IRAN - 3 ‘protesters’ executed in Ghezel Hesar on November 8

November 8, 2026 - IRAN. 3 ‘protesters’ executed in Ghezel Hesar on November 8

Hassan Divband, Hamid Kazemi, and Reza Zanganeh

Iranian authorities have executed Hassan Divband, Hamid Kazemi, and Reza Zanganeh, three men arrested in connection with the January 2026 protests, at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. Their executions bring the number of political and religious prisoners executed in Iran since the beginning of 2026 to 79, including 40 sentenced to death in connection with the January protests.

According to information received by Hengaw, the three men were secretly executed at dawn on November 8, 2026. Iran's judiciary-affiliated Mizan News Agency also confirmed the executions but did not disclose the prison where they took place.

The three men were sentenced to death by Branch 2 of the Karaj Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Sabzevari, with Judge Narimani serving as an advisory judge. They were tried alongside eight others on charges including “participation in operational activities for Israel, the United States, and hostile groups against national security,” “moharebeh” (waging war against God), and offenses related to their participation in the January 2026 protests in Karaj.

Divband, Kazemi, and Zanganeh were listed as the first, second, and third defendants in the case, respectively.

Zanganeh, 27, originally from Kalilabad village in Malayer and a resident of Malard, worked as a foreign car technician. Security forces arrested him on April 3, 2026, and transferred him to Ghezel Hesar Prison. The allegation that he had “collaborated with Mossad” was based solely on his professional activities and previous work-related travel. Throughout his detention, security agencies subjected his family to intense pressure to remain silent.

Divband and Kazemi were arrested during the winter of 2025–2026. In addition to their death sentences, the judiciary ordered and carried out the confiscation of their personal property, including several residential units, a repair workshop, and vehicles. The eight other defendants in the same case received prison sentences ranging from five to ten years.

Based on figures documented by Hengaw, at least 79 political or religious prisoners have been executed in Iran since the beginning of 2026, including 40 sentenced to death in connection with the January protests.