Three executed in Iran for anti-regime protests

Three men were executed Sunday in Iran after being accused of taking part in violent protests against the regime in Tehran this past January. According to Iranian media reports, Hassan Divband, Hamid Kazemi, and Reza Zanganeh were accused of throwing Molotov cocktails and grenades, as well as using bladed weapons and firearms during anti-regime protests in Karaj, west of Tehran. Among other allegations, they were accused of damaging a power station, causing outages across numerous areas.

Mizan Onlin e, a website affiliated with Iran’s judiciary, reported: "The death sentences against Hassan Divband, Hamid Kazemi, and Reza Zanganeh were carried out this morning after being upheld by the Supreme Court. They were found guilty of participating in operational activities on behalf of the Israeli Zionist regime, the US, and hostile groups." In recent months, since Israel’s first attack on Iran in February, the number of executions of anti-regime protesters in Iran has risen significantly.

The protests erupted this past January over the cost of living, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets in cities across Iran to demonstrate against the regime. Iranian security forces opened fire on demonstrators. According to reports by nongovernmental organizations operating outside Iran, tens of thousands of protesters were killed. The Iranian regime also shut down internet access nationwide to hinder the flow of information to Western countries.