Iran Executes Three Amid War, Sparking Rights Concerns

Iran executed three men on Thursday accused of killing two police officers during January protests. The hangings took place in the city of Qom, south of Tehran. Saleh Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi, and Saeed Davoudi were convicted of "moharebeh" – waging war against God under Iran's sharia law, according to the judiciary's Mizan news agency. State media reported that the executions of the protesters occurred in the presence of a group of people.

Two sources confirmed that Saleh Mohammadi, a member of Iran's national wrestling team, was among those executed. Mohammadi had turned 19 last week. The men were accused of carrying out "operational actions" in favor of Israel and the United States.

Rights groups assert the three men were executed without a fair trial and had given confessions under torture. Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based NGO, said the men were sentenced to death following an unfair trial based on confessions obtained under torture. Dadban, an Iranian legal affairs monitor, stated the men were "deprived of effective access to independent counsel and the right to defense."

White House spokesperson Olivia Wales called Iran a "terrorist regime." She added that President Trump would never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. Sweden's foreign minister stated that the legal process leading to the execution of Kouroush Keyvani, a dual Iranian-Swedish national, was not legally secure. Keyvani was executed a day earlier on charges of spying for Israel.

Protests in Iran began in late December against the rising cost of living and morphed into anti-government demonstrations in January. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has recorded more than 7,000 killings during the crackdown, with the majority being protesters. Israelis protested in Tel Aviv demanding an end to the war with Iran and conflict with Hezbollah. At least 18 people have been killed and over 3,000 injured in Israel since the war began.

Iran Human Rights expressed deep concern about the risk of mass executions of protesters and political prisoners. The organization added that these executions are carried out to spread fear in society. Iran is the world's most prolific executioner after China, executing at least 1,500 people last year.