Iranian prosecutors will press capital crime charges against some detained protesters, raising fears of a new wave of executions to quell unrest.
PARIS: Iranian authorities will press capital crime charges against some suspects arrested over recent demonstrations.
Prosecutors announced the move on Tuesday as alarm grows over the potential for extensive use of the death penalty.
The office of the Tehran prosecutor said an unspecified number would be charged with “moharebeh”, or “waging war against God”.
This sharia law term is a capital crime in Iran and has been widely used in past death penalty cases.
“A number of rioters whose charges are consistent with moharebeh will soon be sent to court,” a statement quoted by state television said.
Rights groups say hundreds, potentially more, have been killed in the protests.
Iranian state media emphasises that dozens of security force members were killed by “rioters”.
Iran is the world’s second most prolific executioner after China, according to rights groups.
The Norway-based Iran Human Rights group said it executed at least 1,500 people last year.
Twelve people were executed over the last major protest wave from 2022 to 2023.
Another 12 have been executed on charges of spying for Israel since a war in June between the two foes.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said it was “extremely worrying to see public statements by some judicial officials indicating the possibility of the death penalty being used against protesters through expedited judicial proceedings”.
IHR said it feared the Islamic republic “is seeking to conduct rapid trials without observing fair trial standards for detained protesters”.
It highlighted the case of Erfan Soltani, 26, who was arrested last week in the Tehran satellite city of Karaj.
A family source said he has already been sentenced to death and could be executed as early as Wednesday.
The charges against him are unclear and the case has not been reported by state media.
