‘Last Breath’: The campaign giving Iran’s condemned a face and a name

What Happened

Iranian opposition activists have launched a social media campaign titled 'Last Breath' to highlight the cases of individuals facing imminent execution following their arrests during January protests. The campaign utilizes the hashtag #LastBreath to circulate names, photographs, and personal stories of detainees, including Alireza Sepahi, Benyamin Naghdi, and Taraneh Rahimi, to pressure international politicians and human rights organizations. According to Iran Human Rights, Sepahi was moved to solitary confinement in Isfahan Central Prison on September 12, while Naghdi was sentenced to death by Branch One of the Shiraz Revolutionary Court for 'corruption on earth.'

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The campaign represents a shift in opposition tactics, moving from mass street demonstrations to targeted international advocacy aimed at humanizing detainees. By internationalizing individual cases, activists seek to impose a reputational cost on the Iranian state, which frequently conducts executions at dawn to maintain control over the domestic population following periods of civil unrest.

Watch For

Monitor for further reports from human rights monitors regarding the status of Alireza Sepahi, who remains in solitary confinement, and potential international diplomatic responses to the publicized cases of Taraneh Rahimi and Benyamin Naghdi.