Iran | Rights groups warn of imminent execution of Erfan Soltani just days after arrest during protests

Hengaw warns of imminent execution of Erfan Soltani just days after arrest

Erfan Soltani, a resident of Fardis, Karaj, who was arrested during recent protests in the city, is facing the imminent execution of a death sentence following a rapid and opaque judicial process. His family learned only days after his arrest that the execution is scheduled to take place this Wednesday.

According to reports received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old detainee arrested in connection with the ongoing protests, is at immediate risk of execution. His family has been denied access to any information regarding the charges, case file, or judicial proceedings.

A source close to the Soltani family told Hengaw that authorities informed them the death sentence is final and will be carried out on Wednesday. The family has reportedly been granted only a brief opportunity for a final visit prior to the execution.

The source added that Erfan Soltani’s sister, who is a licensed lawyer, has attempted to pursue the case through legal channels, but authorities have so far prevented her from accessing the case file.

The imposition and planned execution of a death sentence under conditions where the accused has been denied access to a lawyer, an effective defense, and an independent and impartial trial amounts to an extrajudicial execution.

Since his arrest, Erfan Soltani has been deprived of his most basic rights, including access to legal counsel, the right to defense, and other fundamental due process guarantees. His family has also been deliberately kept uninformed about the judicial process.

Erfan Soltani was arrested at his private residence on Thursday, January 8, 2026, in connection with protests in Fardis, Karaj. The arresting authority has not been officially identified. Only four days after his arrest, the family was notified that his execution had been scheduled.

This case constitutes a clear violation of international human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly Article 6 on the right to life.

The imposition and planned execution of a death sentence under conditions where the accused has been denied access to a lawyer, an effective defense, and an independent and impartial trial amounts to an extrajudicial execution. The rushed and non-transparent handling of this case has heightened concerns over the use of the death penalty as a tool to suppress public protests.

Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, emphasizing the immediate risk of Erfan Soltani’s execution and the accelerated and opaque nature of the proceedings, expresses grave concern over the growing use of summary trials and executions against detainees from recent protests.

Hengaw urgently calls on international human rights bodies and informed actors to take immediate action to halt the execution and to demand an independent and impartial review of the judicial process in this case.

[DPN prays for rapid intervention by the US Air Force/Navy and the IDF. Time is of the essence—don't waste it on so-called human rights bodies or the European Union.]

Source: hengaw.net, Staff, January 12, 2026

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde

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