Two men were executed in Iran for allegedly murdering a military member during nationwide protests.
Over their alleged involvement in the death of a paramilitary officer. Mohammad Mahdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini were found guilty of “corruption on earth.”
Human rights organizations have condemned what they have termed a “sham” trial.
Mr. Karami’s family claims they were not able to meet him before his execution.
Prosecutors asserted that Ruhollah Ajamian was stripped naked and murdered by mourners paying their condolences to a recently deceased demonstrator.
In September, protests erupted against Iran’s clerical establishment following the death in custody of a woman detained by morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab or headscarf, “improperly.”
According to the foreign-based Human Rights Activists’ News Agency, at least 516 Iranian protestors, including 70 children, have been killed so far, and 19,262 others have been arrested (HRANA). It has also recorded 68 security staff deaths.
According to reports, many of those detained following protests were subjected to enforced disappearance, incommunicado detention, torture, and other ill-treatment.
The men were sentenced to death in December 2022, but they appealed their convictions. Because they had been tortured into making false confessions.
In prison, Mr. Hosseini was pummelling and blindfolded, according to his attorneys.
Ali Sharifzadeh Ardakani stated, “He was tasered and struck on the bottoms of his feet with a metal rod.”
On January 3, the Supreme Court of Iran upheld the sentence.
Before Mr. Karami’s death, his attorney stated that he was on a hunger strike. Because he was denied the right to choose his attorney for the legal proceedings. Instead, he relied on counsel assigned by the state.
Amnesty International referred to the trial as a “fast-tracked unjust group trial”. And stated that the Iranian government is seeking the death penalty for at least 26 individuals.
In the same case, three other individuals were sentenced to death, and eleven others received prison terms.
The most recent executions raise the total number of those executed in Iran since December to four.
In December, Majidreza Rahnavard, 23, was publicly hanged from a crane for reportedly killing two members of the security forces. And wounding four others with a knife. Mohsen Shekari, also 23, was executed for allegedly blocking a street. And injuring a member of Iran’s Basij militia with a knife.
