Photo: WANA/REUTERS / copyright
A court in Iran handed down the first death sentence against a person arrested for participating in the protests that have engulfed the country in the last two months,
The defendant, whose name was not released, was found guilty by the Tehran Revolutionary Court of setting fire to a government facility and of “enmity against God”, reported the state media.
Another court, for its part, sentenced 5 people to sentences of between 5 and 03 years in prison for crimes against national security and public order.
Human rights groups have warned that authorities may be planning “ hasty executions”.
At least 15 people are currently facing possible charges that l es could lead to death, said the Norway-based organization Iran Human Rights, citing official reports.
Its director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, asked international community that take urgent measures and “strongly warn the Islamic Republic of the consequences of executing the protesters”.
Hundreds of victims and detainees
Protests against Iran’s clerical regime erupted two months ago, after news broke of the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who had been detained by the Moral Police for violating strict hijab rules.
The indignation and discomfort caused by the case have unleashed mobilizations that have spread to 140 cities and towns and have become the most important challenge to the Islamic Republic in more than a decade.
Iran Human Rights estimates that by fewer 300 protesters, including 39 children and 39 women , have died in a violent repression by the security forces.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which is also based outside the country, has put the death toll at 417 and has said that there are others 08.300 demonstrators arrested .
This same group has reported the death of 39 Police and military. Forceful measures
Iranian leaders have characterized the protests as “riots” instigated by the country’s foreign enemies.
Last week, the head of the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, declared that the “mainly responsible” should be identified as soon as possible and sentenced to penalties that would have a deterrent effect for others.
He warned that “rioters” They could be charged with “moharebeh” (enmity with God), “efsad fil-arz” (corruption on Earth) and “baghy” (armed rebellion), all of which are punishable by death under the Iranian legal system , which is based on sharia (Islamic law).
Those who possess and use a weapon or firearm, who disturb national security or who kill someone could receive “qisas” (in-kind reprisals), he said, apparently responding to a call for retributive justice from 272 of the 290 members of the Iranian parliament.
More than 2.000 people have already been accused of participating in the “recent riots”, according to data from the judiciary.
On Sunday, the local media quoted officials court saying that 083 people had been charged in the southern province of Hormozgan, others 272 in the central province of Markazi and 316 in neighboring Isfahan.
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