Mehdi Khanaki, 24th Protester Executed in Connection to January Protests

According to the judiciary’s Mizan News Agency, Mehdi Khanaki, a protester arrested in connection to the December 2025–January 2026 protests in Karaj, was hanged at an unspecified location. The date of the execution has also not been specified. Fars News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, reported that his execution was carried out this morning, 22 July. His execution most likely took place in Ghezelhesar Prison, which IHRNGO is working to verify.

Mehdi was sentenced to death by the Karaj Revolutionary Court on charges of "operational action in favour of the Zionist regime, the United States and hostile groups" and "manufacturing, procuring and possessing military weapons and ammunition and using them." His assets were also confiscated per the "Law on Intensifying the Punishment for Espionage and Cooperation with the Zionist Regime and Hostile Countries against Security and National Interests.” 

According to the report, Mehdi was arrested at his home on 10 February 2026, where firearms and ammunition were discovered. Authorities claimed that “technical assessments and expert opinions from the weapons and ammunition laboratory” had determined that “the weapons seized from Mehdi Khanki were fired during the period of the December 2025–January 2026 riots.”

The report also states that he had “confessed” to being a member of an “anti-revolutionary terrorist group” since 2023. The PMOI/MEK issued a statement which claimed his membership of the organisation and reported that he was a 26-year-old law graduate from Karaj. They stated that details of Mehdi's arrest and severe torture were reported to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran and international human rights organisations on 1 March.

No independent information is available about Mehdi Khanaki's case.

At least 24 protesters have been executed in connection to the December 2025–January 2026 protests since 19 March, listed here in order of execution: Saleh Mohammadi, Saeed Davodi, Mehdi Ghasemi, Amirhossein Hatami, Mohammad Amin Biglari, Shahin Vahedparast Kolor, Ali Fahim, Amir Ali Mir Jafari, Erfan Kiani, Sasan Azadvar, Ebrahim Dolatabadnejad, Mehdi Rasouli, Mohammadreza Miri, Mohammad Abbasi, Abbas Akbari Feizabadi, Ashkan Maleki, Mehrdad Mohammadinia, Fathollah Avari, Javad Zamani, Abolfazl Saedi, Mohammad Amini Dehaghani, Erfan Esfandiari, Gol Mohammad Mohammadi and Mehdi Khanaki. 

Mehrab Abdollahzadeh and Aref Khoshkar, two “Woman, Life, Freedom” protesters, were also executed during this period.

Since 18 March, Islamic Republic authorities have also executed at least 13 political prisoners affiliated with banned opposition groups and ten people accused of espionage or collaboration with foreign states.