary confinement, and subjected to torture to extract forced confessions.3 x.com Open source