Human right activists say another young Iranian, who was detained during nationwide protests, has received the death sentence on vague political charges.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency HRANA reported Tuesday that Arshia Takdastan, 18, arrested in Nowshahr, has been sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court in the northern city of Sari in Mazandaran province.
The charges that have led to the death sentence are “enmity with God” and “Corruption on earth,” both vague principles in Islamic law that the regime uses to issue death sentences. Some clerics have challenged the government for using these charges against dissidents.
He has also been sentenced to six years of prison on charges of “disrupting security and inciting people to kill each other”, as well as “propaganda against the institution”. He must also serve two years in prison for “insulting the Supreme Leader”.
According to this report, his accusations are related to the protests held on September 21 in Nowshahr.
HRANA quoted an informed person as saying that “the court issued its verdict based on an accusation that he threw a bottle and a stone at a police car."
The same court on Monday sentenced another 18-year-old protester Mehdi (Shayan) Mohammadifard, to double death.
HRANA said the political prisoner was deprived of the right to have a lawyer and in the absence of his chosen solicitor, the court accused him of "directing and planning" the protest rally on September 21 in Nowshahr.
An informed source close to Mohammadifard's family said, “all the confessions by the defendant during the interrogation were obtained under duress.”