Iran executes protester Ghaem Hosseini, fifth hanging in Alikhani Square case
Ghaem Hosseini, detained during Iran's January 2026 protests, was hanged at Isfahan's Dastgerd Prison. He becomes the fifth person put to death in the "Alikhani Square" case.
RastinewsIran has executed Ghaem Hosseini, a protester detained during the unrest of January 2026, at Isfahan's Dastgerd Prison. His death brings to five the number of executions carried out in the "Alikhani Square" case.
Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM) said Hosseini was hanged on the morning of Thursday, Aug. 20, at Dastgerd Prison.
Hosseini was tried in the "Alikhani Square" case, opened after protests in Isfahan, in which 12 defendants were sentenced to death.
Four other defendants in the same case — Erfan Esfandiari, Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, Amirhossein Safari and Abolfazl Sepahi — had already been executed. Hosseini's execution brought the total to five.
Family summoned for final visit
According to Iran HRM, Hosseini's family was summoned to the prison on July 28 for a final visit, along with the families of Amirhossein Maleki and Ali Dashti, who were also sentenced to death in the case.
Despite efforts by the families and calls from human rights organizations to halt the execution, Hosseini's sentence was carried out on the morning of Aug. 20.
Student News Network, an outlet close to Iran's judiciary, identified Hosseini as a foreign national known as "Arian." The outlet alleged he had been present where security personnel were killed and had kicked the bodies of the dead officers.
Serious objections over the trial process
Iran HRM said Hosseini was denied the right to choose an independent lawyer during the investigation, and that the court-appointed lawyers were not given access to the full case file.
The group said Hosseini's trial was held in a single closed session. Details of the acts he was accused of, the evidence behind the death sentence, and the court's reasoned ruling were never made public.
UN calls for a halt to the executions
Two other defendants in the case, Amirhossein Safari and Abolfazl Sepahi, were executed in public on July 28 at Isfahan's Alikhani Square.
After those executions, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran Mai Sato urged Tehran to halt the death sentences, calling the public executions "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment."
According to Iran HRM, 32 countries — including France, Britain and Canada — along with the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, condemned Iran's executions of protesters on Aug. 12.
Iranian authorities have not issued a detailed response to questions about Hosseini's trial or allegations that his right to a fair trial was violated.
Source: Iran HRM