Iran has sharply accelerated the use of the death penalty against individuals accused of involvement in the January protests and alleged espionage, with authorities increasingly relying on a newly enacted espionage law that significantly expands the scope of capital punishment for national security offenses. Khanki’s execution follows a broader surge in executions carried out after the recent conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Human rights organizations report that Iranian authorities have increasingly pursued death sentences against individuals accused of espionage, collaboration with foreign governments, and participation in the January protests. International human rights bodies have expressed growing concern over both the pace of the executions and the fairness of the judicial process. They have questioned whether defendants received meaningful access to legal counsel and due process, particularly in politically sensitive national security cases.