Message from inside Iran: the path of Alireza Raisi and Alireza Sepahi goes on

Prince Reza Pahlavi's media office on the evening of Tuesday, 20 October 2026, released a video message from inside Iran in which compatriots say: "We will continue the path of the fallen heroes Alireza Raisi and Alireza Sepahi." The two young protesters of the January uprising were executed on 5 October in Isfahan Central Prison (Dastgerd).

The message was released a day after Alireza Raisi's family found his hidden grave in the deserts of Anarak and held a mourning ceremony there. In recent days the Prince's office has also shared several other messages from justice-seeking families, including a gathering of justice-seeking mothers at the graves of the fallen in Gilan.

Who were Alireza Raisi and Alireza Sepahi

Alireza Raisi, 21, and Alireza Sepahi, 25, were among 12 defendants sentenced to death in the so-called "Alikhani Square" case in Isfahan, which goes back to the protests of 8 January 2026 in that square, where Islamic Republic officials claim four police officers were killed. The judiciary charged them with "membership of an armed group" and "acting against national security".

Alireza Sepahi was arrested on 10 January 2026 together with his mother, who is now serving a five-year prison sentence. Iran International's fact-finding campaign had reported that he was shot with pellets during his arrest and tortured in detention. The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center says the case had serious flaws and that even a video showing he was not at the scene was ignored.

He was due to be publicly executed on 28 July together with his cousin Abolfazl Sepahi, but suffered a heart attack before the sentence was carried out and was taken to hospital. His cousin was executed that day. One day before his execution, Alireza Sepahi married his fiancée Mahshad Kashani, who is also imprisoned over the protests, from inside prison by telephone. His body was buried in Kashan instead of Isfahan.

Reactions to the execution of the two Isfahan protesters

Mai Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, condemned the executions and warned about the treatment of the defendants and the lack of a fair trial. With these two executions, the number of people executed in the Alikhani Square case rose to seven. Iran Human Rights says the Islamic Republic has so far executed 34 people in connection with the protests.

In a message released by Prince Reza Pahlavi's office, compatriots inside Iran pledged to continue the path of Alireza Raisi and Alireza Sepahi.