Iran carries out the execution of a political prisoner

Amir Ramesh

A political prisoner named Amir Ramesh was recently put to death in the southeastern city of Zahidan. This information comes from a report by the Mizan news agency, which noted that he faced accusations of belonging to an armed organization.

According to this judiciary-linked agency, the execution happened on April 26. Authorities charged Ramesh with being part of Jaish al-Adl as well as the Baloch Justice Movement, a group with ties to Abdul Ghaffar Naqshbandi. The state also held him responsible for orchestrating bombings and launching ambushes against military personnel, alongside a broader charge of armed rebellion.

Reports indicate that he was initially taken into custody during October 2024.

Jaish al-Adl established a coalition late last year

The name Jaish al-Adl translates to Army of Justice in Arabic. It operates as a Baloch separatist militant organization, with a membership largely drawn from the ethnic Baloch minority within Iran. While the group states that its purpose is to protect Baloch rights, breaking away from Iran remains its primary objective.

Members of the Sunni Baloch Muslim minority have faced long-standing issues of state-sponsored violence and systematic unfair treatment in Iran, which is a predominantly Shiite nation. Most of this population resides in Sistan and Baluchestan. That area happens to be among the most impoverished regions in the country.

Back in December 2025, Jaish al-Adl made a public declaration about teaming up with a few smaller Baloch paramilitary factions. Together, they established a fresh coalition aimed at opposing the religious leadership governing Iran.

Concerns regarding forced confessions

The news agency asserted that Ramesh confessed openly while he was being interrogated and during his trial. However, human rights organizations point out that the footage shown on state television likely involved statements extracted through intense pressure and severe mistreatment.

Following the widespread protests that took place in January, the Iranian government put several individuals to death who had been arrested in relation to the social unrest. We have seen a noticeable upward trend in the frequency of these executions over the past few weeks.

Activists working in human rights are raising alarms about this sudden spike in capital punishment. They argue that officials are relying on the death penalty as a tool to generate fear, hoping to quiet down any opposition following the recent protests. At present, Iran maintains an execution rate that ranks among the highest globally.