Iran hangs two protesters, sentences nine to death

TEHRAN - Two opposition protesters were hanged in Iran Thursday and nine more were sentenced to death, the ISNA news agency reported.

The 11 had been arrested during rallies against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after last June’s presidential election although initial local reports said all of them were arrested Dec 27.

Iran’s opposition movement accused the government of having manipulated the June presidential polls, bringing about Ahmadinejad’s re-election.

According to a statement by the Revolutionary Court, the two people who were hanged and the nine facing the death penalty were members of monarchist groups and the People’s Mujaheddin, a group Iran designates as a terrorist organisation.

They had been charged with plans to topple Iran’s Islamic establishment.

The two were identified as Mohammad-Reza Ali-Zamani and Arash Rahmani-Pour, both allegedly supporters of monarchist groups.

Ali-Zamani was the first dissident to be sentenced last October to death and Rahmani-Pour apparently arrested even before the June 12 election due to his links to monarchists.

Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari-Dowlatabadi confirmed the execution of the two dissidents and said they were members of a radical monarchist group.

He told state television network IRIB that the two had confessed that besides their intentions to topple the establishment, they also had plans to assassinate leading officials

The prosecutor further said that the nine on death row - five arrested on December 27 and four in earlier demonstrations - still had a chance to take their case to the appeal court but when their initial death sentences were confirmed, they would be executed as well.

He added that the public trial of further “rioters” would soon be held.

The Iranian administration, especially the judiciary, said it distinguishes between supporters of local opposition groups that believe in the Islamic establishment but are against Ahmadinejad and those who are against the whole system.

According to Iran, both the People’s Mujaheddin and the monarchists have their bases outside Iran and, therefore, are accused of being “mercenaries” of the world powers - mainly the US and Britain - and acting as their agents inside Iran.

Observers said they believe other members of non-local groups would also face death sentences on the Islamic charge of mohareb, or enmity with god.

The nine placed on death row Thursday may appeal.

The sentences have not quashed plans for further opposition protests.

Iran is to celebrate the 31st anniversary of its 1979 Islamic revolution in February and hold the annual, state-run mass rally Feb 11.

The supporters of the local opposition, especially the Green Movement, led by Mir-Hossein Moussavi, who lost to Ahmadinejad, plan to avail themselves of the mass rally - and other related occasions - to renew their protests against the president.

During the demonstrations held on Dec 27, last year, at least eight demonstrators were killed and hundreds arrested.