Hanged in the Square: Two Protesters Executed in Iran - Unusual Clashes Erupt | Documentation

The Iranian regime publicly executed two young men this morning in a square in Isfahan, the same location where anti-government protests erupted about six months ago. According to reports, clashes broke out between the families of the condemned and residents against armed security forces. The two were accused of killing four security personnel during the January protests.

The Iranian regime publicly executed two young men this morning (Tuesday) in a square in Isfahan, the same location where anti-government protests erupted about six months ago. The crane used as a gallows was placed there last night, and according to testimonies and videos circulated on social networks, clashes developed with security forces guarding the execution. According to the Telegram channel "Vahid Online," affiliated with the Iranian opposition, families of the political prisoners sentenced to death gathered in the square along with other residents, and clashes broke out between them and special unit forces. The forces were deployed around the execution site with motorcycles, armored vehicles, and heavy weapons, and internet access in Isfahan was also disrupted during those hours. Iran International noted that the reports of clashes could not be independently verified. The execution of the sentences was confirmed by "Mizan," the news agency of the Iranian judiciary, which identified the two as Amirhossein Safari and Abolfazl Safahi and reported that they were hanged in the early morning hours. The two are among 12 young people sentenced to death in the case known as the "Ali Khani Square Case," two others of whom were executed on July 19, and the fate of the remaining eight is unknown. January 8 is considered the night when the protests peaked, and according to estimates, millions of Iranians took to the streets that day. That evening, the regime almost completely cut off the internet and deployed armed security forces in the streets, in what became the deadliest crackdown in the history of the Islamic Republic. Human rights organizations reported that thousands of people were killed by regime bullets that very evening. The Iranian authorities attribute to the defendants involvement in the killing of four security personnel in the square, as well as arson and vandalism. According to Mizan, the two were convicted of attacking police officers "with machetes and knives, tying them to traffic signs, dragging them on the ground, pouring fuel on them, and setting them on fire" on January 8, and were charged with, among other things, "moharebeh" (war against God) and "corruption on earth." Human rights organizations reject the authorities' version and claim that the defendants did not receive a fair trial and were denied access to independent legal representation. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, Mai Sato, called yesterday to stop the executions, noting that sentencing 12 people to death in a single hearing held behind closed doors violates the rules of a fair trial.