Iranian authorities have publicly executed two men, Abolfazl Sepahi and Amir-Hossein Safari , in the city of Isfahan. These killings were carried out as a direct response to anti-government demonstrations that occurred in January.
The crane and scaffolding at Isfahan's Alikhani Square
The executions of Abolfazl Sepahi and Amir-Hossein Safari were designed for maximum visibility, taking place in Alikhani Square. According to the report, the Iranian state erected scaffolding and a crane specifically to facilitate the public nature of the hangings, ensuring that huge crowds in Isfahan witnessed the event. This performative aspect of the punishment serves as a stark warning to any citizens considering future participation in anti-regime activities.
These events follow a period of intense civil unrest that began in late December and reached a peak on January 8 and 9. By transforming a public square into an execution site, the Iranian government is signaling that the space for public protest has been replaced by the space for state retribution.
Moharebeh and the charges against Sepahi and Safari
The legal basis for the executions of Abolfazl Sepahi and Amir-Hossein Safari rested on charges of moharebeh, which translates to "waging war against God," as well as "corruption on earth." As the report says, the two men were found guilty of violent attacks against police officers, including the use of machetes and knives, tying officers to road signs, and using gasoline to set them on fire.
The use of moharebeh is a recurring feature in the Iranian judiciary's approach to political dissent. By framing political rebellion as a theological crime , the regime elevates civil unrest to a capital offense , allowing for the rapid application of the death penalty. This pattern echoes prvious crackdowns where the state has used religious terminology to justify the elimination of political opponents.
Four deaths and eight remaining sentences in the Alikhani Square case
The executions of Sepahi and Safari are not isolated incidents but part of a larger judicial sweep. The latest reports indicate that the total number of individuals put to death in the Alikhani Square case has now reached four. More concerningly,eight other defendants remain under a sentence of death, awaiting the state's decision on their lives.
This systematic approach to sentencing suggests that the Iranian government is not merely punishing specific acts of violence, but is conducting a wider purge of the protest movement in Isfahan. the scale of the Alikhani Square case reflects a broader trend of using mass sentencing to dismantle the leadership and morale of anti-regime factions across the country .
Mai Sato and the UN's plea for clemency
International pressure has mounted as the Iranian regime continues its campaign of executions. UN experts , led by Mai Sato, have explicitly urged the Iranian government to halt the executions of the remaining eight defendants tied to the Alikhani Square case.
However, several critical details remain missing from the official narrative. It is currently unknown whether Abolfazl Sepahi and Amir-Hossein Safari were granted access to legal counsel or if their trials met international standards for due process. Furthermore, the source provides only the regime's account of the violence; there has been no independent verification of the claims that the defendants used gasoline and machetes against police , nor has the defense's perspective been made public.
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