Erfan Soltani was arrested on January 8 for allegedly participating in protests against Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. What initially began as demonstrations driven by economic hardship has since escalated into widespread unrest, openly challenging the Iranian leadership
Erfan Soltani. PIC/ X
Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old resident of Fardis in Karaj, a suburb west of Tehran, has emerged as a grim symbol of Iran’s ongoing anti-Khamenei protests, as he is reportedly set to become the first protester to be executed by hanging since the latest wave of nationwide demonstrations began.
Soltani was arrested on January 8 for allegedly participating in protests against Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. What initially began as demonstrations driven by economic hardship has since escalated into widespread unrest openly challenging the Iranian leadership.
According to human rights groups and media reports cited by India Today, Soltani has been sentenced to death, with his execution scheduled for Wednesday, January 14. His family was reportedly informed of the sentence on January 11 and was permitted only a brief 10-minute meeting with him after the verdict was delivered.
Alleged denial of legal rights
Reports suggest that Soltani has been denied basic legal protections since his arrest. According to Israel- and US-based outlet Jfeed, he was not given access to a lawyer, nor the opportunity to mount a proper defence. His family was allegedly kept unaware of key details of the case, including which authority arrested him and how the proceedings were conducted.
The Hengaw Organisation, a human rights group monitoring developments in Iran, reported that Soltani’s case may indicate a shift toward fast-track executions by Iranian authorities, aimed at deterring further protests.
Protests and rising repression
Iran has witnessed weeks of unrest since early January, sparked by severe economic distress, a sharp decline in the value of the Iranian rial, and soaring inflation. The protests began in Tehran’s bazaars before spreading rapidly to other cities, drawing in shopkeepers, students, and ordinary citizens demanding economic relief and political accountability.
While an estimated 600 people have reportedly been killed during the protests, most deaths have occurred through shootings. If carried out, Soltani’s execution would mark the first reported hanging linked to the current wave of demonstrations, intensifying international concern over Iran’s crackdown on dissent.
As protests continue and repression deepens, Erfan Soltani’s case has come to represent the escalating risks faced by ordinary Iranians who take to the streets in opposition to the regime.
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