TEHRAN — Iranian authorities executed 23-year-old Ali Fahim on Monday, marking the latest in a rapid acceleration of hangings as the Islamic Republic grapples with a deepening military conflict against Israel and the United States.
Fahim, convicted for his alleged role in January’s nationwide anti-government protests, was hanged after the country’s Supreme Court upheld a verdict labeling him an “enemy element” involved in “terrorist riots.” The judiciary’s Mizan Online website claimed Fahim was involved in an attack on a Tehran base of the Basij militia, acting on behalf of “the Zionist regime and the United States.”
The execution is part of a stark surge in capital punishment that human rights organizations describe as a “strategy of survival.” Since the outbreak of war on February 28—a conflict ignited by strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei—the Iranian judiciary has significantly increased its pace of executions.
A ‘Fast-Track’ to the Gallows
According to the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR), Fahim is the tenth “political prisoner” to be put to death in just the last eight days. This grim tally includes four protesters and six individuals accused of membership in the outlawed People’s Mujahedin (MEK) opposition group.
Rights advocates warn that these trials are a mockery of due process. IHR reported that Fahim and his co-defendants were:
- Subjected to severe physical torture.
- Systematically denied access to independent legal counsel.
- Sentenced in “grossly unfair” fast-track trials.
The proceedings were presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati, a jurist sanctioned by the U.S. in 2019. Known internationally as the “Judge of Death,” Salavati is notorious for his frequent use of capital punishment against political dissidents.
‘War Against Their Own People’
The timing of the executions suggests a regime attempting to maintain internal control while facing unprecedented external pressure.
“These executions are part of the Islamic Republic’s strategy of survival—waging war against its own people under the shadow of external conflict,” said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of IHR. He urged the international community to make the regime’s use of the death penalty a “central condition” in any future diplomatic engagements.
Fahim was one of seven men sentenced to death in February following the January unrest. With his death, four members of that group have now been executed—including two teenagers—leaving three others at “imminent risk” of the gallows. On Sunday, the state executed Mohammad-Amin Biglari, 19, and Shahin Vahedparast, 30. Last Thursday, 18-year-old Amir Hossein Hatami was also hanged.
Domestic Repression as War Policy
The January protests, which preceded the current regional war, were met with a crackdown that rights groups say resulted in thousands of deaths. Amnesty International has characterized the recent wave of hangings as a calculated effort by the judiciary to “spread fear and exact revenge” on those seeking fundamental political change.
As the military conflict with the West continues to escalate, observers say the gallows have become a primary tool of domestic policy. By linking protesters to “Zionist” interests, the Iranian government appears to be conflating internal dissent with external espionage to justify the lethal suppression of its youth.
The international community continues to monitor the situation, though options for intervention remain limited as the region sits on the brink of wider total war.
