Iran soldier Javid Khales sentenced to dying for refusing orders to shoot protesters

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A younger soldier who refused to obey orders to shoot protesters throughout one in every of Iran's most intense waves of nationwide unrest has been sentenced to dying, a human rights group reported on Tuesday.

The Iran Human Rights Society (IHRS) recognized the soldier as Javid Khales, who was arrested in the course of the nationwide protests of 1404, a serious wave of anti-regime demonstrations from late 2025 to early 2026 calling for an finish to the nation’s present dictatorship.

"In response to knowledgeable sources, when confronted with the command to shoot at protesting folks, he refused to execute the order, resulting in his rapid arrest and the opening of a case towards him," IRS stated.

Witnesses claimed that Khales, now in Esfahan jail, didn't commit against the law however refused to shoot in an act of humanity, the group stated.

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Iranian safety forces escalated from pellet weapons to stay ammunition throughout protests. (Getty)

Whereas the unrest has already led to 1000's of arrests and deaths amongst protesters, Khales’ deliberate execution additional raises issues over unfair, state-sanctioned killings and rushed trials that deny defendants correct authorized protections.

"Amid the continuation of protests and the intensification of lethal repression towards the folks, the information of Javid Khales — a younger soldier who refused to shoot at protesters — being sentenced to dying has heightened issues a few new wave of judicial massacre ," the human rights group stated. "This sentence comes at a time when judiciary officers have overtly spoken of abstract trials and the swift execution of dying sentences towards these arrested within the protests."

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Iran protests dying toll rises as a whole bunch are allegedly killed by authorities forces. (MAHSA / Center East Photos / AFP by way of Getty Photos))

A judiciary spokesperson and the Tehran prosecutor , in separate statements, emphasised that circumstances involving dissidents should be resolved as shortly as attainable, IRS reported, elevating issues that executions may happen exterior correct authorized procedures. Human rights sources say many detainees have remained in custody with out entry to a lawyer or a good trial.

The group added that Khales’ dying sentence is seen as a part of a broader effort to instill worry, "implement absolute obedience and intensify protest repression."

On this body seize from video obtained by the AP exterior Iran, a masked demonstrator holds an image of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi throughout a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC by way of AP)

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Over the previous a number of days, the federal government shut down and restricted the web nationwide to forestall protesters from organizing. Human rights activists say the blackout was additionally a strategic transfer to hide the realities on the bottom and suppress public response.