Monday November, 14, 2022.
An Iranian court has handed down its first death sentence in connection with recent protests, convicting an unnamed person of “hate against God” and “sowing corruption on Earth”, state media reported.
This comes after weeks of nationwide protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in September.
State media reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced a protester who allegedly set fire to the government building.
They were found guilty of “disturbing public and community peace and order and conspiring to commit crimes against national security, war and corruption on Earth, war of arson and willful destruction”, according to the statement. state news agency IRNA on Sunday.
The other five people who participated in the protests were sentenced to between five and ten years in prison, for “collaborating to commit crimes against national security and disrupting public order”.
IRNA added that these decisions are preliminary and subject to appeal. The news agency did not name the condemned protester or provide details about when and where he committed the crime.
An Iranian court has issued the first death sentence to a protester, as authorities cracked down on those who took part in anti-regime protests over the death of Mahsa Amini.
Iran has been rocked by anti-regime protests since September in the greatest demonstration of dissent in recent years, sparked by outrage over the death of Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman . Iranian Kurd who was detained by the deputy for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly.
Iranian authorities have since launched a brutal crackdown on protesters, having charged at least 1,000 people in Tehran province with alleged involvement.
Security forces have killed at least 326 people since protests began two months ago, according to the Norway-based Iran human rights NGO.
Parmida Ghasemi
Iranian archers join other athletes to show support for protests
That number includes 43 children and 25 women, the group said in a balance sheet update on Saturday, saying its published figure represented “the absolute minimum”.
CNN could not independently verify the number as non-state media, the internet and protest movements in Iran have all been suppressed. The death toll varies by opposition groups, international human rights organizations and journalists following the ongoing protests. Despite threats of arrest – and harsher punishments for those involved – Iranian celebrities and athletes have come forward in support of anti-government protests in recent weeks.
On Friday, UN experts called on the Iranian authorities to “stop attributing those facing the death penalty for taking part or allegedly taking part in peaceful protests” and ” stop using the death penalty as a tool to crush protests.”
