Two Protesters Sentenced to Death; Concerns of Possible Death Sentences for Detainees Affiliated with Opposition Groups
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); January 2, 2023: Mehdi Mohammadifard, an 18-year-old protester in Noshahr, has been sentenced to two executions for charges of efsad-fil-arz (corruption on earth) and moharebeh (enmity against god). Writer and artist, Mehdi Bahman has also been sentenced to death for charges of “espionage and contact with Israel.” Furthermore, in a statement issued today, the Ministry of Intelligence announced the arrest of six people on charges of “providing financial and material support” to the Mojahedin-e-Khalgh (MEK). Jailed elite student Ali Younesi’s father, MirYousef Younesi is one of the six detainees.
Warning of the possibility of death sentences being issued under the guise of associating with MEK or any other opposition group, Iran Human Rights calls on Iranians and the international community to work towards saving death row protesters and preventing further death penalty charges.
Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said: “The Islamic Republic needs to create fear and intimidation to survive because it hasn’t been able to control the protests after 109 days.”
“Nameless protesters and those with less international coverage for various reasons, are at greater risk of death penalty sentences. We must raise the political cost of all executions for the Islamic Republic through citizen campaigns and international pressure,” he added.
Branch One of the Sari Revolutionary Court has sentenced 18-year-old protester, Mehdi Mohammadifar to two executions for charges of efsad-fil-arz and moharebeh.
Furthermore, according to Follow Up Iran, writer and artist, Mehdi Bahman has been sentenced to death for charges of “espionage and contact with Israel” for an interview with Israel’s Channel 13. He was arrested on October 11 and detained in the Ministry of Intelligence’s Ward 209 in Evin Prison and denied access to a lawyer.
An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Mehdi Bahman was arrested with Abdolhamid Massoumi-Tehrani who has also probably been sentenced to death.”
Abdolhamid Massoumi-Tehrani is a dissident cleric who also interviewed with Israeli television. The two men worked on friendship amongst religions.
In a statement issued today, the Ministry of Intelligence announced the simultaneous arrests of six people in “several provinces” on charges of “providing financial and material support” to the MEK.
The report also refers to one of the detainees as “the father of one of the terrorist teams whose arrest almost three years ago caused a backlash by hostile media against the country’s security and judicial system because of his connection to an important technical university.”
The description appears to be of MirYousef Younesi who was arrested at his parents’ home in Shahroud on December 28. MirYousef’s son is Ali Younesi, an elite Sharif University student who was arrested in April 2020 and sentenced to 16 years imprisonment in April, which was upheld in June.
There are concerns that the six detainees may also be facing heavy sentences, including the death penalty.
On December 27, Iran Human Rights published a list of 100 protesters at risk of death sentence charges, sentences or execution.
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