ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian authorities executed another protester on Monday who had been detained during anti-government protests in January, during which security forces killed thousands of protesters.
State media reported that Abbas Akbari Feyzabadi, from the town of Nain in Isfahan province, was hanged early Monday after being convicted of waging war against God by taking up arms against the state.
Iran regularly executes people on charges that human rights organizations say are trumped up, including cooperation with Israel and the US. Iranian security forces systematically use torture and degrading treatment to force prisoners to make self-incriminating confessions on video, which are then broadcast on TV to justify their execution.
The primary evidence against Akbari was his confession, according to state media. The confession was obtained under torture, according to human rights organisations.
“Abbas Akbari Feyzabadi was one of the armed leaders of the unrest in the city of Nain, Isfahan province. He played an important role in the attack on the county governor’s office, security centers, and public service facilities. Using a handgun he was carrying, he and a number of other rioters attacked the Naein governor’s office and opened fire on security forces,” Iran state media said referring to anti government protesters as “rioters”.