Iran Publicly Executes 2 Men Accused Of Killing Police During January Protests

BEIRUT — Iran publically hanged 2 men connected Tuesday who were convicted of sidesplitting 4 constabulary officers during nationwide anti-government protests successful January, authorities media reported.

The protests were immoderate of nan largest ever held against nan Islamic Republic, which responded pinch a sadistic crackdown successful which thousands of group were killed and tens of thousands arrested. The protests had been mostly stamped retired erstwhile nan United States and Israel went to warfare pinch Iran connected Feb. 28.

Rights groups said nan execution of Abdolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amir Hossein Safari Hosseinabadi was carried retired astatine dawn successful Alikhani Square successful nan cardinal metropolis of Isfahan, nan spot wherever nan constabulary were killed.

They were among 14 group accused of sidesplitting nan police, each of them sentenced to death. Two were executed earlier this month.

Public executions are not uncommon successful Iran, and are often reserved for governmental prisoners. They are mostly carried retired by hanging successful a nationalist square, wherever cranes mounted connected trucks service arsenic gallows.

At slightest 5 protesters, including nan 2 connected Tuesday, person been hanged successful nationalist since March, according to nan U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, HRANA, which monitors quality authorities successful Iran. The group says it has documented 29 nationalist executions successful nan past 5 years.

Amnesty International called Tuesday’s executions “a further escalation successful nan authorities’ usage of nan decease punishment to crush dissent.” It said astatine slightest 60 others, including 3 arrested arsenic children, stay astatine consequence of execution.

“The Iranian authorities are unleashing a horrifying activity of executions and decease sentences to punish and suppress dissent and task an image of spot and absolute control,” said Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s location director. “The muted consequence from nan world organization emboldens nan Iranian authorities to proceed their deadly rampage.”

Amnesty said astatine slightest 26 group were arbitrarily executed aft being convicted of offenses related to nan January protests, pursuing what it said were “torture-tainted, grossly unfair trials” by revolutionary courts. Another 26 group person been executed this twelvemonth connected politically motivated charges, including espionage and rank successful guidance groups, it said.\

The protests were triggered by Iran’s deepening economical situation and quickly escalated into calls for nan overthrow of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was later killed successful nan opening U.S.-Israeli strikes.

The crackdown was nan deadliest carried retired by nan Islamic Republic successful its 47-year history.

HRANA, which relies connected a web of contacts wrong Iran, says much than 7,000 group were killed and that it is investigating thousands much cases. It said complete 50,000 were arrested successful conscionable complete six weeks. The authorities has acknowledged much than 3,000 group were killed.

At nan tallness of nan protests, Iranian authorities signaled that accelerated tests and executions laic ahead.

A website affiliated pinch Iran’s judiciary said nan 2 men had besides group a constabulary position connected occurrence and damaged nationalist buildings.

Rights groups opportunity governmental prisoners successful Iran are tried successful secretive courts without owed process, pinch verdicts often based connected forced confessions extracted done torture.