Court In Iran Sentences Young Protester To Double Death

Reports say an 18-year-old who was arrested during nationwide protests in Iran has been sentenced to double death on charges of “war against God” and “corruption on earth”.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency HRANA reported Monday that Mehdi (Shayan) Mohammadifard, who was arrested in the northern city of Nowshahr on October 2, has received two death sentences issued by a Revolutionary Court.

He has also been sentenced to seven years of penal service on charges of “insulting the Supreme Leader”, “acting against the county’s security”, as well as “propaganda against the institution”.

HRANA added that this political prisoner was deprived of the right to have a lawyer and in the absence of his chosen solicitor, the court accused him of "directing and planning" the protest rally on September 21 in Noshahr.

According to judiciary claims and the issued verdict, five people were killed during the protest.

An informed source close to Mohammadifard's family said, “all the confessions by the defendant during the interrogation were obtained under duress.”

“The only documents against him, which led to the death sentence, are the forced confessions obtained during the interrogation, as well as a film attributed to Mehdi, in which the face of the person is not clear at all,” added the source.

HRANA also wrote that in recent days, it has identified 58 citizens who are sentenced to death or are at risk of receiving the death sentence.