Iran issues death sentences in Ekbatan protest case amid disputed fatality details

What happened

Iran International reports that Iran’s judiciary has handed down death sentences to several defendants in the high-profile Ekbatan case connected to the killing of a Basij member during the country’s 2022 protests. The judiciary’s statement acknowledges it could not determine who inflicted the fatal injury but convicted some defendants on charges including “corruption on earth,” a capital crime often used in politically sensitive cases. According to IRGC-linked Tasnim News, Tehran's Revolutionary Court sentenced four out of nine defendants to death.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure or battlefield claim should be read as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source. The case involves Arman Aliverdi, a 21-year-old Basij member who died from severe head trauma caused by a hard object during clashes in Tehran’s Ekbatan neighborhood at the height of nationwide protests triggered by Mahsa Amini’s death in custody. Forensic and investigative evidence confirmed the cause of death but could not conclusively assign responsibility for the fatal blow due to chaotic conditions and many people present. Consequently, a criminal court refrained from issuing retributive execution sentences (qisas), though some defendants received prison terms and others were acquitted.

Separate Revolutionary Court proceedings addressed broader security-related charges against other defendants, including acting against national security and propaganda against the state. Death sentences were issued within this branch of the case. Rights groups and lawyers have expressed recurring concerns over due process deficiencies in protest-related cases, citing coerced confessions and heavy reliance on national security charges to secure convictions.

Known from the source

• Iran’s judiciary sentenced several defendants in the Ekbatan case to death linked to the killing of Basij member Arman Aliverdi during 2022 protests.
• The courts acknowledged an inability to determine who inflicted the fatal injury due to chaotic conditions and multiple people present.
• Four of nine defendants were sentenced to death according to IRGC-linked Tasnim News quoting Tehran’s Revolutionary Court.
• Some defendants were convicted of corruption on earth; others received prison or acquittals.
• Aliverdi died from severe head trauma caused by a hard object, confirmed by forensic and medical evidence.

What remains unclear

The case is emblematic of an increased use of capital punishment in Iran’s political and security cases. Iran executed a political prisoner accused of espionage on May 24, reportedly within 50 days of arrest, illustrating a swift prosecution process that rights groups warn undermines fair trial standards. HRANA data indicates at least 52 executions on political and security grounds since March 2025, with the rate rising sharply recently. The judiciary has not disclosed details of court proceedings or legal representation in these cases.

What remains unclear: Exact number and identities of defendants sentenced to death in the Ekbatan case. Comprehensive details on due process, including access to independent lawyers and appeal stages for these sentences. Independent verification of the circumstances around Aliverdi’s death and responsibility attribution. Current status of Supreme Court reviews on these verdicts.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: Iran International. Open the source.