Sadegh Saeedinia, the manager of a prominent Iranian cafe chain, has been sentenced to over 12 years in prison and had all his property confiscated by the state for his support of the January protests. The ruling marks one of the most severe penalties imposed on an entrepreneur in connection with the civil unrest.
Saeedinia was convicted on charges including conducting propaganda against national security, undermining the system, and taking operational action on behalf of hostile groups. In addition to his prison term, he will be prohibited from working in the cafe sector for two years following his release. Prosecutors alleged that he used Instagram to post material supporting the demonstrations, encouraged strikes, ordered the closure of the group’s cafes, and motivated staff to participate in the protests.
The judiciary labeled Saeedinia, whose father Mohammad Saeedinia founded the Saeedinia food group, as an instigator of the uprisings in Qom and linked him to the destruction of public and private property. However, no independent evidence confirming a direct link between his activities and any physical damage has been made public.
The conviction is part of a wider campaign against Saeedinia’s family. Prior to his son’s sentencing, Mohammad Saeedinia faced judicial action resulting in the shutdown and sealing of several cafes and restaurants. Fars News Agency reported that the family’s assets were valued similarly to the financial damage inflicted on Tehran during the protests. Mohammad Saeedinia later issued a letter describing the closures as a mistake and expressing obedience to the ayatollah, though social media users characterized the statement as written under duress.
Iran has significantly expanded the use of asset confiscation as a mechanism for political pressure since the January protests. Historically rooted in the 1979 revolution when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ordered the seizure of Pahlavi regime assets, the practice has broadened over decades to include entrepreneurs, artists, activists, and religious minorities under Article 49 of the constitution. A substantial portion of these seized assets has been directed to entities operating under the ayatollah’s authority, such as the Headquarters for Executing the Order of Imam Khomeini, or Setad.
Following the recent unrest, authorities intensified these measures. In April, the Tehran prosecutor announced orders to freeze the bank accounts and seize assets of more than 100 prominent figures living abroad identified as supporters of enemy interests. On the same day, accounts belonging to 63 managers and employees of Iran International and 25 staff members of Manoto TV in London were frozen. The list also included Ali Sharifi Zarchi, a former Sharif University professor, and reportedly encompassed over 400 media and cultural figures abroad.
Several high-profile athletes have also been targeted, with legal cases opened or assets threatened against former international footballers Ali Karimi and Sardar Azmoun, referee Alireza Faghani, and former captains Voria Ghafouri and Ali Daei. Semi-official media outlets linked to the IRGC have conducted sustained smear campaigns against some of these individuals.
The January protests erupted after the collapse of the Iranian rial and spread to more than 180 cities. While Iranian officials have acknowledged over 3,100 deaths during the crackdown, attributing most casualties to security personnel or bystanders killed by US and Israeli-backed terrorists, other sources provide higher figures. The UN Special Rapporteur on Iran estimates a minimum of 5,000 deaths, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports 6,854 verified deaths, and other human rights groups estimate the toll could reach 32,000. US President Donald Trump recently claimed nearly 65,000 protesters were killed, a figure unsubstantiated by independent monitors. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has condemned the suppression of protesters and the treatment of dissidents as a brutal deprivation of rights.
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