A 26-year-old man swept up in Iran's latest wave of anti-government protests has been handed a death sentence in a case that human rights groups say highlights the speed and severity of the authorities' response to the unrest.
Erfan Soltani, a clothing shop owner from Fardis near Tehran, was arrested at his home last Thursday after demonstrations flared in the area. Within days, his family was told that he had been condemned to death and that his execution was due to take place on Wednesday, according to the Norway-based Kurdish rights group Hengaw.
The news sparked alarm among activists, who say Soltani's case moved through the legal system at extraordinary pace. One relative told BBC that the court process lasted just two days. Hengaw later said the execution had been postponed, but warned that there were serious and ongoing concerns for his life.
