The European Union condemned the executions “within the strongest attainable phrases”.
Paris:
Iran on Friday executed three males convicted of killing safety drive members throughout protests triggered by Mahsa Amini’s loss of life final 12 months, drawing condemnation from Western governments.
Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaghoubi had been discovered responsible of “moharebeh” — or waging “conflict towards God” — for taking pictures lifeless three members of the safety forces at an illustration within the central metropolis of Isfahan on November 16, the judiciary mentioned on its Mizan On-line information web site.
Iran witnessed waves of nationwide protests following the September 16 loss of life of 22-year-old Amini, an Iranian Kurd who had been arrested for an alleged breach of the Islamic republic’s strict costume guidelines for girls.
Throughout the protests, which Tehran labelled as foreign-instigated “riots”, 1000’s of Iranians had been arrested and a whole lot killed, together with dozens of safety personnel.
Friday’s hangings deliver to seven the entire variety of Iranians executed in reference to the demonstrations.
The European Union condemned the executions “within the strongest attainable phrases”, international coverage chief Josep Borrell mentioned in a press release.
He referred to as on Tehran to “chorus from making use of the loss of life penalty and finishing up future executions”, including that authorities ought to abide by “their obligations underneath worldwide legislation” and respect “the rights to freedom of expression and peaceable meeting”.
Kazemi, Mirhashemi and Yaghoubi had been arrested in November and sentenced to loss of life in January.
They had been additionally charged with membership of “unlawful teams with the intention of disrupting nationwide safety and collusion resulting in crimes towards inner safety”, Mizan mentioned.
It famous “proof and paperwork within the case and the clear statements made by the accused” confirmed that “the shootings carried out by these three individuals led to the martyrdom of three (members of the) safety forces”.
Nazanin Boniadi, a British actor and activist of Iranian origin, tweeted that the three males had been “murdered… after pressured confessions and sham trials”.
– Surge in executions –
A video shared on social media on Friday and verified by AFP confirmed Tehran residents chanting “Dying to the Islamic republic” and different slogans within the capital’s Ekbatan district, the location of repeated protest actions.
The circumstances of the three males have precipitated concern overseas, together with in Australia the place a few of Kazemi’s household reside.
His cousin Mohammad Hashemi wrote an open letter to Australian Overseas Minister Penny Wong asking for her assist.
“Majid is simply 30 years previous. He’s a compassionate, loving, and strong-willed particular person. He, like many different Iranians, participated in peaceable demonstrations to boost his voice and demand change,” Hashemi wrote within the letter, revealed on the petition web site change.org.
Wong on Friday condemned the execution, which she mentioned “exemplifies the regime’s brutality towards its individuals”.
“Australia stands with the individuals of Iran,” Wong tweeted.
– Requires ‘sturdy response’ –
The Impartial Worldwide Reality-Discovering Mission arrange by the UN Human Rights Council mentioned it discovered the newest executions “profoundly regarding” in view of “allegations of their having been convicted and sentenced by confessions obtained underneath torture”.
Human rights group Amnesty Worldwide mentioned it was “horrified by the chilling execution of those protesters” and referred to as for a “sturdy worldwide response”.
“These executions are designed by the Iranian authorities to ship a robust message to the world and the individuals of Iran that they’ll cease at nothing to crush and punish dissent,” mentioned its Center East and North Africa deputy director, Diana Eltahawy.
“Within the absence of a sturdy worldwide response, the authorities will proceed to revel, unabated, of their impunity with deadly penalties for individuals in Iran.”
The authorities final 12 months carried out the executions of 4 protesters, drawing worldwide condemnation.
Iran executes extra individuals a 12 months than every other nation besides China, based on Amnesty.
Because the begin of the 12 months, Iran has witnessed a surge in executions on numerous fees.
The authorities hanged 75 % extra individuals in 2022 than the earlier 12 months, IHR and Paris-based Collectively In opposition to the Dying Penalty mentioned in a joint report in April.
A minimum of 582 individuals had been executed in Iran final 12 months, the very best variety of executions within the nation since 2015 and effectively above the 333 recorded in 2021, the 2 teams mentioned.
Earlier this month, UN rights chief Volker Turk sounded the alarm over Iran’s “abominable” observe document this 12 months, with a median of greater than 10 individuals being put to loss of life every week.
Advocacy teams have warned that members of ethnic minorities have been disproportionately focused within the present wave of executions.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by Ednbox employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)
