Iran executes two more men in cases linked to protests
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press ) – On Saturday, Iran hanged two young men, one a karate champion and the other a volunteer children’s coach. This brings the total number of people known to have been executed in connection with the protests that have swept the country since September 2022 to four.
Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini were hanged on Saturday morning, the state-run Fars news agency. Both Karami and Hosseini, who allegedly took part in the anti-government protests, were convicted of killing Seyed Ruhollah Ajamian, a member of the country’s Basij paramilitary force, in Karaj on Nov. 3, 2022, according to the Iran’s judiciary news agency Mizan.
As many as 41 more protesters have received death sentences in recent months, according to statements from both Iranian officials and in Iranian media reviewed by CNN and 1500Tasvir, but the number could be much higher, the US-based news channel.
Karami, 21, was an Iranian-Kurdish karate champion who sported a tattoo of the Olympic rings on the inside of his arm. His cousin told CNN that Karami was a brave, intelligent boy and got into karate at age 11. He went on to join the Iranian youth national team and later won at the national championships.
Amnesty International described the trial as bearing “no resemblance to a meaningful judicial proceeding.” His family alleged he was tortured in prison and refused access to a lawyer, CNN reported.
Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini, 20, was remembered for volunteering with children by a German parliamentarian who advocated his case.
He was arrested on his way to visit his parents’ graves, according to Ye-One Rhie.
According to Amnesty, Hosseini was convicted in the same hearing as Karami and two other men who were also sentenced to death, Hamid Ghare-Hasalou and Hossein Mohammadi.
Amnesty says the convictions relied on forced confessions.