Iran Executes Young Engineer on Dubious Espionage Charges Amid Widespread Allegations of Torture and Fabrication
Hussain Hazbavi 
Iran executed a young man late last month on charges of collaborating with Israel in assassinations and bomb attacks, but mounting evidence from human rights activists, leaked recordings, and those close to the case suggests the allegations were baseless and the trial gravely flawed.
Mohsen Langarneshin, a 32-year-old network security engineer, was hanged in Ghezel Hesar Prison on April 30. The judiciary’s official outlet, Mizan, announced his execution on charges of “waging war against God” and “spreading corruption on Earth.”
State media offered only sparse and vague details about Langarneshin’s background, while omitting any clear evidence linking him to the alleged crimes. However, rights defender Ryma Sheermohammadi and sources close to the victim told Iran International that the case against him was fabricated, the trial process grossly unfair, and the confessions used to convict him were extracted under severe torture.
“This case was manufactured from start to finish,” Sheermohammadi said. “He was executed on espionage charges without a shred of real evidence. Everything relied on confessions obtained through brutal physical and psychological torture.”
According to Sheermohammadi, authorities were under pressure to find scapegoats in the wake of repeated Israeli intelligence breaches, and they even accused Langarneshin of involvement in the death of a senior missile program general—despite the regime’s own public claim that the death was accidental.
“Mohsen was an easy target,” a source familiar with the case told Iran International. “They tortured him into making false confessions. He never told anyone what was happening and believed their promise that they would spare his life if he cooperated.”
A leaked phone call from Langarneshin before his execution reinforces claims of coercion and mistreatment, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of the charges and raising alarm among international human rights groups.
Langarneshin’s execution adds to growing concerns about Iran’s use of the death penalty against political detainees and alleged spies, often following rushed trials and amid serious allegations of abuse and denial of due process.
