INTERNATIONAL

Iran says it has executed the first prisoner known to be convicted for an alleged crime stemming from ongoing nationwide protests.

The person was convicted of injuring a security guard with a long knife and closing off a Tehran street, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.

Tasnim added that the Supreme Court had rejected the appeal made by the defendant and justified the sentence by saying the defendant’s actions represented a “crime of waging war against God”.

Iran has been rocked by protests since the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died after being detained by the country’s morality police.

Tasnim identified the person who was executed as Mohsen Shekari but gave no more details.

Authorities have been cracking down on the protests and on Monday, the elite Revolutionary Guards praised the judiciary for what it called its tough stand and encouraged it to swiftly and decisively issue judgements for defendants accused of “crimes against the security of the nation and Islam”.

Judiciary spokesman Masoud Setayeshi announced on Tuesday that five people indicted in the killing of a Basij member were sentenced to death in a verdict which they can appeal.

Amnesty International has said the Iranian authorities are seeking the death penalty for at least 21 people in what it called “sham trials designed to intimidate those participating in the popular uprising that has rocked Iran”.

“The Iranian authorities must immediately quash all death sentences, refrain from seeking the imposition of the death penalty and drop all charges against those arrested in connection with their peaceful participation in protests,” it said.

Source: Al Jazeera