By Euronews
Published on
Iranian judicial authorities have informed a prisoner’s family that his death sentence will be carried out Wednesday, less than a week after his arrest, according to human rights organisation Hengau.
Erfan Soltani, 26, was detained at his home in Fardis on 8 January. Four days later, authorities notified his family a death sentence had been issued and confirmed.
Soltani is currently held in Qazl-Hisar prison in Karaj, according to unconfirmed reports. Judicial authorities ordered his family to visit the prison Tuesday to meet him. The timing has raised concerns this would be a final meeting before execution.
Reports suggest Soltani’s case proceeded without minimum fair trial standards. He has been denied access to a lawyer of choice and other legal rights from arrest until sentencing.
A source close to the family told Hengau that Soltani’s sister, a barrister, applied to represent her brother and investigate his case but authorities prevented her from accessing the file.
The family has been kept unaware of the details of the charges against Soltani or the court process.
Human rights organisations expressed grave concern over the possible establishment of “field courts” and the use of the death penalty to suppress protests. The groups called on international bodies to intervene to halt the execution immediately.
Soltani’s death sentence — which could be the first execution of this latest wave of protests in Iran — comes as top Tehran officials further escalated their tone toward protesters.
Iran’s top judge hinted at fast trials and executions for those who were detained in nationwide protests against the country’s theocracy, even as activists said Wednesday that the death toll rose to levels unseen in decades, with at least 2,572 people killed so far.
Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei made the comments about trials and executions in a video Tuesday, despite a warning from US President Donald Trump that he would “take very strong action” if executions take place.
After Trump was informed on the number of deaths, he warned Iran’s leaders that he was terminating any negotiations and would “act accordingly.”
Details of the crackdown began emerging Tuesday as Iranians made phone calls abroad for the first time in days after authorities severed communications countrywide when the protests broke out.
Insiders within Iran have told Euronews that the death toll is feared to be considerably higher, with as many as 15,000 Iranians killed as the Tehran regime reportedly further increased its violent crackdown against the demonstrations in recent days.
Additional sources • AP