SAMANEH GHADARKHAN

IranWire

As concerns grow regarding the fate of those detained during recent protests in Iran, news has emerged of the imminent execution of a young protester named Erfan Soltani. His case has sparked a wave of international alarm over the use of “field trials” and extrajudicial killings.

According to information obtained by IranWire, 26-year-old Erfan Soltani has been kept in detention without access to a lawyer, and authorities have not formally charged him. No court hearing has been held in his case. His family has also been threatened, with officials warning that if they speak publicly or contact the media about his situation, other family members will be arrested.

The news was first reported by Ebrahim Allah-Bakhshi, a political activist in exile, who posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Erfan Soltani was arrested on Thursday, January 8, and is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday, January 14.”

Erfan was arrested on the evening of Thursday, January 8, near his home in the Fardis district of Karaj. For three days, his family had no information about his whereabouts. On Sunday, January 11, security agents finally contacted them, confirming that he was in custody and telling them he had already been sentenced to death.

After repeated, desperate pleas, the family was allowed a single ten-minute meeting with Erfan - one that authorities made clear was meant to be their final farewell before the sentence is carried out.

A source close to the family, speaking on condition of anonymity, told IranWire: “The family is under extreme pressure. Even a close relative who is a lawyer tried to take on the case but was blocked and threatened by security agents. They told him, ‘There is no file to review. We announced that anyone arrested in the protests would be executed. Erfan’s sentence is Moharebeh (Enmity against God); it is final and will be carried out.’”

Erfan is a young man in his mid-twenties who worked in the clothing industry and had recently joined a private firm. Those who know him describe him as passionate about fashion and personal style. His Instagram profile - one of the few that authorities have not deleted - shows a young man who enjoyed bodybuilding, sports, and living a simple life.

The source added: “Erfan had received threatening messages from security sources prior to his arrest, but he remained committed to the protests. He told his family he was being watched, but he refused to back down.”

Legal Experts Warn of “Field Executions”

Legal experts state that the timeline provided to the family is legally impossible under Iran’s own criminal code, suggesting the “sentence” is a tool of psychological warfare or an extrajudicial killing.

Human rights lawyer Mohammad Oliaifard told IranWire:

“It is legally impossible to arrest someone and execute them within three days. Even with a state-appointed lawyer, the absolute minimum for such a process would be ten days. If the individual has an independent lawyer, it would take at least thirty days to account for the legal window for appeals.”

Oliaifard explained that such hurried timelines are the definition of “field trials” (summary executions). “In no part of the law does it state that even a charge of Moharebeh can be carried out without due process in just a few days. This appears to be a tactic intended to terrorize the families of protesters.”

IranWire cannot independently verify Erfan’s exact place of detention, though the family suspects he is being held by the IRGC Intelligence Organization.

The family has been advised by legal experts to urgently file petitions with the provincial Chief Justice and the Tehran Prosecutor to challenge claims that an execution is imminent - despite the serious risk of retaliation by the state for taking such action.