A pair of Iranian twin sisters, now 20, endured a severe torture ordeal that included having their hair ripped out and bones broken as punishment for participating in anti-regime protests in January. One sister, Taraneh Rahimi, has been sentenced to death by hanging, while her twin, Romina Rahimi, received a 25-year prison sentence.
Masked operatives identified as belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) apprehended the sisters from their beds in the middle of the night when they were 19 and still in high school. Their mother, Marzieh Nourmohammadi, spent four months searching for them before being allowed to visit them in Dowlatabad prison in Isfahan in May. At the time of the visit, the sisters were reportedly unrecognisable, with patchy scalps from being dragged by their hair and bruised faces.
Taraneh Rahimi was allegedly told that her sister Romina would be raped in front of her if she did not sign a confession. Their legal representatives stated that Taraneh informed the court that any confessions were obtained through torture. No evidence of the sisters' involvement in violence was presented, and they had no prior history of participating in protests.
Masoud Nourmohammadi, a cousin of the twins residing in Utah, described the arbitrary nature of the Islamic Republic's justice system, noting that appeal periods are often disregarded in execution cases. He suggested that Taraneh's death sentence might be a tactic to instill fear in the population, demonstrating that innocence is no guarantee of safety.
Iranians gather while blocking a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran on January 9.
The sisters participated in protests on January 8 and 9 in Isfahan, alongside millions of others. A month after the demonstrations, they were taken from their homes. Their family was unaware of their whereabouts for an extended period. Their aunt was eventually informed they were at the prison, where she found them severely injured and in solitary confinement. Marzieh Nourmohammadi, who raised the twins alone, was prevented from attending their trial.
Taraneh, who dreams of owning a horse stable, has been sentenced to death.
Romina has been given a 25-year prison sentence.
According to the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights, at least 511 people have been executed in Iran in 2026, including at least 29 individuals linked to the January anti-government protests. At least 16 women are among those executed. Activists contend that the regime employs capital punishment to intimidate the population and deter further dissent, particularly in the context of the ongoing war with the US and Israel that began on February 28.
Masoud Nourmohammadi has spoken out about his cousins' case, despite receiving threats. He aims to galvanize determination to overthrow the Iranian regime.