Iran executed three men on Sunday, Nov. 8, after convicting them of carrying out operations for Israel and the United States and taking part in armed unrest during anti-government protests in January.1,3
State media identified the men as Hassan Dioband, Hamid Kazemi and Reza Zanganeh, and said the Supreme Court had upheld their convictions. The executions are the latest in a series linked to the January protests, including cases involving people accused of ties to Israel and the United States, at a time when the number of executions has risen since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February.1,3
The men were accused of throwing Molotov cocktails and grenades, using firearms and bladed weapons, setting fire to public facilities and damaging an electricity substation in the city of Karaj, west of Tehran. Tasnim, Iran's state news agency, reported that the damage to the substation caused power outages in some areas.1,3
Tasnim reported that the three men were found guilty of "participating in operational activities on behalf of the Israeli Zionist regime, the United States and hostile groups". Iranian authorities have described the January violence as "terrorist acts" orchestrated by the United States and Israel.3
Dioband was arrested on Jan. 11 after investigations identified him as a suspect in attacks on public property and incitement to violence. Ten other people accused of taking part in the unrest under his supervision were later arrested. They received prison terms of 5 to 10 years, Reuters reported.3
The protest movement began in December last year over the high cost of living and rapidly evolved into widespread anti-government demonstrations that peaked on Jan. 8 and 9. Iranian authorities reported more than 3,000 deaths in the unrest; Iran said the unrest caused almost 3,000 deaths and widespread destruction of public property.1,3
The death toll is disputed. Foreign-based nongovernmental organizations gave higher figures than the authorities, and the BBC said it received multiple accounts from Iranians of security forces opening fire on unarmed protesters.3
Iran has executed at least 35 people in recent months over the unrest weeks before the United States and Israel launched the ongoing war against the country. Human rights groups have said at least half of the 70 executions reported in Iran so far this year were directly tied to the unrest.1
U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk said he was alarmed by the rise in death penalties. In August, Türk said at least 56 people had been executed on national security-related charges since March 19, including 27 in cases linked to January's nationwide anti-government protests.3
Iran is thought to be the world's second-most prolific executioner after China. Last year, it put to death at least 2,159 people, according to Amnesty International, which said that was the highest figure on record since 1981 and included 45 executions of suspected dissidents on national security-related charges.3
