Iran executes alleged Israeli spy; activists denounce torture and false confession

Iran has executed a man that it accused of spying for Israel, in a case that activists say highlights a growing pattern of forced confessions and politically motivated trials. The judiciary’s official news outlet, Mizan, announced on Wednesday (September 17, 2025) that Babak Shahbazi was hanged after allegedly passing sensitive information about Iranian data centers and security facilities to Israeli handlers.

However, human rights groups strongly dispute the state’s narrative. According to Iran Human Rights, Shahbazi was not a spy but rather an activist who had written to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, offering assistance against Russia. Iran has supplied Moscow with drones widely used in the Ukraine war, a move that has drawn international criticism. Activists argue that Shahbazi’s outreach to Ukraine was twisted into a charge of espionage for Israel, with state authorities allegedly mocking him by claiming that Israeli operatives “taught him to use Microsoft Word.”

The case has sparked outrage among rights advocates, who say Shahbazi was tortured into giving a false confession before his execution. They note that the Iranian judiciary provided no transparent evidence of espionage and did not allow for a fair trial process. Activists stress that this execution fits into a broader crackdown by Tehran, which has recently escalated since Iran’s 12-day conflict with Israel earlier this year.

Since that brief but deadly war—which left more than 1,100 Iranians dead, including high-ranking commanders—Iran has hanged at least eight people on espionage charges. Observers fear that the executions are part of a broader campaign to suppress dissent and project strength amid mounting international and domestic pressure.

Iran’s record on capital punishment has already been sharply criticized by the United Nations. A UN report noted that in 2024 alone, the country carried out at least 975 executions, describing the pace as “alarming.” The report also cited systemic human rights violations, including torture, arbitrary detention, and restrictions on free expression.

Shahbazi’s death adds to concerns that Iran is using espionage accusations as a political tool, particularly against those who oppose its alliances or foreign policy decisions. Rights groups warn that unless international pressure intensifies, Tehran may continue what they describe as “execution by intimidation.”