Iran issues three more death sentences in a bid to quell nationwide anti-hijab protests

In a bid to squash public aggression and nationwide anti-hijab protests, Iran issued death sentences to three more protesters on Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported while citing Iranian news agency Mizan. While one protester was given the death sentence on the allegation of killing a police official and injuring others by running them over with his vehicle, the other two were given the death penalty on the charges of stabbing a policeman and setting a government building in Pakdasht on fire, and for halting traffic and vandalizing public property, respectively. 

The charges, which were described in a rather vague manner by mentioning them as "corruption on earth" and "waging a war against God", have often been used by Iran’s clerical regime to issue death sentences without proper proceedings, according to human rights groups. The country has also been accused of resorting to violence and torture to obtain confessions from those arrested. 

Earlier on Monday, Iran sentenced its first protester to death since the anti-hijab protests began in the country. It came after 272 out of 290 lawmakers of the parliament, earlier this month, voted in favour of giving death penalties to protesters in an attempt to suppress the outrage over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who was arrested by the morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly. She later died in police custody on September 16. 

Iran escalates crackdown on protesters

So far, Iran has handed out death sentences to at least five people in connection with the protests, as per statements by the country’s judiciary. However, the number could be higher, and many others are potentially at risk of facing death penalties. According to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), almost 16,000 civilians have been apprehended since the protests began in late September of this year. At least 348 protesters have been killed in the brutal crackdown by Iranian authorities, including 52 minors, as per the agency. 

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, several female demonstrators who were protesting against the morality police were targetted by baton and open fire attacks by Iran’s security forces. Videos of the violent incident went viral on social media, and displayed the women chanting slogans and setting their headscarves on fire at a railway station.