URGENT — IMMINENT EXECUTION RISK

Save Benjamin Naghdi: Stop the Execution of a Peaceful Protester in Iran

A petition to the United Nations Human Rights Council, the European Union, and all member states of the ICCPR.

Key facts
Age 26 years old
From Shiraz, Iran
Arrested January 3, 2026
Charge Waging war against God (Moharebeh)
Current location Adelabad Prison
Legal representation Denied entirely
 

Who is Benjamin Naghdi?
Benjamin Naghdi is a 26-year-old kickboxing and Muay Thai champion from Shiraz, Iran — a decorated athlete with international titles and certifications in coaching, refereeing, bodyguarding, and nutrition training. He went into the streets in January 2026 to protest an economic crisis that the Iranian authorities themselves have publicly acknowledged as a legitimate grievance.

For that, he now faces execution.

What happened to him
Benjamin was arrested on January 3, 2026. He was held in detention and subjected to pressure and torture to extract a forced confession. That confession was then broadcast on Iranian state media — before any trial, in direct violation of the presumption of innocence.

He has been denied access to a lawyer. His family has not been informed of the legal proceedings against him. He has now been transferred to Adelabad Prison in Shiraz — a facility known to prisoners and human rights monitors as a place where executions are carried out.

His mother recently went to visit him. She was denied any contact — not allowed to see him, speak to him, or even hear his voice. She was told to collect his personal belongings.

Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). This case constitutes a direct violation of Article 19 (freedom of expression), Article 21 (right to peaceful assembly), Article 14 (right to a fair trial), and Article 7 (prohibition of torture). The execution of a person for participating in a peaceful protest is a violation of international law — regardless of the charges used to justify it.
We demand
1.    An immediate halt to any execution proceedings against Benyamin Naghdi.

2.    His immediate access to legal counsel of his choosing.

3.    Full transparency to his family regarding his legal situation and physical condition.

4.    A fair retrial that meets international standards — without coerced confessions as evidence.

5.    An independent UN investigation into the torture, forced confessions, and summary executions following the January 2026 protests in Iran.

Benjamin Naghdi did not commit a crime. He exercised a right — the right to protest — that his own government called legitimate. He is being executed for it. The international community cannot look away.

Sign this petition. Share it. Make his name impossible to ignore.