NEW DELHI: A 26-year-old Iranian protester detained during nationwide anti-Khamenei demonstrations is scheduled to be executed on Wednesday, in a case that has sparked international alarm and renewed concerns over Iran’s use of capital punishment to suppress dissent.
Erfan Soltani, arrested on January 8 for participating in protests against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is set to be hanged after being charged with “Moharebeh”, or enmity against God, according to media reports.
If carried out, Soltani’s execution would mark the first hanging directly linked to the current wave of anti-Khamenei unrest.