A 26-year-old Iranian man who was reportedly sentenced to death in connection with anti-government protests last month has been released on bail, reports say. Erfan Soltani was arrested on 8 January in the city of Fardis, just west of Tehran, as protests swept across the country, prompting a deadly crackdown by Iranian authorities. Officials then informed his family that he had been scheduled to be executed within days, without giving any additional details, according to Norway-based Kurdish human rights group Hengaw.

However, Iran's judiciary denied that he was sentenced to death, stating he faced security-related charges carrying prison terms only. Soltani's lawyer, Amir Mousakhani, confirmed his release on bail on Saturday and noted that all of his belongings, including his cellphone, were returned. A bail of two billion tomans (around $12,600) was paid for his release.

Reports surrounding Soltani’s arrest made headlines globally when it was stated that he was allegedly due to be executed. A relative mentioned the court had issued a death sentence in an extremely quick timeframe, culminating in international condemnation, including a warning from US President Trump about strong actions if executions proceeded. Despite Iranian government assertions that such reports were fabricated, the situation reflects the larger unrest in the country, highlighted by numerous reports of violence and casualties stemming from the protests.