Iran carries out 2nd execution
The Islamic Republic yesterday hanged a man in public who state media said had been convicted of killing two members of the security forces, the second execution in less than a week of people involved in protests against Iran's ruling theocracy.
Nationwide unrest erupted three months ago after the death while in detention of 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by morality police enforcing the Islamic Republic's mandatory dress code laws. The demonstrations have turned into a popular revolt by furious Iranians from all layers of society, posing one of the worst legitimacy challenges to the Shia clerical elite since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. "Majid Reza Rahnavard was hanged in public in (the holy Shia city of) Mashhad this morning ... He was sentenced to death for 'waging war against God' after stabbing to death two members of the security forces," the judiciary's Mizan news agency reported. Mizan published pictures of the execution at dawn, showing Rahnavard hanging from a construction crane, with his hands and feet bound and his head covered with a black bag. The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said yesterday the EU will agree on a "very tough" package of sanctions against Iran to show its support for peaceful protesters.
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