January 24, 2024
Cited Article from CNN
HRRC condemns the unjust execution of an Iranian Protestor with a mental health condition and criticizes sham trials by Iranian authorities in response to the demonstrations.
News Brief
In a disturbing development, an Iranian protester, Mohammad Ghobadlou, who suffered from a mental health condition, was executed over the death of a local official during the mass demonstrations that shook the country in 2022. According to the Iranian judiciary’s news agency Mizan, Ghobadlou's death sentence for the intentional murder of Farid Karampour Hassanvand was carried out after 487 days of judicial review. The Iranian authorities claim that Ghobadlou ran over the official during a protest in Tehran province in September 2022. Notably, Ghobadlou had been under the supervision of a psychiatric hospital for bipolar disorder since the age of 15, and rights groups, including Amnesty International, criticized the death sentence for being based on "grossly unfair sham trials" and failing to conduct proper mental health assessments, which are prohibited under international law and standards.
The execution of Ghobadlou is part of a broader crackdown on protesters in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. At least eight protesters have been executed in connection to the demonstrations triggered by Amini's death, who died in the custody of Iran’s morality police. The protests led to a harsh response from Iranian authorities, resulting in numerous deaths, mass arrests, and criticized sham trials. The international community, particularly human rights organizations, is condemning these actions and calling for accountability, emphasizing the violation of human rights and international standards in the treatment of individuals involved in the protests.