Kurdish Activist Faces Execution After Protest-Linked Conviction

Mohsen Eslamkhah, a 20-year-old Kurdish resident of Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, has been sentenced to death by Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mahabad. The ruling was issued on 17 February 2026, concluding a legal process that began after his arrest in August 2025. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, Eslamkhah was identified by security forces in 2022 for his participation in the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests, which sparked widespread unrest across Iran following the death of Jina Amini in custody.

The conviction carries severe implications for families of those detained during the 2022 demonstrations. Eslamkhah, who was 16 at the time of the initial identification, had fled to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to avoid arrest. He returned to Iran on 1 August 2025 and presented himself to the Ministry of Intelligence in Bukan the following day, where he was immediately detained. The case highlights the continued use of capital punishment charges against individuals associated with the recent civil unrest, a trend documented by international human rights organizations and United Nations fact-finding missions.

Detention conditions and judicial proceedings

According to the report, Eslamkhah was held for approximately two months at the Ministry of Intelligence detention facility in Orumiyeh. During this period, he was allegedly subjected to torture to extract confessions regarding the killing of a Basij member. He was subsequently transferred to Bukan Prison and provisionally released on bail of 50 billion rials after 11 days, though he remained denied access to a lawyer and family visits throughout his detention.

His case was referred to the Islamic Revolutionary Court alongside those of other protesters, including Rauf Sheikh-Maroufi. The charges included "enmity against God" (moharebeh) and "spreading corruption on earth" (efsad-e fel-arz). A separate charge of premeditated murder was referred to the Criminal Court in Miandoab. The severity of these charges, which carry the death penalty, has raised concerns among legal observers regarding the proportionality of the response to protest activities.

Context of the 2022 uprising

The "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi" movement began in September 2022 after the death of Jina Amini, a Kurdish woman who died in police custody while arrested for allegedly violating hijab regulations. The United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran concluded that her death was unlawful and resulted from physical violence in custody. The subsequent protests demanded an end to compulsory hijab, discrimination, and the political structure of the Islamic Republic, leading to state suppression through mass arrests and the use of firearms.

In March 2024, the UN mission cited a credible figure of 551 people killed, including 68 children, and found that documented violations amounted to crimes against humanity. This context frames the current judicial actions against Eslamkhah and others, as the Iranian government has continued to prosecute participants from the 2022 demonstrations. The legal framework cited in the conviction, specifically Article 279 of the Islamic Penal Code, defines "moharebeh" broadly, allowing for severe punishments for acts that create insecurity in the public environment.

Current status and forward outlook

Following pressure from security agencies on his family, Eslamkhah presented himself to the court in Bukan on 22 February 2026 and was transferred to Bukan Prison. The case now awaits further judicial review or appeal processes, though the outlook for those convicted under moharebeh charges remains grim. International observers will likely monitor the enforcement of this sentence and the broader pattern of capital convictions related to the 2022 protests, which continue to draw diplomatic and human rights scrutiny.