Iran Executes Kurdish Political Prisoner Convicted for 2022 Protest Role

The Islamic Republic executed 28-year-old Kurdish youth Mehrab Abdollahzadeh in Urmia Prison. He had been arrested in October 2022 during the 'Woman, Life, Freedom' uprising and sentenced to death in September 2024 on charges related to his participation in the protests. His execution was part of an accelerating pattern of capital punishment against individuals convicted for activities during the 2022 nationwide protests. Human rights organizations condemned the execution as a violation of international law, noting that Abdollahzadeh and others were sentenced to death for protest activities, not any acts of lethal violence. The execution drew protests from Kurdish diaspora communities and international human rights groups.