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They’re a health care provider, a rapper, a karate champion, a barber and an actor, sons, grandsons and fathers. They’re among the many 13 folks Iran has hurriedly sentenced to demise in its marketing campaign to quash the monthslong rebellion towards the Islamic Republic.
In December, two males had been hanged in fast succession. Two others met the identical destiny in early January, whereas 9 others stay liable to execution, based on the human rights group Amnesty Worldwide. Different teams cite greater numbers, which The New York Instances was not in a position to independently confirm.
Many of the males have been charged with “moharebe,” a broad time period which means waging a conflict on God and sometimes carries the demise penalty in Iran.
Their trials had been fast-tracked behind closed doorways by Iran’s Revolutionary Court docket system, with government-assigned attorneys representing the defendants. The proof offered has usually been opaque, typically counting on coerced confessions or grainy video footage. Rights teams say that in a number of the circumstances of the accused, there are accounts and proof of torture.
At the least 15 others have been charged with capital offenses and are awaiting sentencing, based on Amnesty.
Not each element of the judicial proceedings or the alleged crimes could possibly be confirmed, however The Instances interviewed a number of the defendants’ pals and households and corroborated data on social media accounts with activists and reviews by Amnesty and different main human rights teams.
This text might be up to date as particular person circumstances change or new data is discovered.
Sentenced to demise
Sahand Nourmohammad-Zadeh, 26, a bodybuilding champion.
Sahand Nourmohammad-Zadeh was arrested on Sept. 23 in Tehran after collaborating in protests. He was accused of burning a trash can and tires and destroying freeway rails. The court docket’s proof relied on grainy video footage that his lawyer stated doesn’t depict him.
On the day he was arrested, he was instructed he can be executed, he stated in a telephone name together with his household that was posted on BBC Persian.
Mr. Nourmohammad-Zadeh is a bodybuilder who, based on social media posts, has received medals in statewide competitions.
He labored at a small jewellery store in a mall, close to which protests broke out in September. Mr. Nourmohammad-Zadeh has stated all he did was kick a trash can exterior the mall and transfer rails that had been already damaged, based on the tape revealed on BBC Persian. Greater than 100 staff and store house owners on the mall signed a petition vouching for his innocence.
A part of a religiously conservative household, he stated that he prays thrice a day, reads the Quran in his cell and that he didn’t perceive the cost of “moharebe,” a time period he had been unfamiliar with till his arrest.
His two grandmothers made a video pleading for his exoneration. “Our youngster is harmless, we’re two determined outdated ladies begging you to forgive him,” one of many ladies stated.
Mahan Sadrat Marani, 22.
Mahan Sadrat Marani was arrested in late October in Tehran. He was accused of attacking a Basij member with a knife, setting a bike on hearth and damaging a cell phone. The court docket’s proof relied on low-quality video footage by which no knife is seen, based on Amnesty.
The Protests in Iran
Since September, Iran has been embroiled in demonstrations prompted by the demise of a younger lady, Mahsa Amini, whereas she was in police custody.
Since his arrest, the Basij member and the cleric who filed the complaints have withdrawn them to attempt to save Mr. Sadrat Marani from execution, they stated.
Mr. Sadrat Marani’s father instructed Iranian media that the household had “kissed the palms of the 2 males,” hoping to influence them to talk out towards their son’s sentence. Mr. Sadrat Marani’s grandmothers made a video pleading mercy on him.
After a public backlash and a marketing campaign by the Basij member, Mr. Sadrat Marani’s execution was suspended simply hours earlier than he was scheduled to be hanged at daybreak. His state of affairs stays precarious.
Pictures on his social media present Mr. Sadrat Marani using motorbikes and carrying fashionably mismatched sneakers. He educated as a bodybuilder and lived together with his mother and father and sisters, working three jobs to assist his household get by, based on his two grandmothers in a video attraction to avoid wasting his life.
Mohammad Boroughani, 19.
Mohammad Boroughani was arrested in Pakdasht, Karaj, close to Tehran. He was accused of wielding a machete, setting hearth to the governor’s constructing and injuring an official on obligation with a knife. The court docket, citing Instagram messages, known as him “a frontrunner of the riots” in Pakdasht.
“I went out to the streets due to an Instagram story my pal posted. I don’t know something about politics,” Mr. Boroughani stated in his trial, based on a Tasnim Information Company report. When the choose requested him why he took movies of the clashes he replied, “I apologize and mercy. I acquired caught up within the second and did this stuff.”
When Mr. Boroughani turned 18, he rapped about his life.
“I received’t overlook the video games of childhood, bikes and enjoying — we had been so glad — now we don’t know if we’re down or up — solely reminiscences are left, the extra we become older the much less pleasure — now my solely pal is a cigarette and I’m instantly 18,” he rapped.
His father makes his residing by gathering metallic scraps to promote, based on Iranian media reviews.
On Jan. 2, Iran’s Supreme Court docket introduced that it had upheld the decision towards Mr. Boroughani.
Mohammad Ghobadlou, 22, a barber.
Mohammad Ghobadlou was arrested in Tehran on Sept. 22, and accused of operating over a police officer with a automotive, killing one individual and injuring 5 others. As proof, the court docket relied on a confession that Amnesty stated was coerced beneath torture.
Mr. Ghobadlou labored at a barbershop in Tehran. In his Instagram movies, he joking together with his shoppers: In a single video, he says that in Iran they name the sons of wealthy politicians “aghazadeh,” which interprets roughly as gents, however “the true aghazadehs are those who earn their very own residing.”
On Dec. 24, the Supreme Court docket introduced that it had upheld the decision towards Mr. Ghobadlou.
Saman Seydi (stage title Yasin), 24, a rapper and graphic artist.
Saman Seydi, identified professionally as Yasin, was arrested on Oct. 2 in Tehran. He was accused of possessing a pistol and capturing thrice within the air throughout protests. As proof, the court docket relied on confessions that Amnesty stated had been pressured beneath torture.
Mr. Seydi, a rapper and graphic artist, is from Iran’s Kurdish minority and had lived together with his mother and father and two sisters. He posted his music movies on his Instagram web page, usually rapping in Kurdish about social injustice.
“You by no means understand how robust you might be till you grow to be somebody’s rock,” he wrote on his web page alongside a selfie.
Mr. Seydi’s father, a veteran of the Iran-Iraq conflict, instructed the ILNA information company that he labored in a wooden manufacturing facility and had misplaced one son in a automotive accident. He stated that he and his members of the family had devoted their lives to defending the Islamic Republic and plenty of of them, together with his brother, had been martyrs of the conflict.
“My son is an artist, my son will not be a rioter,” Mr. Seydi’s mom stated in a video posted on social media.
Hamid Ghare Hassanlou, 53, a radiologist.
Hamid Ghare Hassanlou, a radiologist, was arrested on Nov. 4 in Karaj, simply exterior Tehran, and was accused of being concerned within the killing of a Basij member throughout protests.
His spouse, Farzaneh, 46, who was with him, has been sentenced to 25 years in jail with out visitation rights. The court docket relied on confessions that Amnesty stated had been extracted beneath torture from his spouse, who later withdrew them.
The Iranian medical group world wide has mobilized to cease Dr. Ghare Hassanlou’s execution, with 1000’s of docs demanding the discharge of him and his spouse.
Dr. Ghare Hassanlou is thought in Iran’s medical group for having lengthy served underprivileged areas. He constructed a number of colleges in rural and low-income cities, donated medical tools to clinics, handled sufferers free of charge and volunteered in a public clinic, based on his colleagues and his household’s on-line posts.
The day earlier than their arrest, Dr. Ghare Hassanlou and his spouse had been driving dwelling from work once they encountered a big protest honoring a younger lady who was killed by safety forces. Once they left their automotive within the site visitors to stroll, they had been caught up in a melee of individuals assaulting a Basij member, based on his colleague and Amnesty.
In a video launched by state media, Mrs. Ghare Hassanlou may be seen making an attempt to cease the assault on the Basij member.
On Jan. 3, the Supreme Court docket introduced that it had overturned Dr. Ghare Hassanlou’s verdict, citing shortcomings within the investigation. The case was returned to the unique choose for retrial, leaving the physician nonetheless liable to a demise sentence.
Hossein Mohammadi, 26, a theater actor.
Hossein Mohammadi was arrested on Nov. 5 at his dwelling in Karaj, and accused within the killing of a Basij member throughout a big protest in Karaj. The court docket used pressured confessions aired on state tv towards him, based on Amnesty.
Mr. Mohammadi, an award-winning theater actor, wrote poems, sang and acted in a number of brief movies and performs, and received the most effective actor award at an area artwork competition.
On Jan. 3, the Supreme Court docket introduced that it had overturned Mr. Mohammadi’s verdict, citing shortcomings within the investigation. The case was returned to the unique choose for retrial. He’s nonetheless liable to receiving a demise sentence.
Manouchehr Mehman Navaz, 45.
Manouchehr Mehman Navaz was arrested on Sept. 25 in Gharchak, in Tehran province.
He was accused of setting hearth to a authorities constructing and to a number of vehicles, and attacking a safety guard’s outpost by throwing Molotov cocktails. In its determination towards him, the court docket relied on his textual content messages to a pal, which the choose stated positioned him in a protest, and grainy footage. Prosecutors requested he be hanged in public on the similar place because the arson.
As with different defendants, little or no data is publicly out there about Mr. Mehman Navaz. He’s married and has two teenage daughters, based on Iran Human Rights Community.
Executed
Mohammad Mehdi Karami, 22, a karate champion, hanged on Jan. 7.
Mohammad Mehdi Karami was hanged on Jan. 7, about two months after being arrested in Karaj. He was accused within the killing of a Basij member throughout protests in that metropolis. The court docket relied on pressured confessions that had been broadcast on state tv, based on Amnesty.
Mr. Karami was the winner of greater than a dozen medals in nationwide karate competitions, based on a video message made by his mother and father.
His household migrated from Kurdistan province to Karaj for work; his father instructed a newspaper, Etemad, that he sells napkins and tissues on the road.
A video of Mr. Karami competing in a karate match exhibits him with a purple belt and an viewers cheering his title. He bows on the finish and offers a excessive 5 to a different athlete.
Sayed Mohammad Hosseini, 20, hanged on Jan. 7.
Sayed Mohammad Hosseini was killed by hanging on Jan. 7, additionally about two months after his arrest in early November. He was accused of the identical crime as Mr. Karami: the killing of the Basij member throughout the protest in Karaj.
After a go to to the jail the place he was being held, his lawyer, Ali Sharifzadeh Ardakani, said on Twitter that his consumer had suffered bodily abuse: “He has been severely tortured, overwhelmed up with tied palms and closed eyes, kicked in his head and falling unconscious, overwhelmed up with an iron bar to his soles of the toes and given electrical shocks on completely different elements of his physique.”
There was little or no private details about him, and his prolonged household has not spoken publicly to the media.
Mr. Mohammad Hosseini had stated he was on his technique to the cemetery the place his mother and father had been buried when he bumped into site visitors and was arrested.
“The knife I had on me was for planting flowers and crops round their graves,” he instructed the court docket choose.
Mohsen Shekari, 23, a barista hanged on Dec. 8.
Mohsen Shekari was executed by hanging on Dec. 8, lower than three months after his arrest. He was the primary protester identified to be killed in an official execution.
He was accused of burning a trash can, blocking a street, stabbing a member of the Basij militia with a machete and threatening public security.
Mr. Shekari had lived in Tehran together with his mother and father. He labored at a espresso store in a working-class neighborhood of Tehran. He appreciated saggy cargo denims and bandannas wrapped round his wrist, images on social media present.
In a single video posted on social media, he may be seen singing at a restaurant accompanied by a guitar.
“I now have one want solely, that’s to see you yet another time,” he sang. “You’re my lone star.”
Majid Reza Rahnavard, 23, a store employee hanged on Dec. 12.
Majid Reza Rahnavard was arrested on Nov. 19 within the northeastern metropolis of Mashhad and was hanged from a crane in public on Dec. 12, lower than a month after his arrest. He was the second protester identified to be formally executed.
He was accused of stabbing to demise two members of the Basij militia and wounding 4 different folks in Mashhad.
A video shared with The Instances by one among Mr. Rhanavard’s family exhibits members of the family bringing flowers to his graveside. “There may be nothing I feared greater than them taking my 23-year-old son,” his mom may be heard saying by way of sobs. “God rattling all of you who killed my son.”
Mr. Reza Rahnavard labored at a store promoting ladies’s clothes and sneakers in Mashhad. He was an avid athlete who educated as a gymnast and a wrestler, based on his household.
In a video taken earlier than his execution and verified by his household, Mr. Rahnavard seems blindfolded with a hand in a forged. Within the video, he tells a reporter, “I don’t need them to cry at my grave, I don’t need them to wish and recite the Quran for me. ” He provides, “Be glad and play joyful music.”
Leily Nikounazar contributed reporting.