Iran Jails Man Behind This Viral Video for 10 Years

Two Iranian protesters, Ashkan Maleki and Mehrdad Mohammadinia, are reportedly at immediate risk of execution. They were arrested during Iran’s national uprising in January 2026. Human rights advocates have raised renewed concerns over the use of capital punishment against individuals detained in connection with anti-government protests. Sources close to the case suggest the men could face their death sentences within days, though details remain unclear.

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Both men could face enforcement of their death sentences within days, raising renewed concerns among human rights advocates over the use of capital punishment against individuals detained in connection with anti-government protests.

In a separate case, Iranian authorities have sentenced Masoud Payahoo to 10 years in prison. Payahoo was convicted of alleged cooperation with Israel after creating a widely circulated protest video. The footage showed a lone demonstrator seated in front of security forces during the same wave of unrest. Payahoo's lawyer, Hassan Aghakhani, stated the video was recorded spontaneously and not intended for public release, having been shared privately with friends on Instagram. The Supreme Court's Branch 9 has upheld the sentence and referred the case for enforcement, requiring Payahoo to report to prison.

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The video was recorded spontaneously and was not intended for public distribution, adding that it was shared privately with a limited group of friends via Instagram.