Arrest Over Filming and Uncertainty Surrounding the Fate of Rasoul Salehi in Najafabad
26-January-2026
Category: Arrests
25 January 2026
News Category: Arrest –
Breathing in Confinement – Following a protest gathering held in recent days by residents of Najafabad outside the city’s courthouse—organised to protest the arrest of demonstrators and to seek information on the legal status of their detained children—security forces intervened and dispersed the crowd.
According to reports from local sources, during this intervention an individual named Rasoul Salehi was arrested solely for filming the protest scene. These sources state that the judiciary has issued a death sentence against Mr Salehi. If confirmed, this raises serious questions regarding the proportionality of the charge to the punishment, compliance with the principles of a fair trial, the right to access legal counsel, and the transparency of judicial proceedings.
As of the time of publication, no official or reliable information is available regarding his place of detention, physical condition, legal status, or the possibility of contact with his family or lawyer. This lack of information has heightened concerns about the risk of enforced disappearance and violations of the defendant’s fundamental rights.
Additionally, families and citizens who have sought information from relevant authorities regarding Mr Salehi’s situation, report being met with responses such as, “We do not speak with rioters.” Such responses stand in clear contradiction to the legal obligations of judicial institutions with respect to providing information, accountability, and safeguarding the rights of detainees.