Dariush Rafiee Taghanki was arrested after four months in hiding on April 30, 2026. His arrest occurred during a raid by government forces in Orumiyeh, Iran.
Taghanki, aged 28, is a former political prisoner and a member of the Qashqai Turk community. Authorities have not disclosed any information regarding the arresting body, his place of detention, or the charges against him.
Within hours of Taghanki’s arrest, Iran executed two men—Nasser Bakerzadeh and Yaghoub Karimpour—on May 2, 2026. These executions took place without notifying their lawyers or families.
The circumstances surrounding Bakerzadeh’s execution are particularly striking. His death sentence had been overturned twice by the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Karimpour faced severe pressure to produce forced confessions during his trial.
Both men were transferred to solitary confinement just days before their executions. Karimpour described spending more than two months at the Ministry of Intelligence detention centre under inhumane conditions.
Karimpour categorically denied transmitting any information to any person or institution. The Iranian judiciary’s actions continue to raise serious human rights concerns.
This situation highlights ongoing issues within Iran regarding political prisoners and due process. The lack of transparency in these cases draws international scrutiny.
As of midday on May 2, no additional details have emerged about the legal proceedings surrounding Taghanki’s arrest or the executions of Bakerzadeh and Karimpour.
