Rasaei was sentenced to death under Islamic Sharia law on the principle of “retribution,” a verdict that was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court, according to the Judiciary.
On Tuesday, Iranian authorities executed a man convicted of killing a Revolutionary Guards officer during the nationwide protests in 2022, according to the judiciary.
Gholamreza Rasaei was put to death in Kermanshah prison, located in western Iran. The judiciary’s Mizan Online website reported that Rasaei had been found guilty of fatally stabbing a Revolutionary Guards colonel during what they described as “illegal protests” in November 2022.
The protests were ignited by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in custody after being arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code for women. The unrest led to hundreds of deaths, including those of dozens of security personnel, and thousands of arrests. Officials have labeled the protests as “riots” instigated by foreign influences.
Rasaei was sentenced to death in October 2023 under Islamic Sharia law on the principle of “retribution,” and the verdict was later upheld by the Supreme Court.
His execution marks the 10th instance of an individual being executed on charges related to murder or violence against security forces during the 2022 protests.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has enforced a mandatory dress code requiring women to cover their neck and head. Although the protests saw an increase in women defying these rules, authorities have recently intensified their crackdown on such violations.
According to human rights organizations like Amnesty International, Iran ranks second only to China in the number of executions carried out annually. The majority of these executions are conducted by hanging.
