A prominent Islamic revolutionary turned dissident, Abolfazl Ghadyani, has called the execution of protesters amid months of unrest in Iran “state killing” and warned that Iran's most senior political and religious leader sinks deeper with each execution.
In an open letter published on January 10, Ghadyani called Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "a tyrannical, autocratic, power-loving and bloodthirsty ruler" who wants to overcome the fear of losing his power by issuing orders to kill protesters.
The public statement by Ghadyani, who lives in Iran, followed the execution of two protesters, Mohammad Hosseini and Mohammad Mehdi Karmi, who were hanged in prison on January 7.
In the face of steady protests around the country since 23-year-old student Mahsa Amini's death in custody for a dress-code offense in mid-September, Iranian authorities have warned of harsher penalties to participants in the unrest.
On January 9, Khamenei signaled in a televised speech that the theocratic regime has no intention of softening its position, saying those who "set fire to public places have no doubt committed treason."
Under Iran's Islamic laws put in place since the 1979 revolution, treason is punishable by death.
So far, at least 17 protesters have been condemned to death.
Four of those convicted have been executed -- including two over the weekend -- while two others, Mohammad Ghobadlou and Mohammad Broghani, had their sentences upheld by the country's Supreme Court.
The European Union along with the respective German, French, Norwegian, and Danish governments lodged protests with Iran after the weekend executions.
White House national-security adviser Jake Sullivan condemned the executions and the subsequent death verdicts, saying, "We join with partners around the world calling for an immediate cessation of these abuses. Iran will be held accountable."
Ghadyani, 77, is a senior member of a reformist party called the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Organization.
A harsh critic of Khamenei, Ghadyani has been summoned repeatedly and imprisoned by Iranian authorities. He has published multiple letters and notes critical of Khamenei in recent years.
Tens of thousands of Iranians -- led by women and students -- have joined almost daily protests since Amini's death in September calling for authorities to respect their human rights and women's rights.
Many have blamed Khamenei for Amini's death and the deaths of protesters at the hands of security forces, who have cracked down brutally on public expressions of frustration.
More than 500 people have been killed in the crackdown, according to rights groups. Several thousand more have been arrested, including many protesters, as well as journalists, lawyers, activists, digital rights defenders, and others.