Amnesty urges halt to execution of 19-year-old Iranian protester

Amnesty International on Tuesday called for an immediate halt to the planned execution of 19-year-old Iranian protester Amirhossein Ghaderzadeh, whose death sentence is due to be carried out on Wednesday.

“Iranian authorities must immediately halt any plans to execute 19-year-old Amirhossein Ghaderzadeh, who has been detained since 9 January for taking part in protests in Rasht, Gilan province, and stop weaponizing the death penalty against protesters,” Amnesty said in a post on X.

“According to an informed source, the authorities told him during a court session on 17 January that he is accused of ‘betraying his country’ and sentenced to ‘death by hanging’. The authorities have informed his family that his execution is scheduled for 21 January,” the group added.