NIAC condemns in the strongest terms the execution of two young men today, Mohammad Mahdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini, by Iranian authorities. Each were arrested in connection with nationwide protests, subject to torture and an unfair trial, and subsequently executed by hanging.
Iranian authorities have now executed four prisoners in connection with the protests, with many more death sentences handed out. We reiterate our call for the international community to press Iran to halt its severe violations of human rights that are protected under international law and call for the Iranian government to halt its heinous execution campaign reliant on a sham legal process.
Both Karami and Hosseini were accused of the killing of a basij member in the city of Karaj roughly two months earlier. Karami was a celebrated karate champion, winning more than a dozen medals in national competitions. Both men appealed the death sentence that was handed down against them in December, alleging they were tortured into making false confessions, which is a pattern in many other sham trials against individuals connected to the protests. However, their appeals were rejected earlier this week.
Tragically, many more are at imminent risk of execution in Iran following similar sham trials. In addition to executions, more than 500 protesters have been killed and 19,000 arrested, with deaths of security personnel reportedly in the dozens.
It is critically important for the international community to press Iran to uphold its international rights obligations and press for an end to the mass rights violations being inflicted on the people of Iran, including executions and sham trials.
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