Iran executes man for alleged spying for Israel; activists say he was
tortured into false confession
[September 17, 2025]
By JON GAMBRELL
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran said Wednesday it executed a man
it alleges spied for Israel, something disputed by activists who say he
was tortured into a false confession after writing a letter to Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offering to fight for Kyiv.
The execution comes as activists warn Iran could execute more prisoners
on death row after its 12-day war with Israel and as it tries to stamp
out dissent over its ailing economy and over women's rights,
particularly after marking the third anniversary of the death of Mahsa
Amini this week.
Amini died in police custody in 2022 after being detained for allegedly
not wearing her mandatory hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of
authorities, sparking months of demonstrations and a violent crackdown
by security forces.
The judiciary’s Mizan news agency identified the executed man as Babak
Shahbazi, who it claimed had gathered and sold sensitive information
about Iranian data centers and security installations to Israeli
handlers. It described him as working on “industrial cooling devices” as
a contractor for companies that worked on telecommunications, military
and security sites.
The judiciary claimed Shahbazi then sold information to Israel's Mossad
intelligence agency.
Activists, including the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights, had said
Shahbazi was detained over writing a letter to Zelenskyy offering to
fight in the Ukrainian military. Iran has supplied Russia with drones
that Moscow has used to attack Ukraine, something that has drawn anger
from some in Iran particularly as Tehran cracks down on dissent at home.
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“Babak’s message to President Zelenskyy offering to help in the war
against Russia was used as an example of espionage for Israel who
they claim taught Babak to use Microsoft Word,” the group said. Iran
did not acknowledge that claim.
Iran did not elaborate on how it executed Shahbazi, though condemned
prisoners typically are hanged. Ukraine did not immediately
acknowledge the execution.
Iran has hanged eight people for espionage since its June war with
Israel, sparking fears from activists that the government could
conduct a wave of executions. Israel waged an air war with Iran,
killing some 1,100 people, including many military commanders. Iran
launched missiles barrages targeting Israel in response.
Iran carried out executions at “an alarming rate” in 2024, with at
least 975 people killed, according to a U.N. report that also cited
other human rights abuses, from barriers to freedom of expression to
the use of torture and arbitrary detention. Iran Human Rights says
over 940 executions have been carried out already this year.
___
Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to
this report.
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