Anti-Khamenei Protests: Iran is set to carry out what is being described as the first hanging linked to the ongoing anti-Khamenei protests, with 26-year-old Erfan Soltani facing execution in the coming days, according to human rights groups and media reports.
Who Is Erfan Soltani?
Soltani, a resident of Fardis in the Karaj area near Tehran, was arrested on January 8 for allegedly taking part in demonstrations against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reports suggest his death sentence is scheduled to be carried out on Wednesday.
First Hanging Linked To Current Protests
While Iranian authorities have previously resorted to executions during periods of unrest, those killings have largely involved shootings. Soltani’s case marks the first reported hanging connected to the current wave of protests, raising alarm among rights organisations.
US- and Israel-based outlet Jfeed reported that the case could signal the start of rapid executions aimed at intimidating protesters and preventing further demonstrations.
Erfan Soltani is scheduled to be executed by hanging in Iran in 48 hours.
He was arrested in Karaj on January 9 for taking part in the protests. His family was given just 10 minutes to say goodbye. No lawyer. No fair trial. Days later, the Islamic regime sentenced him to death.… pic.twitter.com/jxRwCJznpj
— Sarah Raviani (@sarahraviani) January 12, 2026
Rights Groups Flag Due Process Concerns
The Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, a Norway-based Kurdish rights group, has expressed serious concerns over the lack of transparency in Soltani’s legal process. According to the group, Soltani has been denied access to a lawyer and has not been allowed to mount a defence.
His family was reportedly informed on January 11 that he had been sentenced to death and was granted only a brief 10-minute meeting with him. They were later told the verdict is final and will be carried out as scheduled.
Hengaw also said Soltani’s sister, a licensed lawyer, has been barred from accessing case documents and has not been permitted to represent him or challenge the sentence.
Protests Driven By Economic Crisis
The latest protests erupted in late December 2025 amid worsening economic conditions, including a sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial, soaring inflation, and rising prices of essential goods. What began as demonstrations in Tehran’s bazaars quickly spread nationwide, drawing shopkeepers, students, and workers into the streets.
As the unrest intensified, the movement evolved from economic grievances into broader calls for political reform and an end to clerical rule. Lebanese-Australian entrepreneur Mario Nawfal claimed on X that the execution could be “the first of many” and alleged that authorities are using fear to suppress dissent, also asserting that thousands have died since the protests began.
Iranian authorities have not publicly responded to the allegations surrounding Soltani’s case, even as international scrutiny over the handling of protesters continues to grow.
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