According to reports received by the Hana Human Rights Organization, early Monday morning, October 5, 2026, the death sentences of Alireza Sepahi and Alireza Raeisi, two detainees from the January 2026 protests and defendants in the case known as the “Alikhani Square” case in Isfahan, were carried out at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan.
Alireza Sepahi, born in 2001, had been sentenced to death four times in this case, while Alireza Raeisi, born in 2004, had been sentenced to death twice. Since the beginning of the proceedings, reports concerning the defendants’ limited access to effective legal counsel, closed-door hearings, the disregard of certain defense evidence, and allegations that statements were obtained under pressure have surrounded the case.
In Alireza Sepahi’s case, the Supreme Court had previously accepted a request for retrial and referred the case to a parallel chamber for reconsideration. However, according to his lawyers, the relevant chamber rejected the retrial request without holding a hearing and referred the case for execution. Such a process, particularly in a case resulting in the death penalty, raises serious concerns regarding the right to defense and fundamental fair trial guarantees.
Sepahi had previously been scheduled for execution on the morning of July 28, 2026, but was transferred to hospital before the sentence could be carried out due to a severe deterioration in his physical condition. He was returned to Dastgerd Prison two days later.
On the night before the executions, Alireza Sepahi and Mahshad Kashani, who had been engaged before their arrests, were married in prison. Mahshad Kashani, another detainee from the January protests, is currently being held in Dowlatabad Prison in Isfahan and has been sentenced to five years in prison.
The executions took place as several other defendants in the Alikhani Square case have also been executed in recent months, while a number of other defendants in the case remain at risk of execution.
Hana emphasizes that carrying out the death penalty in cases where serious concerns remain regarding the independence of the proceedings, effective access to legal counsel, the manner in which evidence was obtained, and full compliance with fair trial guarantees raises fundamental concerns regarding the right to life and the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of life. Under Iran’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the death penalty must not result from proceedings in which fundamental fair trial requirements have not been upheld.