Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence against Arman Marefati, a 38-year-old fruit seller arrested during anti-government demonstrations, according to a report published Monday by the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). HRANA, the media arm of Human Rights Activists in Iran, also reported that two female protesters arrested in connection with the nationwide demonstrations received a combined 44 years in prison. Demonstrations began late last year and continued into 2026 over economic issues and currency devaluation before expanding into calls to overthrow the Islamic Republic.
Conviction and Transfer to Qezel Hesar Prison
An Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran convicted Arman Marefati in March 2026. The charges against him included participating in activities against national security, entering religious sites with the intent to destroy them, and participating in the burning of a mosque and a religious seminary.
Arman Marefati, who worked at a fruit and vegetable market in Tehran and is originally from Saqqez County, was arrested during nationwide protests in January 2026. Authorities transferred him from Greater Tehran Prison to Qezel Hesar Prison in Karaj in June 2026, where political prisoners and death-row inmates are held.
Two co-defendants in the same case, Mehrdad Mohammadiania and Ashkan Maleki, were executed in June 2026. Their convictions involved charges of cooperating with Israel and hostile governments, creating insecurity, setting fire to public property, and activities against national security. Human rights organization Amnesty International stated that authorities carried out these executions without advance notice to the men's families or lawyers.
Casualties and International Condemnation
Official figures regarding protest casualties remain disputed. Iran claimed the number of protest-related deaths stood at 3,038. However, a United Nations fact-finding mission concluded that the true death count is significantly higher than government reports indicate. United States President Donald Trump stated to world leaders in September 2026 that Iran had killed 72,000 citizens this year, accusing Iranian officials of crimes against humanity.
The United States Department of State condemned Iran in its 2026 Human Rights report for issuing death sentences to protesters on security-related charges, including capital offenses such as Moharebeh and foreign cooperation.
Amnesty International and other human rights organizations reported that Iranian authorities used torture, prolonged solitary confinement, forced confessions, and denial of legal counsel during detainee prosecutions. Arman Marefati remains incarcerated at Qezel Hesar Prison under the upheld capital sentence.
