Europe-January 9, 2023

Against the background of the announcement of the Iranian judiciary

The issuance of death sentences against three people for their involvement in the killing of members of the security forces in the center of the country on the sidelines of the protests that followed the death of the young woman mehsa Amini, several European countries announced today, summoning the Iranian ambassadors to them, in response to the implementation of new death sentences.

In Berlin, German Foreign Minister Annalina beerbock announced that she had summoned the Iranian ambassador in Berlin "once again" to protest the recent execution of two men in connection with the demonstrations sparked by the death of the young woman mehsa Amini.

"She intends to clearly signal that the brutal repression, repression, intimidation of the population and the last two executions will not pass without consequences,"beerbock warned during a press conference in Berlin.

In Oslo, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry announced that it had summoned the Iranian ambassador accredited to denounce the execution of demonstrators protesting the murder of mehsa Amini. This comes in conjunction with the announcement by the Iranian judiciary to issue death sentences against three people for their involvement in the killing of members of the security forces in the center of the country on the sidelines of the protests.

Other European countries, such as Germany, Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands, also announced similar measures, while France announced that it had summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires in Paris.

In London, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverley summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires after the Iranian authorities executed protesters Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini.

"Today I summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires to condemn in the strongest possible terms the horrific executions we witnessed over the weekend,"Cleverley said in a statement.

The new sentences, which are still preliminary and subject to appeal, bring the total number of maximum sentences handed down in protest-related cases to 17, four of which have been carried out, while the Supreme Court has ratified two others.

The judiciary has already carried out death sentences against four people convicted of attacks on security officers on the sidelines of protests that have spread across the country and are nearing the end of their fourth month.

The recent executions have drawn widespread criticism from Western countries and human rights organizations.

Pope Francis on Monday called for an end to death sentences globally, specifically mentioning "Iran in the wake of recent demonstrations". "The death penalty cannot be used to bring state justice, since it does not serve as a deterrent and does not bring justice to the victims, but only feeds the thirst for revenge,"he said.

According to figures from the London-based human rights organization Amnesty International, Iran ranks second globally behind China in the number of death sentences carried out.