Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence Of Protester Detained In 2019

Iran's supreme court has upheld the death sentence issued to Abbas Deris, arrested during anti-government protests back in 2019.

His lawyer, Fereshteh Tabanian wrote in a Tweet that her client's death sentence was confirmed but was not communicated to him directly, under charges of moharebeh (enmity against God).

Abbas, 49, and his 29-year-old brother Mohsen, were arrested during the Mahshahr canebrake crackdown in 2019; one of the bloodiest crackdowns in the Islamic Republic. The court acquitted his brother of the moharebeh charges.

Meanwhile, human rights activists warned that Abbas's televised confession had been given under duress. He admitted participating in the protests during the interrogation sessions but denied any role in burning tires and blocking roads.

The unarmed protesters in northern Mahshahr were shot dead by security forces after blocking the street. Security forces fired heavy artillery and set parts of the canebrake on fire when protesters ran towards it to take cover. Eyewitnesses said there were at least 20 deaths on the street and 40 deaths in the canebrake. However, the authorities never provided the exact number of deaths.

Iran's protests in 2019 were ignited by the sudden and sharp increase in fuel prices in the country, and soon turned into an anti-government movement.