Iran Hangs Two Men Convicted of Killing Four Police Officers During January Protests

Iran has executed two men convicted of killing four police officers during anti-government protests that erupted across the country in January, marking the latest use of the death penalty in connection with the nationwide unrest. Iranian state media said the executions were carried out on Tuesday after the country’s Supreme Court upheld the convictions.

According to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency, the two men; identified as Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amir Hossein Safari Hosseinabadi, were found guilty of participating in an armed attack that killed four police officers in the central city of Isfahan during the January demonstrations. Prosecutors said the pair also set fire to a police station and damaged public property during the unrest.

The executions come after Iranian authorities earlier this month carried out death sentences against two other individuals linked to the same case, reflecting Tehran’s continued hard-line response to the protests that swept across the country amid worsening economic conditions and growing public dissatisfaction with the government.

The January protests, which spread to dozens of cities, represented one of the most significant challenges to Iran’s leadership in recent years. Demonstrators voiced anger over soaring inflation, currency depreciation, unemployment and restrictions on political freedoms. Authorities responded with a sweeping security crackdown, arresting tens of thousands of people and deploying police, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other security forces to suppress the unrest.

Iranian officials maintain that those executed were responsible for violent crimes rather than peaceful protest. The judiciary said the defendants received fair trials and insisted that the death sentences were issued for murder and other serious offences, not for expressing political opinions. State media portrayed the executions as part of efforts to restore public security following attacks on law enforcement personnel.

Human rights organisations, however, have strongly criticised the executions, arguing that many people arrested during the protests have been denied due process and access to independent legal representation. Advocacy groups have warned that more detainees connected to the January unrest remain on death row and could face execution in the coming weeks or months.

The latest executions are expected to intensify international scrutiny of Iran’s human rights record at a time when the country is also facing diplomatic pressure over regional security issues and ongoing tensions with Western governments. Several international organisations have repeatedly called on Tehran to halt executions linked to protest cases and to ensure transparent judicial proceedings.

While Iranian authorities insist that the sentences are necessary to deter violent attacks against security forces, critics argue that the continued use of capital punishment risks deepening domestic tensions. The case is likely to remain a focus of international concern as rights groups continue monitoring the fate of other protesters awaiting trial or sentencing.