The Iranian regime has executed two young men who were helping their countrymen escape from government bullets during demonstrations in January 2026.
The victims, an 18-year-old and a 23-year-old Afghan refugee, were among 59 men arrested during the protests in Shahid Alikhani Square in Isfahan. According to reports, four security force members were killed during the demonstrations.
The 18-year-old victim, Erfan Esfandiari, sheltered demonstrators from government bullets and offered to let them come into his home to escape the brutality. His only "crime" was opening a door to help protesters who were running from security forces.
The 23-year-old victim, Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, was an Afghan refugee who had fled to Iran seeking safety. He was arrested, thrown into a show trial alongside 58 others, and executed for opening his door to let terrified protesters in.
Iranian activist and journalist Masih Alinejad shared a message on social media, highlighting the brutal nature of the regime's actions. "This is a government that is so terrified of a generation that refuses to be silent, that it executes teenagers for the act of compassion," she wrote.
Alinejad also called on people to "say his name" and remember the victims, as the regime tries to erase them from history. "His name is Erfan Esfandiari and he was his parents' only child," she wrote. "He did not kill anyone. He did not carry a weapon. His crime, according to the Islamic Republic, was opening a door."
The executions have sparked outrage and condemnation from human rights activists and advocates, who are calling for an end to the regime's brutal suppression of dissent.
