Iran Executes Man Convicted in January Protests, Family Denied Final Visit

An Iranian man convicted for his role in January protests was executed at Qezel Hesar prison in Karaj on Wednesday. Mohammad Abbasi, 55, had been scheduled for a final visit with his family, but prison officials rejected the request when relatives arrived and later informed them by telephone that the execution had been carried out.

The Iran Human Rights Monitor group reported that preventing the final visit violates both Iranian prison regulations and international standards on prisoners' rights. The group stated that such measures aim to create psychological pressure on families and deter further public dissent.

Abbasi was sentenced to death for his participation in protests that began on Jan. 8 and 9. He was accused of attacking a lieutenant from Iran's security forces during the demonstrations, which drew thousands of people protesting the government's economic policies and political system.

State television broadcast a confession from Abbasi, as it did with other protesters. The Iran Human Rights Monitor group said the statement was obtained under torture. Abbasi's daughter, Fatemeh Abbasi, received a 25-year prison sentence for taking part in the same protests.

She is being held in the women's ward of Evin prison.

Scale of crackdown Iranian security forces fired on citizens during the January protests, resulting in more than 7,000 deaths according to human rights groups. At least 146 Iranians have been executed since the unrest began, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group reported.

The Iran Human Rights Monitor group described the denial of Abbasi's final family visit as psychological torture. It said the practice extends beyond individual punishment to suppress broader demands for justice. The execution follows a pattern of carrying out death sentences against those arrested in the January demonstrations.

Human rights organizations have documented cases of forced confessions and restricted access for families before executions.