On May 19, Iranian authorities executed three men who were accused of massive
violence during last year’s anti-government protests following the death of Mahsa Amini
who was arrested and was under custody of the state morality police for alleged breach
of Islamic dress code. She was accused of wearing an “improper” hijab (headscarf).
According to certain reports, she was beaten in custody, however, the authorities have
denied such claims.
According to the judiciary’s Mizan Online news website, Majid Kazemi, Saleh
Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaghoubi were convicted of “moharebeh”, or “war against God”,
for using a gun during a protest in the central city of Isfahan, resulting in the death of
three members of the security forces. Execution of these three men were announced.
People protesting against the Islamic regime in Iran in light of the killing of Mahsa Amini on December 10, 2022 (Photo: Reuters)
Unprecedented protests and demonstrations erupted in Iran after the September 16
custodial death of the 22-year old Mahsa Amini, which demanded the overthrow of the
theocratic regime which has been ruling the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Thousands of youngsters, mostly women, demonstrated calling for an end to hijab rules
and other reforms in the law. The government resorted to heavy repression to control
the situation and bring order. The government labeled the unrest as foreign-instigated
“riots” while arresting and killing thousands of protesters. Iran has executed seven
people in total who were involved in the protests.
The theocratic system of the country is different from traditional theocracy, in order of its
essence and functioning. It is a tightly held system. It derives legitimacy through
presidential and legislative elections while making sure that the clergy is in power and in
firm control. The clergy has maximum power consolidated in its hands. All the organs of
the Iranian government, which include – the Presidency, the Judiciary and the Majlis, are
presently under the control of the hardliners who always have the office of the Supreme
leader. The protests seem to challenge the concentration of power by the orthodox and
the sidelining of the moderates.
Protester holding a photo of Mahsa Amini (Source: AFP File Photo)
According to the rights groups, the three men were subjected to torture, forced
confessions and were not allowed to defend themselves and were denied due process
of law. However, according to the judicial authorities, the convicts made the confessions
and statements willingly, which serves as a proof that the shootings carried out by the
three individuals culminated in the death of the three security forces.
Hadi Ghaemi, the executive director of the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran informed about the forced confessions and irregularities in the judgment explaining the political
motivation behind the situation. The convicts were also accused of being members of
“illegal groups with the intention of disrupting national security.
The protests have lost momentum in recent months, however there are some sudden
outbursts, acts of defiance, and refusal of some women to wear the hijab.
The survival and sustenance of any regime is dependent on its ability to adapt to
circumstances and bring about necessary reforms both internally and externally. Iran
has thus far resisted and stalled reforms since the revolution in 1979. But as the
stringent laws lose legitimacy, the Ayatollahs are brought in to face a major challenge.
