Iranian authorities execute two more protesters

By Nathan Morley

Two men have been executed in Iran. Both were accused of killing a member of the military during the ongoing pro-democracy protests.

According to state media, the men were found guilty of ‘corruption on earth’ over their supposed involvement in the death of an army officer.

Just last week a human rights group claimed that at least 100 people had been sentenced to death or charged with capital offences in connection with the protests in Iran.

The Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) identified 100 individuals whose sentences or indictments had either been announced by officials or reported by their families or news media.

The group said all defendants had been deprived of the right to access their own lawyer, due process and fair trials.

The latest executions bring the number of people executed in Iran since last month to four.

On 12 December, Iran said it had conducted a second execution linked to the protests. A week earlier, a prisoner arrested during a demonstration became the first man to be put to death.

Four months into a nationwide uprising, demonstrations are thought to have resulted in the loss of life of more than 450 people.

Despite a lack of official data, it is reported that since late September, an estimated 60 children have lost their lives in public unrest.

The protests erupted in mid-September after the death of Mahsa Amini – a young woman being held in police detention for supposedly violating the country’s hijab law.

Her death came amid a government clampdown on women’s rights which saw Iran’s hardline president sign a ruling, expanding penalties for women posting anti-hijab content on the internet.

Since the upsurge in violence, Iran's government has accused Western nations, especially the United States of fueling protester anger.