Yaqoub Karimpour was executed in Iran on 2 May 2026 on charges of spying for Israel, as reported by the Kurdish human rights organisation Hengaw. He was executed on the same day as Naser Bakrzadeh, also on Israel-espionage charges. Hengaw's report, published 2 May 2026, revised April 2026's execution tally to at least 26, including 14 political prisoners.

Karimpour's case follows a pattern of wartime espionage prosecutions conducted in Iran's Revolutionary Courts, which sit outside the ordinary judicial system and handle cases involving national security, political offences, and charges carrying the death penalty. Independent legal representation is severely constrained in such proceedings, and confessions are frequently the primary evidence.

Human rights organisations have raised concern that the rapid pace of executions on espionage charges during the 2026 conflict conflates genuine counter-intelligence cases with political suppression. The revised April tally — 26 executions including 14 categorised as political prisoners — suggests a significant proportion of those executed were convicted on grounds more closely related to political opposition than verifiable intelligence activity.

Common Questions

Who was Yaqoub Karimpour and why was he executed in Iran?

Yaqoub Karimpour was executed on 2 May 2026 in Iran on charges of spying for Israel, per Hengaw. He was executed the same day as Naser Bakrzadeh; both are part of a pattern of wartime espionage executions documented by human rights organisations.Source: Hengaw

What was Iran's execution total in April 2026 according to Hengaw?

Hengaw revised April 2026's execution total to at least 26 as of 2 May 2026, including 14 political prisoners, making it one of the bloodiest months in Iran's wartime execution record.Source: Hengaw

Who was Yaqoub Karimpour and how did he die?

Yaqoub Karimpour was an Iranian man executed on 2 May 2026 on charges of spying for Israel, as reported by the Kurdish human rights organisation Hengaw. He was executed on the same day as Naser Bakrzadeh.Source: Hengaw

What does a Revolutionary Court conviction mean in Iran?

Iran's Revolutionary Courts sit outside the ordinary judicial system and handle national security, political, and capital cases. Independent legal representation is severely constrained, and confessions are frequently the primary evidence. Human rights organisations have raised concern that wartime espionage convictions conflate genuine intelligence activity with political opposition.Source: Hengaw / Iran Human Rights

How many people did Iran execute in April 2026 according to human rights groups?

Hengaw revised its April 2026 tally to at least 26 executions following the 2 May report that included Karimpour and Bakrzadeh. Of those, 14 were categorised as political prisoners.Source: Hengaw

Why does Iran execute people during active nuclear negotiations?

Iran uses espionage prosecutions and executions to signal deterrence against alleged Israeli and Western intelligence operations inside the country and to suppress domestic dissent. Human rights analysts argue these cases also serve internal political functions independent of their stated counter-intelligence purpose.Source: Hengaw / Iran Human Rights

Source Material

Hengaw — Kurdish Human Rights Organisation

How the World Sees Them

Iran

Revolutionary Court convictions for Israel-linked espionage are presented by authorities as legitimate national security enforcement; executions are publicised as a deterrent to foreign intelligence networks.

International human rights

Hengaw and Iran Human Rights flag the scale and speed of wartime executions, noting restricted legal access and concerns about coerced confessions in Revolutionary Court proceedings.