HRANA – Ilya Ben-Rashid, who was arrested during the January 2026 protests and is currently held in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan on the charge of moharebeh (waging war against God). He was also sentenced to four years, three months, and two days in prison, along with additional punishments.
According to HRANA, Ilya Ben-Rashid, one of those arrested during the January 2026 protests and currently held in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, has been sentenced to death, imprisonment, and additional punishments.
The verdict was issued by Branch 5 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court and communicated to Ben-Rashid yesterday. Under the ruling, he was sentenced to death on the charge of moharebeh (waging war against God) through participation in the destruction of public property.
The same court also sentenced him to three years, six months, and one day of discretionary imprisonment on the charge of assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security, and nine months and one day in prison on the charge of propaganda against the regime, with time already served in detention credited toward his sentence.
Additionally, as a supplementary punishment, he was sentenced to a two-year travel ban prohibiting him from leaving the country.
In April of this year, a hearing on the charges against Ben-Rashid was held before the same branch of the court.
In May of this year, Branch 102 of the Shahin Shahr Criminal Court II sentenced him to six months in prison and 20 lashes in a separate part of his case.
Mr. Ben-Rashid was arrested on January 22, 2026, in connection with the nationwide protests in Shahin Shahr, Isfahan Province, and was subsequently transferred to Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.
Ilya Ben-Rashid is 22 years old and a resident of Shahin Shahr, Isfahan Province.
It should be noted that protests and strikes by shopkeepers and bazaar merchants began in Tehran on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and within two days spread beyond markets and commercial centers. With the participation of students, citizens, and various social groups, these protests became one of the largest protest movements of recent years. Following the crackdown by security and law enforcement forces, thousands were killed or injured, and tens of thousands were arrested or summoned by security agencies. For more information, readers may refer to HRANA’s comprehensive report titled “Crimson Winter,” documenting the first fifty days following the outbreak of Iran’s nationwide protests.
