ISFAHAN / OSLO — Six remaining co-defendants in the high-profile « Alikhani Square » case are at immediate risk of execution in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison. The warning from human rights monitors comes amid a severe lockdown at the facility, family summonses for final visits, and reports that one defendant suffered a near-fatal heart attack moments before his planned public hanging.
Bottom left to right: Shervin Bagherian, Ali Dashti and Amirhossein Maleki
Key Developments & Status of Defendants
1. Defendants at Imminent Risk
Families of several young protesters connected to the January 8 demonstrations in Isfahan have been called for final visits under heavily restricted, high-security prison protocols:
- Shervin Bagherian (18)
- Ali Dashti (20)
- Amirhossein Maleki (20)
- Ghaem Hosseini (21)
- Alireza Raisi (22)
- Alireza Sepahi Badjani (25)
2. Prior Executions and Medical Emergency on Death Row
The impending sentences follow a series of recent executions tied to the same prosecution:
- Executed: Erfan Esfandiari and Gol Mohammad Mohammadi were executed inside Isfahan Central Prison on July 19.
- Public Hangings: Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi were publicly hanged in Alikhani Square on July 28.
- Pre-Gallows Medical Crisis: Alireza Sepahi Badjani was scheduled for public execution alongside his cousin Abolfazl on July 28. After being repeatedly transferred between isolation suites and general wards, Alireza collapsed from a severe heart attack due to intense psychological distress minutes before stepping onto the gallows and was rushed to a hospital.
- Halted Execution: Co-defendant Ghaem Hosseini’s execution on July 28 was unexpectedly halted at the last moment for undisclosed reasons.
Legal Context & Allegations
The defendants were charged in connection with the deaths of four law enforcement officers during protests on January 8 in Isfahan.
- Judicial Charges: The revolutionary court handed down death sentences on charges including moharebeh (« enmity against God »), efsad-fil-arz (« corruption on earth »), and membership in baghi (armed rebellion) groups.
- Coerced Confessions: State media previously aired blurred, forced confessions from the accused on January 23 as part of a state propaganda broadcast titled « Shock Documentary: The Events of Dey 1404. »
- State Crackdown on Speech: Following public outrage over the July 28 public hangings, the Tehran Prosecutor’s Office initiated legal proceedings against public figures and citizens who voiced criticism online.
Human rights organizations emphasize that over 70 protesters face execution in Isfahan Prison alone, warning of an unprecedented acceleration of capital sentences handed down under wartime conditions and coerced testimony.