Iran executes two men detained in anti-regime protests, EU calls it 'violent repression'

Iran drew massive condemnation after it executed two young male civilians- a karate champion and a volunteer children’s coach on Saturday, CNN reported. On morning of Saturday, Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini were hung to death by Iranian regime for allegedly participating in anti-regime protests that swept nation following death of 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in month of September. 

According to state-affiliated Fars News, duo was convicted for death of Seyed Ruhollah Ajamian, a member of Basij paramilitary force. Ajamian was killed on vember 3 in Iranian city of Karaj, according to Iranian news ncy Mizan. latest capital punishments bring total number of executions to four, since protests began in country.

Karami’s lawyer Mohammad Hossein Aghasi took to his Twitter on Saturday to reveal that Karami was stripped of his right to talk to his family members prior to being executed. He furr added that Karami had gone on a dry food hunger strike on Wednesday after officials stopped Aghasi to represent him as a client.

Since protests, as many as 41 or protesters have faced death sentences, as per Iranian officials as well as Iranian media. However, actual figure is said to be much higher. Amid rampant executions, UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and European Union (EU) have appealed to Iran to stop handing out death sentences to civilians.

EU, OHCRHR 'appalled' by recent executions 

“We deplore execution of two more protesters, #MohammadMehdiKarami & #MohammadHosseini, following unfair trials based on forced confessions,” OHCHR said in a tweet on Saturday, calling it “shocking” that Iranian regime continues to execute its people in spite of “ international outcry.” “We urge Iran to halt all executions,” it added.

In a statement released on Saturday, European Union said that it was “appalled” to watch executions, which were “yet ar sign of Iranian authorities’ violent repression of civilian demonstrations.” “ European Union calls once again on Iranian authorities to immediately end strongly condemnable practice of imposing and carrying out death sentences against protesters,” EU said.