Iran Executes Protester Siavash Jamshidi Amid Ongoing Crackdown

Iran executed Siavash Jamshidi on October 3, 2026 after a court found him guilty of firing a military‑grade weapon at police during the anti‑government protests earlier this year.

Execution

The judiciary said Jamshidi was sentenced to death for moharebeh – brandishing and firing a firearm – and for conspiracy and collusion against national security. The court also convicted him of fraud, threats, theft, possession of an illegal military‑grade weapon, complicity in kidnapping, intimidation with a weapon and intentional bodily harm.

Background

The protests began in December over rising living costs and peaked on January 8‑9 with huge rallies that left thousands dead, according to Iranian officials who reported more than 3,000 deaths. Tehran blamed “terrorist acts” orchestrated by the United States and Israel, while foreign NGOs say Iranian security forces opened fire on demonstrators.

Context

The execution follows a wave of arrests and capital punishments after a joint US‑Israel strike on Iran in late February that sparked a wider Middle East war. In 2025 Iran carried out at least 1,639 executions, the highest annual total since 1989, and Amnesty International notes Iran ranks second worldwide in execution numbers after China.