Iran executes Alireza Sepahi and Alireza Raisi over January protests

Hengaw – Monday, October 5, 2026 | Iranian authorities have executed Alireza Sepahi and Alireza Raisi, two protesters arrested during the widespread January 2026 protests and defendants in the case known as the “Isfahan Alikhani Square” case.

Reports received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights show that Sepahi and Raisi were executed at Isfahan Central Prison on the morning of October 5, 2026. Mizan, the Iranian judiciary’s official news agency, confirmed the executions.

Sepahi, 25, was arrested during the January protests after being wounded by four gunshots. His mother was also sentenced to five years in prison. His cousin, Abolfazl Sepahi, was arrested in the same case, sentenced to death, and publicly executed on July 28, 2026.

He had initially been scheduled for execution alongside his cousin. However, Sepahi suffered a heart attack while being taken to the gallows and was transferred to a hospital. After one day of hospitalization, he was returned to prison.

While imprisoned, Sepahi married Mahshad Kashani, a political prisoner who was also incarcerated. The couple were not permitted a single in-person visit and remained imprisoned until Sepahi’s execution.

Raisi was also arrested during the January protests. He was a close relative of Ramin Raisi, who was killed during the protests in Isfahan.

The case stems from protests on January 8, 2026, around Alikhani Square, located between Malek Shahr and Kaveh in Isfahan. On January 8 and 9, Iranian forces opened fire directly on protesters in the area, killing a number of people.

Iranian authorities claim that four members of the Basij and Special Units, Hossein Ramezani, Mohammad Hemmati, Seyed Ali Khoshouei, and Valiollah Safari, were killed during the unrest. At least 59 people were subsequently arrested, with Branch 1 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court sentencing 12 of them to death.

Sepahi and Raisi were subjected to severe torture during detention and forced to make confessions against themselves. They were also threatened with being killed by having air injected into their veins.

Source: Hengaw, Staff, October 5, 2026

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but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."
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