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Iran Executes Man for Killing Police in Protest Crackdown

Iran executed Shahram Sadeghi for ramming his vehicle into police officers during anti-government protests in Karaj, injuring seven officers including one left in a coma.

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe Staff Writer

AUGUST 17, 2026 AT 4:03 PM

Shahram Sadeghi was accused of deliberately driving a car into law enforcement personnel on January 8 in Karaj, resulting in injuries to seven officers. One of the wounded officers reportedly remained in a coma for three months following the incident, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency stated.

The Karaj Revolutionary Court handed down a death sentence to Sadeghi along with the confiscation of his personal assets. Iranian authorities characterized the act as an “operational action” carried out in support of Israel, the United States, and hostile groups, prosecuting him under the country’s espionage legislation.

The Supreme Court of Iran upheld the conviction and sentence. The execution was carried out in the early hours of Sunday morning, judiciary officials confirmed.

The case highlights the Iranian regime’s continued crackdown on dissent and protest movements, with authorities frequently invoking national security and espionage charges against those accused of participating in anti-government activities. Human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized Tehran’s use of capital punishment in politically motivated cases.

With information from New York Post

Eleni Papadaki-Van Der Merwe

She was born in 1986 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the granddaughter of an immigrant from Crete who settled in the Greek community of Johannesburg (one of the largest in Africa). She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg and a master’s degree in Journalism from Rhodes University in Grahamstown. She began her career at English-language media outlets in Johannesburg, covering politics and economics, with a focus on issues related to migration and the diaspora. She moved to Athens in 2015 to “return to her roots,” initially to pursue graduate studies, and has remained there permanently. She is married to an Afrikaner; they have two children and live in the southern suburbs of Athens.