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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Iran executes first protester (23) for participating in protests

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Iran announced today that a protester has been executed for his involvement in the anti-regime protests in the country. Mohsen Shekari, 23, was hanged this morning.

According to Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of the Iran Human Rights organization , Mohsen Shekari was sentenced to death after a “hurried and unfair trial ” in which he was not assisted by a lawyer. He was also forced to make false statements. Amiry-Moghaddam calls on the international community to take action to prevent more executions. “If the execution of Mohsen Shekari does not have serious consequences for the Iranian government, we will face mass executions of demonstrators.”

According to the regime, Mohsen was sentenced to death for drawing a weapon with intent to commit an act of terrorism and endangering public freedom and security. He also allegedly attacked a member of the revolutionary guard with a machete and blocked a street in Tehran. According to Iran, Mohsen was paid to attack the security services.

 

According to Iran Human Rights, at least 11 protesters are still facing the death penalty. “They are at serious and imminent risk of execution. Dozens of other protesters may also face the death penalty.” The human rights organization already warned at the end of October of the risk of “hasty death sentences and executions of demonstrators” . The regime would do this in an attempt to end the protests.

Last month it was announced that some 15,000 detained demonstrators face heavy penalties, such as long prison sentences or the death penalty. They are currently trapped and in some cases have no access to medical help or contact with loved ones. ” They can be convicted of espionage, conspiracy against God and on all kinds of other vague grounds that are used as an excuse,” Raha, activist and member of Jong Iranian Netherlands, reports to FunX .

So far, 11 demonstrators have actually been sentenced to death, but according to Raha it is “very realistic” that all other Iranians arrested in connection with the protests will face the same fate. In November, 272 of Iran’s 290 lawmakers voted to introduce tougher punishments for protesters, including the death penalty.

Mahsa Amini (22), whose real first name is Zhina or Jina (Kurdish for ‘life’), was violently arrested on September 13 by the vice police in the Iranian capital Tehran. The police checks whether everyone follows the government’s religious rules and arrests women when they don’t wear their headscarves (properly), wear ‘too tight pants’ or otherwise don’t comply with the dress code. This was also the reason for Mahsa’s arrest and that is why she was to be taken to an ‘education center’ at the police station.

According to eyewitnesses, Mahsa was mistreated by the police. She passed away a few days later. Authorities claim she died of “sudden heart failure,” but according to her family and witnesses, Mahsa fell into a coma from blows to the head and was declared brain dead on arrival at the hospital. A United Nations commissioner demanded an inquiry into the death.

Since Amini’s death, huge protests have erupted against Iran’s strict Islamic regime. Not only because of whether or not to wear a headscarf, but also to demonstrate for more women’s and human rights in general. Iranians take to the streets en masse, shout slogans against the government and women bandage their headscarves and cut their hair. The local authorities are taking firm action against this: human rights organizations report thousands of arrests, many injured and at least 340 dead. In early November, Iranian lawmakers voted for even harsher punishments for protesters, including the death penalty.

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