Executions of Protesters: Concealing State Crimes or Revenge Against Freedom Seekers?

“Ismail Koushary,” Tehran’s representative in parliament, presented the official narrative of crackdown; however, the shadow of executions and cover-ups of the massacre of protesters continues to intensify Iran’s crisis.

While the Islamic Republic of Iran faces an unprecedented legitimacy crisis and social explosion, official power institutions are attempting to rewrite and justify the narrative of bloody crackdown on protests to their advantage. Ismail Koushary, Tehran’s representative in the Islamic Consultative Assembly and a former IRGC commander, in an interview with state media, attempted to justify state violence against the Iranian people and attribute it to “the spread of attacks.”

Regarding the suppression of protests, he said: “Until Friday night, the 18th of Dey, and even Friday morning, IRGC did not use weapons, but after the spread of attacks, the Supreme National Security Council decided that IRGC, Basij, and IRGC forces would enter operations armed.”

To conceal the security forces’ role in the massacre of protesters, Koushary claimed: “This decision was made to neutralize the situation and ultimately this mission was accomplished successfully.”

However, this official narrative, which attempts to present the unprecedented crackdown as a “natural reaction,” is completely contradicted by an abundance of evidence and independent reports.

While Iranian authorities describe those detained in nationwide protests as “rioters” and “murderers,” credible international reports and human rights organizations show that the crackdown in Iran has been systematic and ruthless, rather than merely “a security measure.”

Independent reports indicate that in the recent wave of protests in 2025-2026, thousands have been killed and tens of thousands arrested, with the actual figures far exceeding official numbers.

Human rights organizations have also warned of the possibility of execution sentences being carried out against those detained in protests, with concerns that the government may use capital punishment as a tool to cover up the massacre of people and shift responsibility for the killings onto the protesters themselves.

Independent media and international organizations have also warned that “fast-track” courts are being held without access to independent lawyers, and defendants are being forced to confess to security charges under an illegal and political basis.

In this regard, “Masoud Khatami,” a member of the parliament’s health commission, very bluntly declared: “Those detainees who have committed murder should be executed.” He claimed that the killed individuals are divided into three categories, including innocent bystanders or protesters who did not riot, and the government intends to declare these individuals as martyrs.

These claims are being made while many executions and death sentences in Iran do not comply with human rights standards and fair trial procedures, and it appears that death sentences against detainees are a tool to justify government crackdowns rather than justice.

Reports from human rights organizations and credible international media show that security forces during the suppression of protests have used widespread massacres, direct shooting, war ammunition, and buckshot against protesters. Additionally, the internet and communications were cut off to restrict information dissemination, and this measure is considered a tool to hide the true extent of the crackdown.

These reports show that tens of thousands of people are held in detention, with widespread concern about torture, forced confessions, and show trials. Iranian judicial authorities, under pressure and threats, are conducting trial proceedings “quickly” without legal safeguards.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly warned about extrajudicial executions and human rights violations in Iran, emphasizing that attempts to use such sentences are aimed at concealing the truth of the crackdown.

The reality is that Iran’s judicial apparatus in political matters falls short of international trial standards, and harsh sentences, particularly executions, are often issued to intimidate society and crush popular resistance. Such procedures not only fail to administer justice but intensify injustice and human rights violations.

In circumstances where widespread protests against the government continue, official attempts to “exonerate themselves” and “shift blame to detainees” cannot hide the bitter reality of the field. The Iranian people have stood for freedom, justice, and human dignity, but face executions, torture, and censorship.