Iranian twin sisters sentenced to death over January protests, family alleges torture

September 8, 2026 at 05:01 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Iranian twin sisters Taraneh and Romina Rahimi have been sentenced to death and 25 years in prison over their alleged role in January protests in Isfahan. Their family says the sisters were tortured in detention and denied medical care for a leg injury. The case is among 16 tried in connection with the unrest.

Key Facts

Taraneh and Romina Rahimi were sentenced to death and 25 years in prison on charges including moharebeh, or waging war against God.
The sisters are among 16 people tried in Isfahan in connection with demonstrations during nationwide protests in January.
Their cousin Masud Nurmohammadi says Taraneh was denied hospital treatment for a leg injury after prison authorities refused to allow her to be taken for care.
Nurmohammadi said masked security forces raided the home where Taraneh was staying and tied her hands and feet before taking her away.

Torture Allegations

Nurmohammadi, who lives in the United States, said Taraneh had undergone surgery on her leg and had screws and plates inserted before she was detained. He said her condition deteriorated significantly in prison following what he described as repeated torture. According to Nurmohammadi, a prison doctor ordered that Taraneh be urgently taken to a hospital for treatment, but prison authorities prevented her from receiving the care. Nurmohammadi said Taraneh eventually told relatives during a phone call from prison that she could no longer walk.

Arrests and Charges

The Rahimi sisters were arrested a week after the peak of the protests on January 8-9. Nurmohammadi said masked security forces raided the home where Taraneh was staying and tied her hands and feet before taking her away. Romina was later arrested in a similar raid on their mother's home. The defendants were accused of making Molotov cocktails at a shoe store near Shahada Square in Isfahan. Prosecutors have also alleged the defendants were responsible for the deaths of two people during the unrest, but no murder charges were brought.