Iran Set to Execute 26-Year-Old Protester Amid Nationwide Crackdown

Iran prepares to execute its first protester in the 2025–26 demonstrations. Erfan Soltani’s case raises fears of escalating crackdowns on dissent.

Erfan Soltani, a 26‑year‑old Iranian man from Fardis on the outskirts of Tehran, is scheduled to be executed by the Islamic Republic in connection with the widespread anti‑government protests that have swept Iran since late December 2025. Human rights groups and independent observers say his case marks what could be the first execution of a civilian protester in the current uprising.

Soltani was arrested at his home on January 8, 2026, during demonstrations that began amid severe economic hardship and quickly grew into broader calls for political change. Authorities told his family several days later that he had been sentenced to death and that the sentence would be carried out on January 14, leaving little more than a week between arrest and execution.

Rights organisations including Iran Human Rights and the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights have raised serious concerns about due process, saying Soltani was denied legal representation and a fair trial. According to these groups, his family was not fully informed about the proceedings, and his sister — a licensed attorney — was prevented from accessing the case file.

Under Iranian law the charge reportedly brought against Soltani is “waging war against God” (moharebeh), a capital crime often used by the judiciary in political cases. Critics argue that the rapid pace of the proceedings and lack of transparent judicial review indicate a politically motivated process rather than a legitimate legal case.

Soltani’s family was reportedly given only a brief final visit of about ten minutes before the execution date, and authorities warned them against speaking to the media. Demonstrators and diaspora groups have called on the international community to intervene, warning that Soltani’s execution could set a precedent for further capital punishments in the crackdown.

The broader context of Soltani’s sentencing is a widespread and often violent state crackdown on protesters. Human rights organisations estimate that thousands of civilians have been killed and tens of thousands more arrested since the unrest began, figures made difficult to verify due to nationwide internet blackouts imposed by authorities. Reports also show an increase in coerced confessions aired on state media, often after allegations of torture, as the government seeks to justify the crackdown.

International reaction has been sharp. Senior U.S. officials, including former President Donald Trump, have publicly warned Tehran of “serious consequences” if executions of protesters proceed, and have called for respect for human rights and restraint. European and U.N. figures have similarly condemned the use of the death penalty as a tool to suppress dissent, underscoring fears that Soltani’s case could signal an escalation of punitive measures against civil disobedience.

Iran’s judiciary has defended its actions by describing protesters as “rioters, terrorists, and foreign‑backed agitators,” language that domestic officials argue justifies harsh legal penalties. Meanwhile, activists and observers say that accelerating prosecutions and executions, especially without transparent judicial oversight, risk deepening tensions and undermine any prospects for peaceful resolution.

Soltani’s case has drawn global attention not only because of the severity of the sentence but also because it encapsulates the wider struggle between Iranians seeking reform and a state determined to maintain control. Whether his execution goes ahead as scheduled, and how the international community responds, will likely have implications for both Iran’s internal politics and its foreign relations in the days ahead.