Ilya Benrashid, 22-year-old protester from Shahinshahr, sentenced to death

Branch 5 of the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan has sentenced Ilya Benrashid, a 22-year-old protester from Shahinshahr who was detained during the January uprising, to death. The young man was notified of the death sentence on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Isfahan's Revolutionary Court sentenced Ilya Benrashid to death on a charge of "moharebeh" (waging war against God) through "participation in the destruction of public property". In the same ruling he was sentenced to three years, six months and one day in prison for "assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security" and to nine months and one day for "propaganda against the system": in total four years, three months and two days in prison, along with a two-year ban on leaving the country.

Arrested in the January uprising

Ilya Benrashid was arrested in Shahinshahr on 22 January 2026, during the nationwide uprising of the Iranian people, and transferred to Dastgerd prison in Isfahan. The human rights organisation Hengaw reported in the spring that he had spent nearly 100 days in limbo in prison and had defended himself against the security charges at a hearing of Isfahan's Revolutionary Court held by video link.

In May–June 2026, in another part of his case, Branch 102 of the Shahinshahr Criminal Court Two had already sentenced the young protester to six months in prison and 20 lashes.

A wave of death sentences for protesters

The death sentence against Ilya Benrashid comes as the Islamic Republic's judiciary has issued or carried out numerous death sentences against protesters of the January uprising in recent months. The Supreme Court recently upheld once again the death sentence of Manouchehr Fallah, a political prisoner in Lakan prison in Rasht, and Iran Human Rights has warned about the transfer of more than 200 prisoners from Ghezel Hesar prison for the execution of their death sentences.

The charge of "moharebeh" for "destruction of public property" is one that revolutionary courts have repeatedly used to hand down death sentences against protesters.

Isfahan's Revolutionary Court has sentenced 22-year-old Ilya Benrashid to death on a charge of "moharebeh".