Iran hangs two anti-government protesters in public

TEHRAN – Iran’s judiciary on July 28 announced the hanging of two men over charges relating to anti-government protests that peaked in January, with media reporting it took place in a public square.

“The death sentences of Abolfazl Sepahi and Amir-Hossein Safari were carried out this morning,” the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said.

Mehr news agency meanwhile reported that the hanging took place in “a square in the city of Malekshahr” in the central Isfahan province, with people present.

The two were found guilty of “attacking police officers with machetes and knives, tying them to road signs, pulling them on the ground, dousing them with gasoline, and setting them on fire” on Jan 8, Mizan said.

It added that they had faced charges of “moharebeh (waging war against God) by drawing weapons and creating fear and terror” and “corruption on earth for committing acts that severely disrupted public order and security in the country”, among others.

In late December, a protest movement initially sparked by the high cost of living rapidly evolved into widespread anti-government demonstrations that peaked on Jan 8 and 9.

Iranian authorities reported more than 3,000 deaths, attributing the violence to “terrorist acts” orchestrated by the United States and Israel, while rights groups based abroad maintain that security forces fired on protesters.

US President Donald Trump had threatened at the time to intervene militarily in Iran, before the US and Israel launched a joint attack on the country on Feb 28, triggering the Middle East war.

Since then, arrests and executions have multiplied in the country, linked to both the conflict and the protests.

On July 19, two other men were hanged over similar charges in Isfahan province.

According to Amnesty International, Iran conducts the second most executions of any country, after China. AFP