Erfan Soltani, the man who was set to be executed in Iran yesterday (January 14), has reportedly been granted a stay of execution.
Soltani’s case rose to worldwide attention after he was sentenced to death in the Middle Eastern country for attending a protest in Fardis, Karaj on January 8.
The young man’s family issued a desperate plea to U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene after Soltani’s date of execution was set for yesterday. Alarming reports had outlined how he would be given ten minutes to say his goodbyes to his family prior to his sentence being carried out.
An estimated 2,400 people have lost their lives in Iran following countrywide protests erupting in December, while over 18,000 people have been detained. The unrest was sparked by the collapse of Iran’s currency, the rial, on December 28, with citizens calling for political reform.
In the midst of the resulting demonstrations, Soltani, a 26-year-old shopkeeper, became the first protester to be sentenced to death.
Following intense backlash from the wider world and scrutiny from human rights groups, prison authorities reportedly called Soltani’s family hours after the time of his anticipated execution yesterday.
His loved ones were subsequently informed that the execution had been postponed.
Following his arrest, Soltani has become a symbol of resistance for activists in Iran, something that the authorities have been keen to put a stop to.
In response to the growing unrest, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, head of Iran’s judiciary, threatened that trials and executions would come swiftly for those being detained for their roles in the protests.
“If we want to do a job, we should do it now. If we want to do something, we have to do it quickly. If it becomes late, two months, three months later, it doesn’t have the same effect. If we want to do something, we have to do that fast,” he told Iranian state TV.
With Soltani’s family having begged Donald Trump for help in saving his life, the POTUS spoke in an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, warning that the US would “take very strong action” if “peaceful protestors” were executed by Iran.
“We don’t want to see what’s happening in Iran happen,” Trump said.
“And you know, if they want to have protests, that’s one thing, when they start killing thousands of people, and now you’re telling me about hanging – we’ll see how that works out for them. It’s not going to work out good.”
Trump went on to threaten that Iranian officials would pay a “big price” if protesters of the regime were put to death.
Norway-based Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights claim that Soltani was denied access to a lawyer and legal defence following his arrest.
A close relative of Soltani’s, Somayeh, told The Guardian before the stay of execution was revealed: “I spoke to his family yesterday and all I know is that they were trying to visit him in prison. I haven’t slept in two days.”
She added: “How can anyone have the heart to put a rope round the neck of such a kind child and send him to die?”
In a direct plea to the US President, she said: “Our demand now is that Trump truly stand behind the words he said, because the Iranian people came to the streets based on those statements.
“An unarmed population trusted these words and is now under gunfire. I beg you, please do not let Erfan be executed. Please.”
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