January 2026 Protests: Alireza Sepahi Executed

HRANA – The death sentence of Alireza Sepahi, arrested during the January 2026 protests and one of the defendants in the case known as the “Isfahan Alikhani Square” case, was carried out at dawn today in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

According to HRANA, Alireza Sepahi has been executed.

Shahrzad Shahbazi, an attorney, announced in a post that at dawn today, Monday, October 5, the death sentence of Alireza Sepahi, one of those arrested during the January 2026 protests and a defendant in the case known as the “Isfahan Alikhani Square” case, was carried out at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

Yesterday, HRANA reported that Mr. Sepahi had been transferred to solitary confinement and that his family had been summoned for a final visit with him.

It is also worth noting that yesterday, attorney Amirsalar Davoudi announced the marriage of the two prisoners by posting an audio recording of the marriage ceremony of Alireza Sepahi and Mahshad Kashani on his page.

HRANA had previously reported that after the Supreme Court approved a retrial in Alireza Sepahi’s case, his case was referred for reconsideration to a parallel branch of Branch 2 of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court. However, that branch rejected the retrial request without holding a hearing and sent the case to the Enforcement of Judgments Branch for implementation of the death sentence.

Alireza Sepahi, aged approximately 25, was arrested on January 10, 2026, in connection with the nationwide protests. He was subsequently transferred to Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

HRANA had previously reported that the proceedings in the cases of Alireza and Abolfazl Sepahi were marked by restrictions including the attorney’s lack of effective access to the case file, the inability to obtain a copy of the court ruling, hearings conducted via videoconference, and the court’s failure to give due consideration to evidence presented by the defense.

According to a source close to the family, surveillance-camera footage and other evidence show that Alireza Sepahi was not present at Alikhani Square when the incident cited in the case occurred and was instead at another location. Nevertheless, Morteza Barati, the judge presiding over the case, sentenced him to death on four counts without effectively examining this evidence.

Several other defendants in the case have also stated that during interrogations they were subjected to pressure and torture to make them confirm that Alireza Sepahi had been present at the scene of the incident. Despite these allegations, no independent and effective investigation has yet been conducted into whether statements were obtained under duress.

Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, two other defendants in the case, were executed on July 19. The death sentences of Abolfazl Sepahi and Amirhossein Safari were also carried out publicly at Alikhani Square in Isfahan at dawn on July 28. Alireza Sepahi was scheduled to be executed alongside them, but before being transferred to the execution site, he suffered a stroke. After being taken to a hospital and receiving medical treatment, he was returned to Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan. On Thursday, August 20, the death sentence of Ghaem (Arian) Hosseini, another defendant in the case, was also carried out.

At the trial-court stage, 15 defendants in this case were sentenced to death. According to information provided by an attorney, the sentence of one defendant was overturned by a higher judicial authority, while the death sentences of the other 14 defendants were upheld.

Twelve of the defendants in this case have been identified as: Alireza Sepahi, Abolfazl Sepahi, Erfan Esfandiari, Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, Amirhossein Safari, Ghaem Hosseini, Shervin Bagherian, Amirhossein Maleki, Ali Dashti, Abolfazl Ebrahimi, Alireza Raeisi, and Amirhossein Ebrahimi Analoucheh.

Alireza Rashidi, a 16-Year-Old Teenager, Arrested by Security Forces

HRANA – On Wednesday, September 30, Alireza Rashidi, a 16-year-old resident of Ashkhaneh in North Khorasan Province, was arrested by security forces in connection with the nationwide protests of January 2026.

According to HRANA, citing Kolbar News, Alireza Rashidi was arrested.

According to the report, the 16-year-old was arrested by security forces on Wednesday, September 30, in connection with his participation in the protests of January 2026.

As of the time of this report, no information is available regarding the teenager’s place of detention or the charges brought against him.

Background on January 2026 Protests:

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.

January 2026 Protests: Siavash Jamshidi Kheirabadi Executed

HRANA – The Judiciary’s Media Center announced today that the death sentence of Siavash Jamshidi Kheirabadi, one of those arrested in connection with the nationwide protests of January 2026 in Shahrekord, has been carried out. According to the media outlet, Mr. Jamshidi Kheirabadi had previously been sentenced to death on charges of “moharebeh” (enmity against God) and “assembly and collusion against national security.”

According to HRANA, citing Mizan, Siavash Jamshidi Kheirabadi, son of Khodamorad, was executed.

The Judiciary’s Media Center announced today, October 3, that this citizen allegedly opened fire on security forces using a firearm on January 8, 2026, during protests on Naser Khosrow Street in Shahrekord. He was arrested two days later, and several additional firearms were reportedly discovered in his possession.

According to the institution’s claims, Mr. Jamshidi Kheirabadi also used social media during the January’s protests to “organize and carry out actions against national security.”

The report further alleged that Siavash Jamshidi Kheirabadi had prior criminal records and judicial cases, including one involving possession of an unauthorized firearm.

Ultimately, Mr. Jamshidi Kheirabadi was sentenced to death on charges of “moharebeh through drawing and firing a firearm” and “assembly and collusion against national security.” The sentence was carried out after being upheld by the Supreme Court.

The report did not specify the date or location where his execution was carried out.

Actress Elnaz Shakerdoost Sentenced to One Year in Prison and Additional Punishments for Supporting Protests

HRANA – Elnaz Shakerdoost, a film and television actress, was sentenced by Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to one year in prison and a two-year ban on political, online, and artistic activities over a post she published in support of the January 2026 protests. The ruling was recently upheld in full by Branch 36 of the Tehran Province Court of Appeals.

According to HRANA, citing Emtedad, the conviction of film and television actress Elnaz Shakerdoost has been upheld on appeal.

Houshang Pourbabayi, an attorney, provided details about the case, stating that Shakerdoost had previously been sentenced by Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime” for supporting the January protests. As an additional punishment, she was also banned from political, online, and artistic activities for two years. According to Pourbabayi, the ruling was recently upheld in full by Branch 36 of the Tehran Province Court of Appeals.

Regarding the basis for the charges against Ms. Shakerdoost, her attorney added: “My client was sentenced solely for posting a story on her personal social media account following the events of last January, which left every Iranian grieving. From beginning to end, the post was nothing more than a sincere expression of sorrow over the deaths of young people in this country.”

Referring to the content of his client’s post, Pourbabayi further stated: “Nowhere in the post is there even a single word referring to the regime, the government, officials, or any state institution, nor does it contain any call for collective action, organized activity, or the overthrow of the government.”

In July of this year, Elnaz Shakerdoost was summoned to the Tehran Revolutionary Court after receiving an official notice. Shakerdoost has previously faced judicial action.

Execution of Five Prisoners in Arak, Zanjan, and Meshgin Shahr Prisons

HRANA – Five prisoners who had previously been sentenced to death in separate cases on charges related to drug offenses and murder were executed in prisons in Arak, Zanjan, and Meshgin Shahr.

According to HRANA, citing Iran Human Rights Organization, at dawn on Wednesday, September 30, a prisoner was executed in Arak Prison.

The prisoner has been identified as Abbas Amirgheshlaghi, 27, and unmarried.

Mr. Amirgheshlaghi was reportedly arrested approximately three years ago on charges related to drug offenses and was subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

Zanjan Prison: Three Prisoners Executed

According to Iran Human Rights Organization, the three prisoners, who had been sentenced to death in separate cases, were hanged at dawn on Sunday, September 27, in Zanjan Prison.

They have been identified as Fateh Shafiei, 33, a resident of Zanjan and father of one; Hassan Mahdipour, 30, from Mianeh; and Aref Dorosti, 51, from Karaj and father of three.

According to the report, Mr. Shafiei and Mr. Dorosti were arrested approximately three years ago, while Mr. Mahdipour was arrested approximately two years ago, all on charges related to drug offenses. They were subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

Report on the Execution of a Prisoner in Meshgin Shahr Prison

Iran Human Rights Organization also reported the execution of another prionser in Meshgin Shahr Prison.

The prisoner, who was hanged at dawn on Sunday, August 9, has been identified as Mostafa Bikas, 35, a father of three and a resident of one of the villages in Meshgin Shahr.

The report states that Mr. Bikas was arrested approximately six years ago on a murder charge and was subsequently sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

As of the time of this report, the executions of these prisoners have not been announced by prison officials or the relevant authorities.

According to HRA’s Annual Report, in 2025 at least 2,063 citizens, including 61 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the sentences of 11 individuals were carried out in public. During the same period, 172 other individuals were sentenced to death.

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Mehdi Abiyat Arrested by Security Forces in Ahvaz

HRANA – Today, Mehdi Abiyat, a resident of Ahvaz, was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents in the city and transferred to an undisclosed location.

According to information received by HRANA, Mehdi Abiyat, 31, was arrested on the evening of Thursday, October 1, by Ministry of Intelligence agents on a street in the Kuy-e Shahrak neighborhood of Ahvaz, without the presentation of a judicial warrant.

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for his arrest, his place of detention, or the charges brought against him.

Mehdi Abiyat, also known as Abu Farouq, is a resident of the Kuy-e Shahrak neighborhood of Ahvaz. Prior to his arrest, he made a living by selling clothes as a street vendor.

Three Detainees from January 2026 Protests Sentenced to Death

HRANA – Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court has sentenced Khosrow Mohammadiniya, Masoud Tushmalani, and Sirvan Shabani, three individuals arrested during the January 2026 protests, to death. The three citizens are currently being held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, three citizens arrested during the January 2026 protests have been sentenced to death.

According to information received by HRANA, Khosrow Mohammadiniya, Masoud Tushmalani, and Sirvan Shabani were sentenced to death in a joint case by Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The charges brought against the three citizens in this case include “moharebeh (enmity against God), assembly and collusion with the intent to disrupt national security, and operational activities in support of hostile governments.” The ruling was issued with the signatures of Judge Karimi and Judge Taghizadeh.

The three citizens, who are from Kermanshah, were arrested by security forces on a street in Eslamshahr during the nationwide protests in January 2026.

Following his initial arrest, Masoud Tushmalani was released on bail for a period of time, but was rearrested by security forces several days later.

According to information received by HRANA, a woman has also been prosecuted in connection with the same case and sentenced to five years in prison. HRANA is currently investigating the identity of this citizen and details of the charges brought against her.

Sirvan Shabani is approximately 22 years old, while the other two citizens are between 30 and 50 years old. They are currently being held in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

January 2026 Protests: Mehdi Nami Sentenced to Death

HRANA – Mehdi Nami, arrested during the January 2026 protests who is currently held at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, has been sentenced to death by Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court.

According to HRANA, Mehdi Nami has been sentenced to death.

According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Nami was recently sentenced to death by Branch 23 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on the charge of “taking operational action in favor of hostile states.”

Mehdi Nami was arrested by security forces at his home in Tehran in January 2026 in connection with the nationwide protests. He is currently being held at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

HRANA is reviewing further information regarding the specific acts underlying the charge brought against Mr. Nami in this case.

Background on January 2026 Protests:

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.

Report on the Arrest of Asad Halafi by IRGC Intelligence in Ahvaz

HRANA – Asad Halafi, a 37-year-old resident of Ahvaz, has been detained by IRGC Intelligence forces in the city for six days, and his whereabouts remain unknown.

According to HRANA, Asad Halafi, a resident of Ahvaz, was arrested on Saturday, September 26, 2026.

According to information received by HRANA, at around 4:00 a.m., IRGC Intelligence forces went to Halafi’s home in Ahvaz and arrested him. During the arrest, agents also searched his home and confiscated some of his personal belongings.

As of the time of this report, no information has been obtained regarding the reasons for his arrest, his place of detention, or the charges brought against him.

Asad Halafi is 37 years old, married, and the father of two children.

Report on the Execution of Seven Death Sentences

HRANA – The death sentence of a juvenile offender was carried out at Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz, along with those of five prisoners at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. In addition, with the execution of a female prisoner at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, the number of prisoners executed at that facility on September 28, rose to three.

According to HRANA, citing Javan Online, at dawn yesterday, Wednesday, September 30, five prisoners at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, who had been sentenced to death in separate cases on murder charges, were executed by hanging.

According to the report, one of the prisoners went to his wife’s workplace in August-September 2020 due to a dispute with her and physically assaulted her. Later, when his wife’s parents went to the couple’s home to follow up on their marital problems, he killed both of them.

Another prisoner killed a young woman in August-September 2019 and subsequently, with the assistance of another individual, transported her body to the deserts near Robat Karim and set it on fire.

The report states that two other prisoners entered the home of an elderly man in Khordad 2020 with the intention of committing robbery and killed him during the robbery.

Another prisoner had been sentenced to death for the fatal shooting of a young man on March 14, 2024. During the investigation, he claimed that the victim had been harassing his sister.

Number of Executions at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan Rises to Three

According to Iran Human Rights, on Monday, September 28, the death sentence of a woman was carried out at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.

According to the report, in addition to the executions of Abdolghani Salarzehi and Reza Sheikhi on that day, a female prisoner was also executed at the prison.

The prisoner was identified as Mahrokh (Roghayeh) Mirzaei, 30, from Khomeyni Shahr and a resident of Isfahan.

The report states that Ms. Mirzaei was arrested approximately three years ago on charges of killing her husband, who was also her maternal cousin, and was subsequently sentenced to death by a criminal court.

Prisoner Executed at Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz

In another report, Iran Human Rights reported that on May 24, 2026, the death sentence of Omid Moradi, a 37-year-old man from Izeh, was carried out at Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz.

According to the report, Mr. Moradi was arrested in early 2005 on a charge of intentional murder when he was under the age of 17 and was subsequently sentenced to death by a criminal court.

The report states: “Mr. Moradi’s friend, who had committed the murder, asked him to take responsibility for the killing so that he would not be executed. Mr. Moradi, who was a child at the time, agreed to the request. After the actual perpetrator was released and fled the country, the court sentenced Mr. Moradi to death on the basis of his initial confession. Throughout the proceedings, however, he rejected that confession and maintained that he had accepted responsibility for another person’s crime. In 2021, Mr. Moradi was also temporarily released for treatment of a severe respiratory illness after the same friend posted substantial bail on his behalf, but he was returned to prison one year later.”

As of the time this report was prepared, the executions of these prisoners had not been announced by prison officials or the relevant authorities.

According to HRA’s Annual Report, in 2025 at least 2,063 citizens, including 61 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the sentences of 11 individuals were carried out in public. During the same period, 172 other individuals were sentenced to death.