&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Iran protests: Erfan Soltani could be publicly hanged after just '10 minutes' with his family, as Trump issues stern warning")
Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old shopkeeper, is set to be the first person to be executed as Iran cracks down on protesters calling for regime change in the face of an economic crisis and corruption. Human rights groups say that he could be hanged on Wednesday and is likely being tortured in custody. The young Iranian's family was informed about his execution around five days ago. Soltani will be allowed just 10 minutes with his family before he is hanged in the morning. He has been accused of participating in an anti-government protest last Thursday. Soltani owns a clothes shop in Fardis, Central Iran, and was arrested at his home. He was imprisoned and quickly handed the death penalty. His "only crime is shouting for freedom", a human rights group said. The Daily Mail talked to Arina Moradi, a member of the Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, who spoke with Soltani's family. Moradi told the outlet that his family is in shock and despair over the news. He is likely to be publicly hanged to terrorise the rest of the population.
Soltani is being denied basic rights, human rights groups say
The family told the activist that their son was "never a political activist, just part of the younger generation who was protesting against the current situation in Iran." She added that the family had no information on Soltani for several days, and only learnt of his arrest and execution when the authorities called. The Hengaw organisation said that a source close to the Soltani family said authorities informed them about the death sentence just four days after his arrest. The person in the know further said that Erfan Soltani’s sister is a licensed lawyer and has been trying to pursue the case through legal channels, but she is being prevented from gaining access to the case file. "Since his arrest, Erfan Soltani has been deprived of his most basic rights, including access to legal counsel, the right to defence and other fundamental due-process guarantees," the source told Hengaw.
Iran protests death toll and what Donald Trump said
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Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has warned of "very strong action" if Soltani is executed. "If they hang them, you're going to see some things," he told CBS News in an interview. In a cryptic post on social media, Trump told Iranians that "help is on its way." Moradi fears that the young man is being subjected to torture and abuse in jail. There are fears that more extrajudicial executions could be carried out in the coming weeks. According to the US-based Human Rights Activists New Agency (HRANA), nearly 11,000 people have been arrested since the demonstrations started on December 28. The death toll is said to have crossed 2,000, even though some fear it could be as high as 10,000. Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights warned that the death toll, "according to some estimates", could be "more than 6,000".
