Iran executes second execution for anti-government protests

Iran has hung a man in public on December 12th. The executed man was convicted of killing two members of the security forces.

This is the second execution related to anti-government protests conducted in less than a week.

The execution of Majidre Rahnavard, reported by the Mizan agency, comes after the civil court in Mashahd sentenced him to <x0... War against God”, an accusation punishable by death. He allegedly killed two members of the notorious Basij paramilitary militia during the November protests.

Iran's revolutionary courts have been criticised by internationals because they do not allow defendants to choose lawyers or to have access to evidence the courts have against them.

Mashhad, a sacred rain city, is located 740 miles [740 km] east of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Activists have said there have been strikes in this city, shops have been closed and protests have been sparked following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Ammin.

On December 8th, Iran carried out its first execution, hanging protestor Moshen Shekari after Iran's Supreme Court rejected its appeal.

Shekar was charged with the <x0V war> ”, allegedly injured a security official respectively.

Activists have warned that at least dozens of people have been sentenced to death sentences in closed court hearings.

Thousands of Iranians have protested throughout the country since Ammin died in September while in custody. She was accused by the authorities of violating the rules of wearing hijab, or headscarf.

The Iranian government began brutal, often deadly, oppression of protests. Meanwhile, lawmakers have sought harsh penalties for demonstrators.

Current protests in Iran have become the biggest challenge for the country's leadership since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

The HRANA news agency has said that by November 29th at least 459 protesters have been killed during the riots, including 64 people under age.

Iran Human Rights, a Oslo-based organisation, has said the number of executions in Iran this year exceeded 500 per cent.

Human rights groups and Western governments have warned Tehran against pronouncing death sentences to protesters, following accelerated judicial processes, which some have described as false “ ” justice. /rel