HRANA – The death sentence of Erfan Kiani, one of those arrested during the January 2026 protests in Isfahan, was carried out early this morning. During the judicial process, he had been charged with offenses including moharebeh (enmity against God).
According to Mizan News Agency, the charges against this protester included “moharebeh through drawing a cold weapon (machete) with the intent to intimidate the public,” “creating insecurity,” “inciting individuals to violent actions,” and “participation in the destruction of public property.”
The published report lists examples of these accusations, including participation in protest gatherings, destruction of public and private property, arson, throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at security forces, blocking streets, and carrying a cold weapon. It is also claimed that he had a leadership role among a group of protesters.
According to the Judiciary, following his arrest during the January 2026 protests, he was sentenced to death by the Isfahan Revolutionary Court. After an appeal, the ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court and was carried out at dawn on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
No further details have been released regarding the circumstances of his arrest, whether he had effective access to legal counsel during different stages of the proceedings, the conditions of his detention prior to execution, or the exact location where the sentence was carried out.
It should be noted that following the outbreak of military conflict between the United States–Israel and Iran, which began on February 27, 2026, the implementation of death sentences in Iran has entered a new and concerning phase, one marked by a strong focus on prisoners with political and security-related charges and a noticeable acceleration in executions.
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.