Iran carried out its first public execution in more than two years on Saturday, hanging a man convicted of murdering a police officer, reported the NGO Iran Human Rights, amid growing concern over the growing repression in the country. .
Iman Sabzikar, a worker convicted of the murder of a policeman in February 2022 in the city of Shiraz, in southern Iran, was hanged at the scene of the crime, the Norwegian NGO detailed, based on information transmitted by Iranian state media.
“Scare and intimidate people”
Repeating this brutal punishment in public is intended to scare and intimidate people into not protesting,” said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of IHR. He called on the international community to respond firmly and protest against this “medieval” practice.
Between January 1 and June 30, 2022, 251 people were hanged in Iran (compared to 117 in the same period in 2021), the Norway-based NGO said in a report at the end of June. The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, expressed concern about the continuation of this upward trend in executions.
Iran is mired in a deep economic crisis. In June, demonstrations against the rising cost of living (including the price of bread) and corruption took place in several Iranian cities.
“There is no doubt that the aim of these executions is to thwart the growing demonstrations against the regime,” said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, founder of the IRH.
Source: BFM TV
