Iran Sentences Rapper to Death as UN Demands Halt to Protest Executions
The judiciary said the men were convicted of attacking police and filming the killings for foreign media, as rights groups warned of more executions.
- On July 19, Iran's judiciary hanged Erfan Esfandiari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi at Isfahan Prison after convicting them of arson and killing security personnel during January anti-government protests, Mizan news agency reported.
- Both men were among 12 arrested following January 8 protests in Isfahan's Alikhani Square that resulted in deaths of security forces; rights groups warn the remaining 10 defendants face imminent execution.
- Authorities are fast-tracking capital cases under a July 15 directive from Prosecutor General Ali Salehi, contributing to a sharp rise in executions as Iran Human Rights reports at least 400 people executed so far this year.
- On Wednesday, Iran executed 26-year-old law graduate Mehdi Khaneki for alleged "operational actions," though the National Council of Resistance of Iran alleged he had been "subjected to months of physical and psychological torture."
- The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran condemned the hangings yesterday, calling for an immediate halt to executions and a moratorium on the death penalty to address what it termed systematic fast-tracking of capital cases.
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After 400 executions this year, an NGO is concerned that Tehran is intensifying the crackdown with the escalation of the conflict.
Since the beginning of the war, triggered by Israeli-American strikes on Iran on February 28, more than 400 people have been hanged for various reasons.
The Iranian authorities executed the young Mehdi Khanki on 22 July. He was the 24th person known to have been arbitrarily executed since 18 March against the backdrop of recent protests.
The Economic Times
Times of IndiaInside Iran's accelerating execution campaign amid wartime crackdown
Iran has executed dozens of political prisoners since the war began. Activists fear intensified executions to instill societal fear and silence dissent. Hundreds of political prisoners and protesters currently face capital charges. Many inmates protest executions for drug-related charges and murder. The nation remains a prolific executioner, second only to China.
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