Iranian Police Officer Sentenced to Death for Killing Man During 2022 Protests
The deceased celebrated his country's defeat to the United States in the World Cup match.
Iranian media reported on Wednesday that a local police chief has been sentenced to death for the killing of a man during the protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
Mehran Samak, a 27-year-old man, was shot by the police chief after honking his car horn in Bandar Anzali following Iran's defeat to the United States in the soccer World Cup hosted by Qatar, according to organizations based outside the country.
The French Press Agency reported that Samak was fatally shot during a mass rally in the port city of Anzali, in the northern Gilan province, in November 2022.
The local police chief, Jafar Jawanmardi, was arrested thereafter for "disrespecting firearms use rules," leading to the death of Mehran Samak, according to the victim's lawyer, Majid Ahmadi.
Ahmadi stated, "This is the third time a military court has convicted the officer of murder and issued a death sentence, in accordance with the law of retribution."
In early 2024, the judiciary's media outlet, Mizan, reported that the Supreme Court had annulled two preliminary death sentences and referred the case to another court.
At that time, Gilan province was one of the strongholds of the widespread protest movement that shook Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. Amini died after being arrested by the police for not adhering to the country's dress code.
On March 8, a United Nations fact-finding mission report stated that the violent repression in Iran of peaceful mass protests and discrimination against women and girls resulted in serious human rights violations, some of which amounted to "crimes against humanity."
The mission indicated that many violations detailed in the report "constitute crimes against humanity, specifically murder, imprisonment, torture, rapes, and other forms of sexual torture, persecution, enforced disappearance, and other inhumane acts."
According to the mission's report, Tehran has arbitrarily executed at least nine young men between December 2022 and January 2024. Dozens more are still at risk of execution or facing the death penalty in relation to the protests.
Reliable figures indicate that up to 551 protesters were killed by security forces, including at least 49 women and 68 children, according to the mission, with most deaths resulting from firearms.
Mehran Samak, a 27-year-old man, was shot by the police chief after honking his car horn in Bandar Anzali following Iran's defeat to the United States in the soccer World Cup hosted by Qatar, according to organizations based outside the country.
The French Press Agency reported that Samak was fatally shot during a mass rally in the port city of Anzali, in the northern Gilan province, in November 2022.
The local police chief, Jafar Jawanmardi, was arrested thereafter for "disrespecting firearms use rules," leading to the death of Mehran Samak, according to the victim's lawyer, Majid Ahmadi.
Ahmadi stated, "This is the third time a military court has convicted the officer of murder and issued a death sentence, in accordance with the law of retribution."
In early 2024, the judiciary's media outlet, Mizan, reported that the Supreme Court had annulled two preliminary death sentences and referred the case to another court.
At that time, Gilan province was one of the strongholds of the widespread protest movement that shook Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. Amini died after being arrested by the police for not adhering to the country's dress code.
On March 8, a United Nations fact-finding mission report stated that the violent repression in Iran of peaceful mass protests and discrimination against women and girls resulted in serious human rights violations, some of which amounted to "crimes against humanity."
The mission indicated that many violations detailed in the report "constitute crimes against humanity, specifically murder, imprisonment, torture, rapes, and other forms of sexual torture, persecution, enforced disappearance, and other inhumane acts."
According to the mission's report, Tehran has arbitrarily executed at least nine young men between December 2022 and January 2024. Dozens more are still at risk of execution or facing the death penalty in relation to the protests.
Reliable figures indicate that up to 551 protesters were killed by security forces, including at least 49 women and 68 children, according to the mission, with most deaths resulting from firearms.
Translation:
Translated by AI
