Dariush Rafiee Taghanki was arrested on April 30, 2026, after four months in hiding. His capture came as Iran executed two men, Nasser Bakerzadeh and Yaghoub Karimpour, on May 2, 2026—without notifying their families or lawyers.
Taghanki, just 28 years old and a member of the Qashqai Turk community, had been living under the radar since January 2026 due to increasing security pressure. Authorities have not disclosed any information regarding the arresting body, his place of detention, or the charges against this former political prisoner.
Key facts about the executions:
- Nasser Bakerzadeh’s death sentence had been overturned twice by the Supreme Court.
- Yaghoub Karimpour faced severe pressure to produce forced confessions during his trial.
- Both men were transferred to solitary confinement prior to their executions.
- Karimpour’s trial session lasted only 15 minutes.
The Iranian judiciary has faced intense scrutiny over its handling of political prisoners and human rights violations. The circumstances of Bakerzadeh’s execution are particularly striking; he had appealed twice for justice only to be met with a grim fate. In contrast, Karimpour described spending more than two months at the Ministry of Intelligence detention center in Orumiyeh under inhumane conditions. He categorically denied transmitting any information to any person or institution.
As news of these events unfolds, reactions have poured in from human rights advocates and international observers alike. Many have condemned the Iranian government’s lack of transparency and its continued disregard for due process. The next steps for Dariush Rafiee Taghanki remain uncertain as no information has been shared about his charges or legal representation.
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