Iran to Execute Young Protester Today

Iran is set to carry out the execution of a 26-year-old protester, Erfan Soltani, on Wednesday (January 14), following his arrest during anti-government demonstrations, according to the Norway-based Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.
The UK-based newspaper The Guardian reported the development citing Hengaw, which said Soltani was arrested from his home last Thursday. His trial, conviction, and death sentence were reportedly completed in less than a week, raising serious concerns over due process.
Amnesty International has expressed deep alarm over the case, warning that Iranian authorities are once again resorting to swift and arbitrary executions to silence dissent and instill fear among protesters.
According to the rights group, officials informed Soltani’s family on January 11 that he had been sentenced to death. Communication between Soltani and his family was reportedly cut off following widespread protests and a government-imposed internet shutdown on January 8.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, has openly signaled the possibility of rapid trials and executions for those arrested during protests. In a video broadcast on state television, Ejei said that crimes such as arson, beheading, or burning people alive require immediate judicial action.
“If we are going to act, we must do it now,” he said, adding that delayed punishment would not have the same impact.
Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump warned Iran against carrying out executions, saying in an interview with CBS on Tuesday that Tehran would face a “very strong response” if it proceeds with the death penalty.
Human rights observers say Iran is the world’s second-largest executor after China. According to the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights, at least 1,500 people were executed in the country last year alone.