The Iranian judiciary on Saturday announced that it executed two anti-regime protesters — Mohammad Mehdi Karami, 22, and Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini, 39 — convicted of killing a Basij paramilitary officer in Karaj in November.
EXECUTED FOR ‘CORRUPTION ON EARTH’
The judiciary had sentenced them for committing crimes that perpetuated “corruption on earth,” including murder, violation of national security, and colluding against the government.
I’m heartbroken with the news of hangings of two young protesters after another sham trial. The leaders of G7 must expel Islamic Republic diplomats.
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) January 7, 2023
The EU must recall their ambassadors.
The world must stop this barbarism.#MohammadMehdiKarami #MohammadHosseini pic.twitter.com/qIoYDGdt3G
According to Iran Human Rights (IHR), Karami and Hosseini were denied access to their lawyers, subjected to torture to extract forced confessions, and “deprived of all due process and fair trial rights.” IHR warned that if the international community does not pressure Tehran, authorities could execute a “large number of protesters” in the coming days.
The IHR had reported that over 100 Iranians are at risk of being executed or given lengthy sentences. Whereas the Center for Human Rights in Iran has reported that 14 anti-regime protesters have already been sentenced to death and 40 others are facing charges that carry the death penalty.
REACTIONS
US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price tweeted that Washington condemns Tehran’s “sham trials.” He said: “These executions are a key component of the regime’s effort to suppress protests.”
We condemn Iran's sham trials & execution of Mohammad Mehdi Karami & Mohammad Hosseini in the strongest terms. These executions are a key component of the regime's effort to suppress protests. We continue to work with partners to pursue accountability for Iran’s brutal crackdown.
— Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) January 7, 2023
US Special Envoy for Iran Robert Malley demanded that Iran stop the executions, noting that Washington and its allies will continue to hold Iran accountable for its brutal crackdown on protesters.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the executions of Karami and Hosseini were “abhorrent” and called on Iran to “immediately end the violence against its own people.”
Iran must immediately end the violence against its own people.
— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) January 7, 2023
The execution of Mohammad Mahdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini by the Iranian regime is abhorrent.
The UK is strongly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances.
German FM Annalena Baerbock said her country and the EU will “further increase the pressure” on Iran. An EU spokesperson said in a statement that the bloc “strongly condemns” Iran’s “violent repression of civilian demonstrators.”
PREVIOUS DEATH SENTENCES
With the latest killings, Iran has publicly hanged four protesters to death in just a month. In December, the government executed Mohsen Shekari, 23, for allegedly killing a police officer. and Majidreza Rahnavard, 23, on the charge of “enmity against God.”
According to a recent report by the IHR, Iran executed over 500 people in 2022, the highest figure in five years. “These executions are intended to create societal fear and divert public attention from the Islamic Republic’s intelligence failures,” the IHR said.
PROTESTS
Anti-regime protests erupted across Iran in mid-September in the wake of the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by Iran’s morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly. Amini was brutally tortured and died while receiving treatment at an intensive care unit of the Kasra hospital in Tehran.
Nationwide demonstrations have continued to spread for almost four months. According to an estimate, at least 519 protesters, including 70 children, have been killed by security forces.