In Iran, a second protester, Majidreza Rahnavard, was executed this morning in Mashhad, on charges of killing two Basijis, members of the paramilitary force founded by Ayatollah Khomeini. According to Human Rights Activists, at least 488 people have been killed since the demonstrations began in mid-September. Another 18,200 people were arrested by the authorities.
Rahnawad was a 23-year-old professional wrestler convicted of stabbing two members of the Iranian security forces with a “knife-like blade” during protests in November. After managing to escape, he was arrested and sentenced on December 3 by the prosecutor of Khorasan province.
According to the Mizan judiciary news agency, Rahnavard was convicted of ‘muharebeh’ (the ‘war against God’) of stabbing to death two Basijis, Hossein Zeinalzadeh and Danial Rezazadeh, and wounding four others in Mashhad, province by Khorasan Razavi, on 17 November, during the revolt that has been going on since 16 September, after the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, accused of having worn the hijab ‘improperly’.
According to human rights activists, Rhanavard was severely beaten in detention, so much so that he suffered a broken arm during his arrest. He was later exposed on state TV confessing to the murders, according to observers and activists under pressure from the authorities. He is the second protester executed after Mohsen Shekari, who was hanged last Thursday, also convicted of Muharebeh, for participating in a roadblock and injuring a Basiji during the protests.
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