Iran Holds a Rare Public Hanging, to Boos

Iran's latest use of the gallows was a rare public one, the New York Times reports. Two men, Amirhossein Safari and Abolfazl Sepahi, were hanged at dawn Tuesday in Isfahan's Shahid Alikhani Square for allegedly being part of a group that killed four police officers during January's nationwide protests, according to Iranian and exile groups. Videos verified by the Times show crowds nearby chanting "shameless" and booing. Human rights organizations say the men were denied fair trials, with lawyers blocked from full access to files. Key lines from the Times' report:

• "Iran has long been one of the world's most frequent users of capital punishment, but public executions are extremely rare. Several human rights activists described Tuesday's hangings as an escalation by a government seeking to stifle dissent after the unrest in January, particularly during the war with the United States."

By Amnesty International's count, Iran has "arbitrarily executed" at least 26 people this year in connection with the January 2026 protests, as well as at least another 26 people who were sentenced "on politically motivated charges, while continuing to carry out hundreds of executions for drug-related offenses and other crimes."