Iran's Supreme Court has upheld the death sentences of Majid Kazemi, Saeed Yaqoubi, and Saleh Mirhashemi, all three of whom were arrested during the recent nationwide protests and charged with "waging war against God," a crime often applied to political dissidents.
The trio were implicated in an incident on November 16, 2022, during which two Basij paramilitary force members and a law enforcement officer were fatally shot in the central Iranian city of Isfahan. The clash occurred at the height of widespread protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini last September while she was in police custody for allegedly breaking Islamic hijab rules.
Amir Kazemi, Majid Kazemi's cousin, informed RFE/RL’s Radio Farda of the court decision and said the only evidence presented were the defendants' self-incriminating confessions, which were obtained under duress.
He added that the legal representatives assigned to the case were consistently denied access to their clients by the court. Meanwhile, the lawyers themselves have received numerous anonymous death threats for defending the three.
Kazemi said that in its decision, the court noted that if the victims' families were to give their consent, leniency may be applied. However, he also pointed out the specific charge that led to the death sentences “is waging war against God, and not on the charge of murder,” suggesting a change in the sentence is unlikely.
Human rights organizations have strongly objected to death sentences being issued against protesters in Iran after "sham trials" that are often rushed through the courts.
Authorities have warned for months after unrest broke out following Amini's death that they will react harshly to any dissent. Lawmakers have pushed the judiciary to render the death penalty in trials for those arrested during the protests, which are seen as one of the biggest threats to the Islamic leadership since it took power in 1979.
So far, Iranian authorities have followed through with their threats by executing at least four protesters.
Majidreza Rahnavard was hanged in a public execution on December 12 -- just 23 days after he was arrested -- after being convicted of killing two members of Iran's security forces. The group Iran Human Rights said Rahnavard's sentencing was based on "coerced confessions after a grossly unfair process and a show trial."
Reflecting on the execution of Majidreza Rahnavard, Kazemi expressed his family's growing apprehension over the situation. They fear that after Majid Kazemi's quick trial authorities may also hold a rushed execution without the opportunity for a proper appeal or retrial.
Iran has seen a surge in executions in recent months, a trend that has drawn widespread domestic and international condemnation.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on May 9 called the statistics "frightening" and demanded a halt to executions by the Islamic republic. He said Iran has executed an average of 10 people per week this year.
Human rights activists say authorities in Iran are using the executions to try to instill fear in society rather than to combat crime.