Iran executes man over 2022 protest killings. Activists say he was framed

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran carried out the execution of a man found guilty of killing seven people during a protest in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini. However, human rights activists claim that the man was tortured into confessing to crimes likely committed by security forces.

The execution of Abbas Kourkouri, also known as Mojahed Kourkouri, is the first in almost a year related to the protests surrounding Mahsa Amini’s death. Amini had been detained by police allegedly for not wearing her hijab according to their standards, sparking widespread demonstrations.

The reasons for Kourkouri’s execution at this particular time remain unclear, but tensions have been escalating regionally due to Iran’s nuclear program advancements and uncertainties surrounding talks with the United States. Iran is known as one of the highest executioners in the world and has been imposing stricter measures on society since the Amini protests.

Kourkouri was reportedly denied a fair trial and access to his chosen legal representation, according to Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam of Iran Human Rights. The organization recorded an average of one execution every six hours in Iran over the past eight months.

According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, Kourkouri was accused of being one of the gunmen involved in the fatal shooting of seven individuals during a protest in Izeh, Khuzestan province.

Kourkouri faced multiple charges, including “moharebeh,” which refers to waging war against God. He was arrested in December 2022 after being shot in the leg. Activists claim that he was not provided adequate medical treatment beyond the removal of the bullet.

While state media portrayed Kourkouri as a drug dealer and instigator with extremist beliefs, rights advocates argue that he was not the violent individual authorities portrayed him to be and was actually an innocent protester.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency challenged the Iranian government’s claims, stating that eyewitnesses and victims’ families provided accounts contradicting the official narrative.

Amnesty International also criticized Iran for subjecting Kourkouri to solitary confinement and coercing his confessions. They asserted that he was not present at the scene during the shootings.

Kourkouri’s execution brings the total number of executions related to the Amini protests to 11. The United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on Iran highlighted gross human rights violations in Kourkouri’s case and called for a halt to executions, including those targeting women’s rights activists.

As the anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death and the subsequent protests approaches, the defiance against Iran’s mandatory hijab law continues to grow, with women openly flouting the regulations.

President Masoud Pezeshkian’s pledge to reduce harassment by morality police against women has faced challenges due to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s stance against unveiling, both for religious and political reasons.