Iranian authorities are reportedly moving toward carrying out what could become the first hanging execution linked to the ongoing nationwide protests against the rule of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A 26-year-old protester, Erfan Soltani, is said to be facing an imminent death sentence, raising alarm among activists and human rights organisations who fear the case could signal a new phase of harsh crackdowns aimed at suppressing dissent.
Soltani, who is from Fardis in the Karaj suburb near Tehran, was arrested on January 8 for allegedly taking part in demonstrations opposing Khamenei’s leadership. These protests have been spreading across Iran since early January. According to media reports and human rights groups, Soltani has already been sentenced to death, with the execution reportedly scheduled for Wednesday.
While Iran has previously used executions to intimidate and silence protesters, most such deaths in recent years have reportedly been carried out by shooting. In this case, however, Soltani is expected to be executed by hanging, which would mark the first such method used during the current wave of protests and represents a significant and troubling escalation, according to rights advocates.
Israel- and US-based news outlet Jfeed has reported that Soltani’s case could be the beginning of a series of rapid, fast-track executions intended to deter further demonstrations. Activists fear that authorities may be attempting to send a clear and brutal warning to protesters across the country.
Serious concerns have also been raised about the lack of transparency and due process in Soltani’s case. The Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, a Kurdish rights group registered in Norway, has highlighted major irregularities in the legal proceedings, including the apparent absence of a fair trial.
Lebanese-Australian entrepreneur Mario Nawfal also drew attention to the case in a post on X, warning that Soltani’s execution could be the first of many. Nawfal alleged that Iranian authorities are deliberately using fear and extreme punishment to control crowds and prevent further mobilisation against the regime.
According to reports, Soltani has been denied basic legal rights since his arrest. He has allegedly not been given access to a lawyer, nor allowed to formally defend himself in court. His family has also reportedly been kept in the dark about crucial details of the case, including which authority arrested him and how the legal process was conducted.
Jfeed, citing Hengaw Organisation, reported that Soltani’s family was informed on January 11 that he had already been sentenced to death. After receiving the news, they were reportedly permitted only a brief 10-minute visit with him. A source close to the family told Hengaw that authorities have said the sentence is final and will be carried out as planned, with no scope for appeal.
The source also said that Soltani’s sister, who is a licensed lawyer, has tried to pursue the case through official legal channels. Despite her qualifications, she has reportedly been denied access to the case file and has not been allowed to represent her brother or challenge the verdict in court.
Nawfal further claimed that as many as 2,000 people may have died so far during the ongoing anti-Khamenei protests, though this figure has not been independently verified. Human rights groups say the true scale of casualties and arrests remains difficult to confirm due to restrictions on information and media reporting inside Iran.
The latest wave of unrest in Iran began in late December 2025, driven largely by worsening economic conditions. A sharp decline in the value of the Iranian rial, soaring inflation, and steep increases in the prices of basic goods have placed immense pressure on ordinary citizens, fuelling widespread anger.
The demonstrations initially broke out in Tehran’s bazaars before rapidly spreading to other cities. Shopkeepers, students, workers, and ordinary residents took to the streets, demanding relief from economic hardship as well as broader political and structural reforms.
What began primarily as protests over economic distress has since evolved into one of the largest nationwide movements in years challenging the authority of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the clerical establishment. Activists now openly call for systemic change, reforms, and an end to the current model of governance, even as the state responds with increasing severity.
