Erfan Soltani: First Anti-Khamenei Protester Set for Execution Amid Global Outcry

Death order in 2 days: Who is Erfan Soltani? 1st anti-Khamenei protester set to be hanged

In a move that has sent shockwaves across the global human rights community, Iran is poised to execute **Erfan Soltani**, a 26-year-old man accused of participating in anti-government protests—just days after his arrest. According to his family and local activists, Soltani was sentenced to death within **48 hours** of being detained, with no access to legal counsel or a proper trial. His execution is reportedly scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, 2026 .

If carried out, this would mark the **first known execution directly tied to the current wave of unrest** sweeping Iran—protests ignited by deep public anger toward Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime over economic hardship, political repression, and social restrictions. The speed and secrecy of the process have raised urgent alarms about judicial abuse and state-sanctioned retaliation against dissent.

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Who Is Erfan Soltani?

Erfan Soltani was not a political activist or a public figure. By all accounts, he was an ordinary young Iranian—a resident of Karaj, a city west of Tehran—who joined street demonstrations expressing frustration with the country’s deteriorating living conditions and authoritarian rule. Friends describe him as quiet, kind, and deeply affected by the struggles of his community .

His family says he had no prior criminal record and was simply exercising his right to peaceful assembly. Yet, in the eyes of Iran’s Revolutionary Courts—infamous for their lack of transparency and due process—his presence at a protest appears to have been enough to brand him an “enemy of God” (mohareb), a capital offense under Iran’s penal code.

The Arrest and Rushed Death Sentence

Soltani was reportedly arrested on **January 12, 2026**, during a crackdown on protesters in Karaj. Within two days, his family received word that he had been sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court judge known for issuing swift, harsh verdicts .

Critical details remain shrouded in secrecy:

  • No formal charges were publicly disclosed.
  • He was denied access to a lawyer of his choice.
  • The so-called “trial” lasted mere minutes, if it occurred at all.
  • His family was not notified of court dates or allowed to attend.

This rapid judicial process mirrors tactics used during the 2022–2023 Mahsa Amini protests, when Iran executed at least seven individuals after similarly flawed proceedings .

Erfan Soltani Execution and Iran’s Pattern of Repression

The looming Erfan Soltani execution is not an isolated incident—it’s part of a deliberate strategy by the Islamic Republic to instill fear and crush dissent through exemplary punishment. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have long documented how Iran weaponizes its judiciary to silence opposition .

Revolutionary Courts, established after the 1979 revolution, operate outside standard legal norms. They are overseen by judges appointed by the Supreme Leader and routinely hand down death sentences based on coerced confessions, vague accusations like “corruption on earth,” or mere participation in unauthorized gatherings.

Global Reaction and Trump’s Warning

The case has drawn immediate international attention. Former U.S. President **Donald Trump** issued a stark warning, stating, “If Iran executes this young man for protesting, there will be serious consequences.” While the current Biden administration has not echoed such rhetoric, the State Department expressed “deep concern” and called for due process .

European Union officials and UN human rights experts have also condemned the rushed sentence, urging Tehran to halt the execution and respect fundamental rights. However, Iran’s regime has historically dismissed such appeals as “foreign interference.”

Iran Protest Context: What’s Fueling the Unrest?

The protests Soltani allegedly joined stem from a confluence of crises:

  • Economic collapse: Inflation exceeding 40%, currency devaluation, and widespread unemployment.
  • Political stagnation: Decades of unaccountable rule by unelected clerics.
  • Social repression: Strict morality laws, internet blackouts, and suppression of women’s rights.
  • Regional discontent: Anger over Iran’s funding of foreign militias while citizens suffer at home.

Chants of “Death to Khamenei” have become increasingly common—a direct challenge to the Supreme Leader’s authority that the regime treats as treason.

Human Rights Groups Demand Intervention

Organizations like Amnesty International and Iran Human Rights (IHR) are mobilizing global pressure:

  • Launching emergency campaigns for #SaveErfanSoltani.
  • Calling on governments to impose targeted sanctions on judges and prosecutors involved.
  • Urging tech companies to keep internet access open so evidence of abuses can be documented .

“This is not justice—it’s state murder disguised as law,” said one IHR spokesperson.

What This Means for Future Protesters

If Soltani is executed, it will send a chilling message: **participation in protest = death**. The regime hopes this will deter others from taking to the streets. But history shows that such brutality often fuels greater resistance—as seen in the aftermath of Mahsa Amini’s death.

For now, Soltani’s fate hangs in the balance. Every hour brings him closer to the gallows—and the world closer to a moral reckoning.

Conclusion: A Test for International Conscience

The Erfan Soltani execution represents more than the loss of one young life. It’s a litmus test for whether the international community will tolerate judicial killings as a tool of political control. As Iran stands on the brink of another dark chapter, the eyes of the world must remain open—and voices must rise in unison to demand justice, transparency, and the right to peaceful protest.

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