Iran Carries Out Execution Linked to 2022 Protests, Drawing Outrage from Human Rights Groups

The execution of Mojahed Kourkouri, sentenced for allegedly killing protestors during Iran's 2022 anti-government demonstrations, has provoked widespread condemnation from human rights organizations, who argue his trial was unjust and marked by torture.

In a controversial move, Iran has executed Mojahed Kourkouri, whose arrest stemmed from a series of anti-government protests that ignited nationwide unrest in September 2022, following the death of Mahsa Amini. According to the Iranian judiciary, Kourkouri was convicted of involvement in armed attacks and was accused of killing several individuals during the protests in Izeh, including a nine-year-old boy named Kian Pirfalak. While Kourkouri faced charges alleging he opened fire on Pirfalak's family vehicle, conflicting accounts from the family point to security forces as the perpetrators of the fatal shooting.

This execution marks the 11th related to the protests, which saw violent repression from Iranian authorities, resulting in numerous casualties and thousands of arrests. International human rights organizations have raised alarms over the fairness of Kourkouri's trial, citing claims of torture, forced confessions, and disregard for legal representation—the concerns highlighted by Amnesty International, which further stated that Kourkouri endured severe mistreatment during his detention.

Kourkouri’s case had been reviewed by the Supreme Court after a judicial appeal, but his initial sentence was upheld, subsequently leading to the sanctioning of his execution. Human rights activists are calling for accountability concerning Iran's leadership, denouncing what they view as extrajudicial killings under the guise of maintaining order. Iranian authorities, for their part, have consistently labeled the dissenters as "rioters" and tied their actions to external forces.

The human rights group Hengaw has reported a staggering number of executions within Iranian prisons, totaling at least 582 this year alone, including various political and religious dissidents. Activists and observers alike are intensifying calls for a global response to deter the Iranian government's escalating use of capital punishment and systemic human rights abuses amid ongoing civil unrest.