Topline
Iran has executed a man arrested during the ongoing anti-government protests sweeping the nation, according to state media, the first known use of the death penalty in connection with the unrest as human rights groups warn of sham trials and intimidation tactics from a regime moving to quash one of the biggest challenges to its authority in decades.
Protests have spread across Iran and the world following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of … [+]
Key Facts
Iran said it had executed Mohsen Shekari in connection with nationwide protests against the ruling regime spreading across the country in recent months, according to multiple news outlets citing Iranian state media.
Shekari allegedly blocked off a street and injured a security guard with a machete during unrest in the Iranian capital of Tehran in September.
Shekari reportedly appealed the verdict, which was upheld by Iran’s supreme court in late November.
Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights, condemned Shekari’s execution and denounced his being “sentenced to death in show trials without any due process.”
Shekari’s execution must have “rapid practical consequences internationally,” he added.
News Peg
Civil unrest has rocked Iran since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in mid-September in the custody of the country’s morality police. Amini, allegedly detained for not adhering to the nation’s strict dress code for women, was reportedly beaten severely and died from the injuries, though authorities claim Amini died from a heart attack or underlying illness. The protests, led by women, have spread across the entire country and internationally, and signify one of the biggest challenges to the Iranian regime in decades. Authorities have cracked down violently on the demonstrations, which they have classified as “riots” caused by foreign influence. Human rights groups like Amnesty International have warned Iranian authorities will push capital punishment through sham trials as an intimidation tactic to repress opposition and quell the uprising. The regime has reportedly disbanded the morality police and is reportedly considering changing the hijab laws requiring women to wear veils.
What To Watch For
Amnesty says at least 28 people, including three children, could face execution in connection with the protests. At least six people have already been sentenced to death in “sham trials,” the rights group said.
Big Number
At least 475. That’s how many have been killed in connection with the protests in Iran as of Wednesday, according to the Human Rights Activists’ News Agency. At least 65 children have been killed and more than 18,000 people arrested, the group said.
Further Reading
Mahsa Amini: The Spark That Ignited A Women-Led Revolution (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/12/08/iran-hangs-protestor-in-regimes-first-execution-over-anti-government-demonstrations/