Ask Onix
Judiciary rejects execution claims
Iran's judiciary has dismissed reports that a 26-year-old man arrested during recent anti-government protests faces imminent execution. State media quoted officials calling the claims "fabricated news" on Wednesday.
Conflicting accounts emerge
The Norway-based Kurdish rights group Hengaw earlier reported that Erfan Soltani's family had been informed of his scheduled execution, only for authorities to later describe it as "postponed." The group warned that concerns for his safety persist.
According to the judiciary, Soltani faces charges of "colluding against national security" and "propaganda against the establishment"-offenses not punishable by death under Iranian law, as reported by state broadcaster IRIB.
Arrest details disputed
Hengaw and Soltani's family state he was detained at his home in Fardis, west of Tehran, last Thursday in connection with protests. However, Iranian authorities claim he was arrested during "riots" on Saturday and is held in Karaj prison.
The rights group added that Soltani has been denied legal representation, and his family remains unaware of formal charges against him.
International pressure mounts
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran of "very strong action" if protesters were executed, later telling reporters on Wednesday that "very important sources" indicated executions had been halted. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed this, stating there were "no plans" for hangings.
Protests and crackdown intensify
Demonstrations erupted nationwide after Tehran shopkeepers staged strikes over economic hardship and currency devaluation. Protests escalated into calls for the removal of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with slogans like "Death to the dictator."
Security forces responded with lethal force, coinciding with an internet blackout. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports at least 2,435 protesters killed, including 13 children, alongside 153 security personnel and government affiliates. Over 18,470 protesters have been arrested.
Judicial stance hardens
Iran's chief justice, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, urged swift trials for "rioters," stating in a video address Wednesday that those who "beheaded people or burned them alive" must face rapid punishment to maximize deterrence.
"If we don't act fast, it won't have the same impact."
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, Iran's chief justice
