In the 1980s, following the Iranian Revolution, a wave of repression and violence was directed against leftist political opponents by the newly established Islamic Republic. This included the execution of many left-wing political prisoners, who were seen as threats to the new regime. The exact number of political prisoners executed during this time is unknown, but it is estimated that thousands were killed. The executions were carried out in a number of prisons across the country and were often accompanied by widespread torture and other forms of abuse.