A man who was set to be executed in Iran yesterday (14 January), has been handed a sliver of hope.
Erfan Soltani was handed a death sentence in the Middle Eastern country for attending a protest in Fardis, Karaj, on 8 January.
His family called for US President Donald Trump to get involved after news broke that he was to be executed on Wednesday.
Soltani's arrest came four days after his relatives were reportedly told that he would be killed. Over 18,100 people have been detained and over 2,400 protestors have died in Iran following demonstrations breaking out across the nation in December.
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They came after the collapse of Iran's currency, the rial, on 28 December, as citizens have started calling for political reforms.
The shopkeeper, 26, is the first Iranian protestor to be sentenced to death since the unrest began.
Rights groups understood that Soltani's execution was scheduled for Wednesday, but his family have now been handed a rare update in his case.
Having only been given a brief and a scheduled visit before his death, the family received a call from prison authorities hours after his expected execution.
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They informed them that the execution had been postponed, with no further details being provided.
Soltani had already become a symbol of defiance for other activists, with local authorities moving to put a stop to a nationwide movement.
This was highlighted by the head of Iran’s judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, who threatened that those who were detained would face trials and executions at a speed.
"If we want to do a job, we should do it now. If we want to do something, we have to do it quickly. If it becomes late, two months, three months later, it doesn’t have the same effect. If we want to do something, we have to do that fast," he told Iranian state TV.
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On Tuesday, Trump said in an interview with CBS that the US would 'take very strong action' if 'peaceful protestors' were executed by Iran, as he said: "We don’t want to see what’s happening in Iran happen.
"And you know, if they want to have protests, that’s one thing, when they start killing thousands of people, and now you’re telling me about hanging - we’ll see how that works out for them. It’s not going to work out good," he stated.
The 79-year-old further warned on Truth Social that a 'big price' would await Iranian officials if protestors were put to death, as he encouraged demonstrators to keep going.
According to Norway-based Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights, Soltani was denied access to a lawyer and legal defence.
Rights groups also believe that Soltani's case is not the first of its kind, with others being in similar positions, but due to an internet blackout in the country, they are unknown.
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Somayeh, a close relative of Soltani's, admitted to The Guardian before the postponement was revealed: “I spoke to his family yesterday and all I know is that they were trying to visit him in prison. I haven’t slept in two days.”
Her and the family stayed up to hear news, with Iranian authorities typically carrying out executions around the time of morning prayers.
Somayeh, who became emotional, said she couldn't stop thinking about Soltani, adding: “How can anyone have the heart to put a rope round the neck of such a kind child and send him to die?”
The 45-year-old urged at the time: "Our demand now is that Trump truly stand behind the words he said, because the Iranian people came to the streets based on those statements.
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"An unarmed population trusted these words and is now under gunfire. I beg you, please do not let Erfan be executed. Please," she said.
Somayeh claimed that her relative hadn't 'resorted to violence' in the midst of protests.
Topics: Donald Trump, Iran, World News
Joshua Nair