HRANA – The Iranian Judiciary’s Media Center has announced the execution of Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, two individuals arrested during the January 2026 protests in Isfahan. The two had been tried in a case referred to as the “Alikhani Square case” and sentenced to death.
According to HRANA, citing Mizan, the executions of Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, both detained during the January 2026 protests in Isfahan, were carried out at dawn on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
The Judiciary’s Media Center claimed that during the protests on January 8, 2026, in Alikhani Square in Isfahan, four law enforcement officers were killed. It further alleged that a number of protesters attacked police forces using firearms, bladed weapons, and incendiary materials, while also damaging public property and facilities. The judiciary additionally claimed that, after attacking the officers, the defendants committed acts of violence, including setting the victims’ bodies on fire, mutilating them, and filming the scenes.
However, HRANA has not been able to independently verify these allegations. Moreover, no official or transparent information has been released regarding the judicial proceedings, including the defendants’ access to legal counsel of their own choosing, the conduct of the trial the evidence presented before the court, or their ability to mount an effective defense. Given the documented record of the Islamic Republic’s security and judicial authorities in relying on forced confessions, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment in security-related cases, there are serious concerns regarding compliance with fair trial standards and the defendants’ rights in this case.
The Judiciary’s Media Center stated that death sentences had been issued for several defendants in this case and that the sentences of two of them were carried out at dawn today.
Yesterday, Voice of America (VOA) claimed that Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, along with ten other death row prisoners, had been transferred from the general ward of Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan to solitary confinement. VOA also reported that 59 individuals were tried in connection with the case, 12 of whom were sentenced to death. According to VOA, the identities of the remaining ten death row prisoners are: Alireza Sepahi, Abolfazl Sepahi, Ghaem Hosseini, Shervin Bagherian, Amirhossein Safari, Amirhossein Maleki, Ali Dashti, Abolfazl Ebrahimi, Alireza Raisi, and Amirhossein Ebrahimi Analoucheh. The report further stated that Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi were 18 and 23 years old, respectively.
HRANA has not yet been able to independently verify the information published by VOA regarding the identities of those sentenced to death, the total number of defendants, their ages, or other details of the case. HRANA is continuing to investigate and verify additional information. Further reports will be published if independent and reliable information becomes available.
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.
