Alireza Sepahi, an Iranian protester aged 25, was executed early on October 5 at Isfahan Central Prison shortly after marrying his fiancée Mahshad Keshani over a jail phone line. The couple had planned the marriage due to fears of Sepahi’s imminent execution; they exchanged vows hours before his scheduled hanging with assistance from human rights lawyer Amirsalar Davoudi. Sepahi was one of seven individuals executed in connection with anti-government demonstrations at Isfahan’s Alikhani Square in January, where 12 men were accused in the deaths of four security personnel.
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An Iranian anti-regime protester was hanged at dawn Oct. 5 inside Isfahan Central Prison, just hours after marrying his imprisoned fiancée over a jail phone line, The Times reported Thursday.
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Times → hang → line
Alireza Sepahi, 25, was executed alongside co-defendant Alireza Raisi after being sentenced to death in connection with anti-government demonstrations at Isfahan’s Alikhani Square on Jan. 8., according to Human Rights Iran.
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Sepahi → execute → Iran
Sepahi and his bride, student activist Mahshad Keshani, 22, knew and loved each other before being arrested during anti-regime demonstrations, the report said.
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report → know → demonstrations
Keshani, currently serving a five-year sentence, pushed for an informal wedding Sunday as fears mounted that Sepahi’s execution was imminent following a final family summons.
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execution → serve → summons
The couple exchanged vows over the phone from inside Isfahan prison, joined by their fathers.
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couple → exchange → fathers
Human rights lawyer Amirsalar Davoudi facilitated the ceremony by reading the vows for the fathers to bless.
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fathers → facilitate → vows
Keshani’s family gave a copy of the Quran, a saffron rock candy and a single red rose as a traditional dowry.
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family → give → dowry
"It was Mahshad’s idea," Davoudi told The Times.
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Davoudi → tell → Times
"Even now, I wonder how one young woman can possess such courage."
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woman → wonder → courage
Davoudi recalled warning Keshani about the permanent nature of the decision.
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Davoudi → recall → decision
"I told her, ‘My dear, you understand that this cannot simply be undone?’" Davoudi said.
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Davoudi → tell → her
"She said, ‘Mr Davoudi, I love Alireza.’
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I → say → Alireza
When Davoudi presented the proposal to Sepahi, the young man broke down in tears.
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man → present → tears
"Alireza was crying, and something deeply painful and beautiful happened.
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something → cry → ?
Even the prison officers began to cry," Davoudi said.
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Davoudi → begin → ?
The ceremony held no formal authority to halt the execution.
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ceremony → hold → execution
Sepahi had previously survived a scheduled hanging in July after suffering a heart attack on his way to the gallows.
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Sepahi → survive → gallows
Authorities then rescheduled the sentence after he regained consciousness.
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he → reschedule → consciousness
On Monday morning, hours after the vows were spoken, Sepahi was hanged.
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Sepahi → speak → morning
He is among seven defendants executed in the Alikhani Square case, in which 12 men were accused in the deaths of four security personnel.
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men → execute → personnel
Following the hanging, Sepahi’s family was reportedly prevented by authorities from burying their son in his hometown.
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family → follow → hometown
Davoudi condemned the Iranian regime's actions.
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Davoudi → condemn → actions
"I do not know how to come to terms with this," Davoudi said.
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Davoudi → know → this
"The regime is taking revenge on innocent young people for the humiliation it has suffered internationally."
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it → take → humiliation
Human rights groups report Keshani remains in custody, facing additional security charges.
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Keshani → report → charges
This came as Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), urged U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres to take immediate international action to halt executions and the killing of protesters in Iran, citing thousands of executions and decades of impunity for human rights abuses.
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Rajavi → come → abuses
In a letter ahead of World Day Against the Death Penalty on Oct. 10, Rajavi called for international accountability, independent investigations and diplomatic and economic pressure on Tehran to end the executions.
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Rajavi → call → executions
The Aporia
