Iran has executed a man who ran over and killed a police officer and injured five others during countrywide protests in 2022 in Tehran, according to Al Jazeera.
However, human rights activists challenged his conviction, claiming that he was not given a fair trial.
“After being upheld by the Supreme Court, the death penalty against defendant Mohammad Ghobadlou has been implemented early this morning,” Al Jazeera reported quoting Mizan.
The police officer died amid widespread demonstrations following the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman imprisoned for breaching Iran’s stringent women’s dress code.
Ghobadlou was first condemned to death in November 2022 after being found guilty of “corruption on earth” for hitting Tehran police with an automobile.
In February 2023, the Supreme Court gave him a stay of execution and later ordered a mental health evaluation, according to Mehr news agency.
The Supreme Court upheld the death sentence, which was carried out under Iran’s Islamic rule of revenge. Hundreds perished, including dozens of security officers, and others were jailed during the 2022 demonstrations, which the government described as “riots” orchestrated by foreigners, reported Al Jazeera, citing Mizan.
Ghobadlou is the eighth person executed after being found guilty of murder or other forms of violence against security personnel during the demonstrations.
However, human rights organisation Amnesty International stated that the 22-year-old’s right to a fair trial was violated, and the legal system did not consider his bipolar diagnosis, reported Al Jazeera.
However, Mizan said that charges of mental incapacity were incorrect.
Earlier this month, scores of people, including Ghobadlou’s family, demonstrated in front of a jail in Karaj, Iran, against his and another young man’s punishment.
