Iran says no death penalty for protester Erfan Soltani after execution claims spark alarm: What we know so far

Iran’s judiciary has sought to defuse mounting international concern by denying reports that a young protester detained during the latest wave of unrest has been sentenced to death. The clarification came after days of conflicting claims from activists and rights groups, which had warned that an execution was imminent.

According to Iranian state media, the judiciary said Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old arrested during protests northwest of Tehran on January 10, is facing charges of “colluding against the country’s internal security and propaganda activities against the regime.” The judiciary stressed that these charges do not carry the death penalty if upheld by a court, a point also reported by Reuters. Soltani is currently being held at the central penitentiary in Karaj, west of the capital.

The official statement followed a swirl of alarming reports from rights organisations and activists who had claimed Soltani was the first protester to receive a death sentence since the latest protests began. Some groups said he was due to be executed on January 14, before later revising their claims and saying the execution had been postponed.

Soltani’s family had earlier said they were informed that no execution would take place. A Norway based human rights group and one of his relatives separately confirmed that he was not executed on the scheduled date.

Rights groups say Soltani works at a clothing shop and had no known history of political activism. His family maintains that he was detained simply for taking part in protests and has described him as part of a younger generation venting anger over economic hardship and living conditions. They have also raised concerns about his treatment in custody, warning of the risk of torture or abuse.

Activists added that Soltani’s sister, who is a licensed lawyer, was denied access to his case files. There were fears that authorities might resort to a public execution as a warning to protesters, allegations the judiciary has now rejected.

The case also drew comments from Donald Trump, who told reporters at the White House that “very important sources on the other side” had assured him Iran had stopped killing protesters and would not carry out planned executions. Asked whether US threats of military action were now off the table, Trump said he would “watch it and see.”

Iran has been gripped by sustained protests in recent weeks, with rights groups accusing authorities of mass arrests and harsh sentencing. The unrest has been described by observers as one of the most serious challenges to the clerical leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with more than 2,500 people reportedly killed as protests over soaring prices escalated into nationwide turmoil.