(Presidentialwire.com)- In connection with the street protests that have followed the suspicious death of Masha Amini in September while being held by the so-called morality police, Iran has announced the first execution.
The protests are in response to the death of Amini, 22, in mid-September for allegedly not wearing a hijab correctly.
Iran’s Mizan News has named Mohsen Shekari as the individual who allegedly blocked a street with a machete while threatening others to join him. He allegedly used the machete to attack a member of the Iranian security forces.
According to Iranian reports, the Tehran Revolutionary Court’s indictment against Mohsen Shekari, a Basij officer claimed to have been hurt with a weapon while performing his duty. Shekari was accused of blocking Sattar Khan Street. He was also charged with fighting by drawing a weapon with the intent to kill, incite terror, rob people of their freedom and security, and block Sattar Khan Street. Shekari was detained in Tehran’s Sattar Khan neighborhood. His initial court appearance took place on November 10. Shekari was detained on September 25 and found guilty on November 20.
Shekari was found guilty of “moharebeh,” Farsi, for “waging war against god.”
According to an Iranian outlet, Shekari’s attorney attempted to have the sentence overturned but was unsuccessful.
The Associated Press reports that Mohsen Shekari’s execution comes at a time when other detainees may also receive the death penalty for their participation in the demonstrations, which started in mid-September initially as a protest against Iran’s morality police. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the protests have become one of Iran’s most significant theocratic challenges. At least a dozen people have been given death sentences for participating in the demonstrations. Activists warn that more people may soon follow suit.
Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the director of Iran Human Rights, wrote that the execution must be met with strong reactions, or we will face daily executions of protesters. This execution must have immediate practical repercussions on a global scale.
According to the judiciary-run Mizan news agency, Shekari was found guilty in Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, which frequently hears cases behind closed doors. The tribunals have drawn criticism worldwide for not letting the accused choose their attorneys or even see the evidence against them.
Let’s hope the protesters can overwhelm evil.
