In brief
Erfan Soltani, arrested during protests in Iran, was reportedly sentenced to death but has been released on bail of approximately $12,600. His case, characterized by confusion and conflicting reports from Iranian authorities, has highlighted the ongoing tensions surrounding governmental crackdowns on dissent.
Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old Iranian man who was reportedly sentenced to death in connection with anti-government protests last month, has been released on bail, reports say.
Soltani was arrested on 8 January in the city of Fardis, just west of Tehran, as protests swept across the country, prompting a deadly crackdown by Iranian authorities.
Officials informed his family that he had been scheduled to be executed within days, according to the Norway-based Kurdish human rights group, Hengaw.
However, Iran's judiciary denied that he was sentenced to death, asserting that he faced only security-related charges with associated prison terms.
Soltani's lawyer, Amir Mousakhani, confirmed that he was released on bail on Saturday and has since retrieved his belongings, including his cellphone. The bail set was “two billion tomans,” equivalent to around $12,600.
Reports from Hengaw and Iranian media, including Isna, also indicate that Soltani has been bailed. His case attracted international attention when news surfaced that he was allegedly due to be executed with alarming rapidity.
One of Soltani's relatives had informed BBC Persian that a court had issued a death sentence "in an extremely rapid process, within just two days."
US President Donald Trump had previously warned of "very strong action" if executions were carried out. Amid these tensions, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei indicated that any attack might ignite a regional conflict.
In January, the Iranian government denounced reports by foreign media claiming Soltani faced execution as a "blatant act of news fabrication." Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated there was "no plan" to carry out executions.
Following the initial reports, Hengaw later clarified that, according to family members, Soltani's execution had been postponed.
Human Rights Activists News Agency reports at least 6,300 deaths since the protests began in December, with warnings from another organization, Norway-based Iran Human Rights, that the toll could exceed 25,000.
Witnesses have described the violent response from security forces as unprecedented, with Khamenei accusing protesters of targeting police and various facilities.
