explainer
Iran’s judiciary has confirmed that two people have been sentenced to death in cases related to the protests.
Tehran, Iran – Reports that the Iranian government has sentenced about 15,000 people to death for participating in two months of protests in the country have been widely circulated on social media and in the news.
As Newsweek first reported, they became so viral that even Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted about the allegations, stating, “Canada is following the Iranian regime’s barbaric attempt to impose the death penalty on nearly 15,000 protesters.” I condemn the decision,” he said.
The protesters in question have come a long way since the death in custody of Martha Amini, a 22-year-old woman arrested by the Iranian morality police in Tehran on September 16 for not following Iranian women’s dress code. I’m out on the road almost every day. .
However, Prime Minister Trudeau later deleted the tweet, and Newsweek corrected the article.
Let’s take a closer look.
Is the number 15,000 real?
- Thousands have been arrested and some have been sentenced to death in Iran, but that number falls short of the reported 15,000.
- The figure of 15,000 is the number of people believed to have been arrested, according to foreign-based human rights and media groups. The same source reports that more than 350 protesters have been killed.
Where did the story of 15,000 executions come from?
- News of the execution was signed by 227 of Iran’s 290 parliamentarians, who said those involved in the “moharebeh” (waging war against God) “resolutely” responded in a way that “set an example”. ” seems to stem from the statement that it should be addressed. .
- Along with “corruption on earth”, mohalebeh is one of the charges used by the Iranian judiciary that can carry the death penalty, thus the apparent falsehood that led to the claim that 15,000 people were sentenced to death. here is report.
- The statement was criticized online, with some lawmakers trying to clarify their position, saying it didn’t mean that all protesters should be executed.
- A few days later, a document began circulating online that allegedly gave the names of 227 lawmakers in a letter requesting the judiciary to treat all those arrested in the protest as those engaged in the Mohalebeh.
- However, the list of lawmakers is outdated and includes former members of parliament, so the letter appears to be a fake. I am a minister. The Iranian judiciary also denied the authenticity of the letter.
How many people were sentenced to death?
- The fact that exaggerated reports have been debunked does not mean that the death sentence was never handed down. Iran’s judiciary on Sunday announced that an unnamed ‘rioter’ had been handed the first death sentence for violating national security.
- The judiciary also announced Wednesday that a second death sentence related to the protest had been handed down. , was charged in Mohalebeh for attacking and injuring an individual with a knife.
- Several others, unnamed, have been sentenced to five to 10 years in prison on national security-related charges.
- The judiciary said the Tehran ruling was provisional and would need to be approved by an appeals court before making a final decision, after which the details would be made public.
- More than 1,000 indictments have been issued against “rioters” in Tehran, with more in other parts of the country, according to judicial authorities.
Any updates on the protests?
- The protests continue to spread across the country, and videos are being released daily despite the strict internet restrictions imposed from the beginning.
- Protests and strikes took place on Tuesday and Wednesday to mark the anniversary of the 2019 nationwide protests.
- Iranian authorities have declined to release an official tally of how many people were killed, injured or arrested during the protests. However, they said more than 40 members of the security forces were killed.
