Mizan News Agency, affiliated with Iran regime’s judiciary, announced the execution of Mohammad Ghobadlou’s death sentence on Tuesday morning, January 23, 2024.
On Monday, Amir Raisian, the lawyer representing Mohammad Ghobadlou, who was arrested during the nationwide protests in 2022, disclosed that he had received notice of the execution. The news sparked widespread reactions, with social media users on Monday demanding a halt to the execution.
However, on Tuesday morning, Mizan News Agency reported, “The criminal court of Tehran province executed the ‘Blood vengeance’ verdict for Mohammad Ghobadlou in the case involving the killing of a police officer named ‘Farid Karampour Hassanvand’ and injuring five other officers during last year’s riots. The execution was carried out after approval from the Supreme Court.”
The execution of Mr. Ghobadlou’s death sentence occurred even as Amir Raisian, in a conversation with Sharq newspaper, deemed the execution “completely illegal,” stating, “Ghobadlou’s case should be re-examined based on Article 477 of the Criminal Procedure Law.”
The announcement of Mr. Ghobadlou’s imminent execution on Monday drew widespread reactions from Iranian social media users and international political and human rights authorities and institutions.
Human rights organizations label the issuance and execution of death sentences and retribution in Iran as ‘government violence and the perpetuation of the cycle of aggression,’ urging the abolition of the death penalty, particularly for political and security convicts.
Mohammad Ghobadlou, accused of deliberately running over a group of police officers and murdering Farid Karampour, was among the accused who appeared before the judge on the first day of the trial of political prisoners from the 2022 protests.
Following that court session, Masoumeh Ahmadi, Ghobadlou’s mother, shared a video on social networks, revealing her son’s struggle with bipolar disorder, with reports indicating he had refused treatment for months. A medical certificate from Milad Shahriar Hospital emphasized that ‘aggression and engaging in dangerous activities’ are symptoms of this disorder.
Amnesty International, in an open letter to the head of the regime’s judiciary, labeled Ghobadlou’s trial as a ‘sham’ and ‘grossly unfair.’ The organization insisted that Ghobadlou’s legal case relied on forced confessions obtained through torture. Furthermore, Amnesty International stressed that Ghobadlou was denied the right to access a defense lawyer during the interrogation and preliminary investigation, and even when he had legal representation, authorities denied access to the case contents and indictment.
Amnesty International’s investigation also revealed instances of beating and torture, supported by forensic medical reports. The organization emphasized that keeping Ghobadlou in solitary confinement for an extended period, as reported by the authorities of Gohardasht prison, is considered a form of torture according to international standards.
