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Iran: Reports of First Execution of Protester – Humanitarian Groups Warn of Escalating Violence

Published January 13, 2026, 12:15
Iran: Reports of First Execution of Protester – Humanitarian Groups Warn of Escalating Violence

Iran is reportedly proceeding with the first execution of a protester, 26-year-old Erfan Soltani, who was sentenced to death for participating in recent anti-government demonstrations. Humanitarian organizations, such as Iran Human Rights and the National Union for Democracy in Iran, denounce the dangerous escalation of violence by the authorities and warn of the risk of mass and extrajudicial executions. The organizations are calling on the international community to take action and protect protesters, invoking the principle of the “Responsibility to Protect”. Soltani is accused of “waging war against God”, a crime punishable by death in Iran. The lack of access to a lawyer during the process has also been highlighted.