Iran to Hang 26-Year-Old Erfan Soltani in First Execution Tied to Protests

Iran is set to execute a 26-year-old man on Wednesday in what would mark the first hanging linked to the widespread anti-government protests that have engulfed the country since late December.

Erfan Soltani, a resident of Fardis near Karaj on the outskirts of Tehran, was arrested on 8 January during protests and faces execution just six days later. Human rights organisations are warning that his case could signal the start of mass executions targeting demonstrators.

Sources close to Soltani's family told Iran Human Rights that authorities informed them on 12 January that the death sentence was final. The family has been granted only a brief final visit before the execution.

Denied Legal Representation and Fair Trial

Soltani has been charged with 'waging war against God', a capital offence under Iranian law that carries the death penalty. He has been denied access to legal counsel throughout the proceedings.

His sister, who is a licenced lawyer, attempted to access the case file but was prevented from doing so by authorities, according to Hengaw, a human rights organisation. The exact charges and details of any trial have not been made public.

The National Union for Democracy in Iran, a US-based non-profit organisation representing the Iranian diaspora, said the Islamic Republic told the family, 'the sentence is final'. The group added that Soltani's 'only crime was calling for freedom'.

Mass Arrests and Rising Death Toll

The case comes amid a brutal crackdown on protests that began on 28 December 2025 in Tehran's Grand Bazaar and quickly spread across the country. Iran Human Rights estimates that at least 648 protesters across 14 provinces have been killed since the unrest began. At least nine of those killed are believed to be under 18.

More than 10,000 people have reportedly been arrested during the protests, with many facing similar charges. Iranian officials have described protesters as 'rioters', 'enemies of God', and 'foreign-backed agitators' - accusations that carry the death penalty.

Security forces have used military weapons against demonstrators, including shooting at close range and targeting protesters' heads and upper bodies. Unlike earlier crackdowns, where protesters were mostly shot dead, authorities appear to be pursuing hangings in this wave of unrest.

Internet Blackout Hides Regime's Actions

Since 8 January, Iran has enforced a nationwide internet shutdown, with NetBlocks estimating that around 99% of internet access has been cut off. The blackout makes it difficult to verify arrests, deaths, and legal proceedings.

Iran Human Rights has drawn parallels to a similar blackout in November 2019 that coincided with mass killings of protesters. Estimates later put that death toll as high as 1,500.

Iranian authorities have said cases will be handled 'with severity and speed' by special branches of the Revolutionary Courts. Human rights groups warn that the rushed proceedings amount to extrajudicial executions.

International Outcry Over Death Penalty as Political Tool

Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights has called on international human rights bodies to take immediate action to halt the execution and demand an independent review of the judicial process.

The organisation said the case 'constitutes a clear violation of international human rights law', particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 'The imposition and planned execution of a death sentence under conditions where the accused has been denied access to a lawyer amounts to an extrajudicial execution', it stated.

US President Donald Trump has warned Tehran that violence against protesters would be met with a military response, according to Fox News. 'Iran is looking at freedom, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help', Trump wrote on social media.

The protests were sparked by Iran's worsening economic conditions and have quickly evolved into demands for regime change. The execution of Soltani would mark a dangerous escalation and could trigger further international condemnation of the Islamic Republic's crackdown on dissent.