Iran sentences six more protesters to death after controversial trial

Iran's judiciary issued death sentences for six individuals accused of involvement in the killing of a Basij militia member during the nationwide protests that erupted in 2022.

The charges against them remain contested, however, due to a lack of clear evidence linking them to the crime.

Babak Paknia, a lawyer, confirmed via social media on Wednesday that the 13th branch of Tehran’s Criminal Court had sentenced Milad Armoon, Alireza Kafa’i, Amir Mohammad Khosh Eqbal, Navid Najaran, Hossein Nemati, and Alireza Barmarzpournak to death under "qisas al-nafs"—the Islamic retributive death penalty. Paknia, who represents several of the accused, noted that the verdict is subject to appeal.

The case, tied to the broader unrest that followed the death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody, involves accusations that the defendants participated in the killing of Basij member Arman Aliverdi in the Shahrak-e Ekbatan neighborhood in western Tehran.

Security forces arrested 50 young residents of the neighborhood. The judiciary of the Islamic Republic then issued indictments for 14 individuals in connection with the case, among whom four defendants were charged with "moharebeh" (waging war against God).

Other charges in the case include "participation in premeditated murder" and "disruption of public order and peace."

A video circulating on social media showed Aliverdi, bleeding from the face and head as a protester kicked him. Authorities claim protesters also stabbed him, but the defendants have denied the allegations, and residents of Ekbatan say that Aliverdi had been trying to infiltrate the protests.

The controversy surrounding the case is compounded by reports of torture and mistreatment of the accused, with human rights organizations expressing concern over the fairness of the trial.

The incidents in Ekbatan unfolded amid the protests, during which, the Basij, along with plainclothes security officers, targeted demonstrators. In Ekbatan, Basij forces frequently shot at windows, raided apartment lobbies, and destroyed property to intimidate residents.

The Basij, ever-present in the area, maintain four bases within the five-square-kilometer complex which houses 15,500 apartments and a population of approximately 45,000.

Government forces frequently deployed tear gas and fired pellets at protesters chanting "Death to Khamenei" and "Down with the Dictator" each night and carried out arrests both inside and outside the buildings.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the grave of Basij force member, Arman Aliverdi (left) Late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi during a visit to Aliverdi’s family

Prominent political activist Hossein Ronaghi, in reaction to the sentences, wrote on X: "The issuance of death sentences for the Ekbatan children signifies the transformation of the judiciary into a weapon for silencing opponents and protesters."

The case also highlights the wider pattern of measures by Iranian authorities to suppress dissent. Human rights groups have pointed out that the trials of protest-related defendants often suffer from a lack of transparency and fail to adhere to international legal standards.

So far, nine individuals have been executed in connection with the protests, with several others facing similar charges. These include Mohammad Mehdi Karami, Mohammad Ghobado, Mohsen Shekari, and Majidreza Rahnavard, among others.

As Iran’s judiciary continues to crack down on protesters, concerns over human rights violations and the fairness of trials have escalated.