Iran: Man who joined protest executed for “waging war against God”

The Supreme Court of Iran has executed a 23-year-old man for allegedly “waging war against God.” The execution is the first publicly known execution linked to the ongoing protests across the country. Antigua news confirmed the man’s name to be Mohsen Sekari. 

Mr Sekari was accused of striking the shoulder of a security official on the neck and helping to close off a busy street in the country’s capital of Tehran. The charges against him include “creating terror and fear and depriving people of their freedom and security.” 

On December 2nd, Amnesty International warned that at least 28 people could be executed in Iran based on their involvement in the protests. 

“At least 28 people, including three children, could face execution in connection with nationwide protests as the Iranian authorities use the death penalty as a tool of political repression to instil fear among the public and end the popular uprising,” Amnesty International said.

“At least six people have already been sentenced to death in sham trials,” it added.

The Iranian government had promised to prosecute cases linked to the protests expeditiously. The authorities refer to the demonstrations as riots, and the government would treat them as such.

A very speedy trial

What has surprised many in the trial of Mohsen Sekari is the speedy trial and execution of Mohsen Sekari. He was arrested on September 25, barely a week after the unending protests began following the death of Mahsa Amini, who died in the custody of the Iranian morality police. 

He was first sentenced to death on November 20, and the judgment was upheld on Thursday morning. Soon after the Supreme Court’s judgment, he was executed. With such speedy trials, the judiciary would not spend so much time dealing with others that would have “waged a war against God.”

The first of many executions

At the moment, Antigua News has not verified how many more cases are left to be treated by the Iranian judiciary in connection with the protests. However, depending on the statement by Amnesty International, there are at least 27 more people awaiting execution by the Iranian government. 

Mahmood Moghaddam, the director of Iran’s human rights, said if the international community does not take Sekari’s execution seriously, more people will be executed in the coming weeks and months. 

“His execution must be met with the strongest possible terms and international reactions. Otherwise, we will be facing daily executions of protesters who are protesting for their fundamental human rights,” Moghaddam told CNN.

Being that the protest has not ended, more names would be added to the long list of Iranians to be executed. The Iranian government has refused to heed calls from international communities and other countries to tread carefully on how it is treating the protesters. It claims that capital punishment on protesters is a way of shielding the country from western influence, especially from the United States.