Supreme Court upholds death sentence of January protest detainee Beniamin Naqdi

Hengaw – Friday, July 31, 2026

Iran's Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Beniamin Naqdi, a former national martial arts champion arrested during the January 2026 protests, significantly increasing the risk of his execution.

According to reports received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Branch 41 of the Supreme Court upheld Naqdi's death sentence on the charge of "corruption on earth," which had previously been handed down by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz. The ruling was formally communicated to his lawyers on Thursday, July 30, 2026.

Sources close to Naqdi's family said Branch 41 rejected his appeal and affirmed the lower court's verdict. The judges ruled that all charges brought against him constituted acts of "corruption on earth."

Iranian security forces arrested Naqdi on Saturday, January 3, 2026, during the protests in Shiraz. He was subjected to torture and other forms of pressure while in detention to extract a forced confession. Shortly after his arrest, state-affiliated media broadcast a video of his forced confession.

The initial allegation against Naqdi was limited to igniting a fire extinguisher and directing it toward police officers. During the judicial process, however, security agencies expanded the case, first changing the charge to "attempted murder" and later to "enmity against God" (moharebeh). Prosecutors ultimately indicted him on charges including "corruption on earth," "enmity against God," "membership in groups disrupting national security," "assembly and collusion against national security," and "propaganda against the state."

Beniamin Naqdi, from Shiraz, is a former national champion in kickboxing and Muay Thai.