Iran executes 21-year-old athlete Sasan Azadvar detained during protests

Hengaw – Thursday, April 30, 2026

The death sentence of Sasan Azadvar, a 21-year-old Lor athlete detained during the early 2026 protests, was carried out at Isfahan Central Prison (Dastgerd).

Hengaw has learned that the execution was carried out secretly at dawn on Thursday, April 30, 2026, after Azadvar had been sentenced to death by Branch One of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Morteza Barati. The judiciary-affiliated Mizan News Agency later confirmed the execution in a report published around midday.

A source close to Azadvar’s family told Hengaw that authorities contacted the family earlier today, informing them of the execution and instructing them to collect his body on Friday.

Sasan Azadvar, a karate champion from Isfahan Province, was abducted by security forces during protests in the city on January 9, 2026. During his detention, he was subjected to severe physical and psychological torture and forced to make confessions against himself—confessions that formed the sole basis for the death sentence issued by Judge Barati.

The sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court despite serious legal irregularities in the case. His lawyer had repeatedly stated that no credible evidence existed against him. The final verdict was formally communicated on April 20, 2026.

Hengaw Organization for Human Rights strongly condemns the execution, describing it as a clear case of state-sanctioned killing and retaliation against protesters. Azadvar was denied the right to a fair trial and effective defense throughout the judicial process.

Hengaw once again warns of the imminent execution of other detainees and urges the international community and human rights bodies not to remain silent in the face of Iran’s execution machinery. The continuation of these executions reflects the authorities’ determination to violently suppress dissent.