Updated · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · Jul 16
Iran Supreme Court Upholds 12 Death Sentences Over Isfahan Protest Killings
Updated
Updated · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · Jul 16
Iran Supreme Court Upholds 12 Death Sentences Over Isfahan Protest Killings
2 articles · Updated · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · Jul 16
Summary
July 5’s ruling cleared 12 men for possible imminent execution after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld death sentences tied to the January 8 Isfahan protest case.
Judge Mohammad Reza Tavakoli had sentenced the men for allegedly killing four special forces officers; the 59-defendant trial reportedly ran in three one-hour sessions without defense lawyers or published charge documents.
The condemned are 18 to 24 years old, and some were minors at the time of the alleged offenses; state media aired purported confessions that appeared to have been made under duress.
Amnesty International says Iran has carried out 44 politically motivated executions since February 28 under claimed wartime conditions, with another protest-related execution reported on July 15.
Tavakoli, praised by the judiciary as an exemplary judge, previously issued a death sentence against rapper Toomaj Salehi that was later quashed and has become a symbol of Tehran’s harsher crackdown on dissent.
What fate awaits the ten young protesters transferred for execution by Iran's notorious 'exemplary judge'?
With Iran executing dissidents under war's cover, can diplomacy with its new, hardline leader truly succeed?
Is Iran's new leadership using war as the ultimate excuse to eliminate an entire generation of protesters?
12 Protesters Face Imminent Execution in Iran: Alikhani Square Case Highlights Surge in Death Sentences and Due Process Violations
Overview
As of July 18, 2026, Iran executed two young men, Erfan Esfandiyari and Gol Mohammad Mohammadi, confirming the severe threats faced by protesters. This has shifted urgent attention to the remaining 10 protesters, who are now at imminent risk of execution, often without warning to their families or lawyers. The Alikhani Square case highlights how Iran’s justice system is accelerating death sentences, especially for those linked to recent uprisings. The situation is extremely precarious, with rushed judicial processes and a lack of transparency putting these young men’s lives in immediate danger.