On Monday, two “Quran burners” were executed in Iran on blasphemy accusations.
Iran has executed two people convicted of blasphemy. According to the judiciary’s official publication, the two individuals, Yousef Mehrdad, and Sadrollah Fazeli Zare, were executed early on Monday.
The probe, according to the publication, began three years ago when the public reported an anonymous group circulating “obscene” information, causing the judiciary to summon many people, including Mehrdad.
Mehrdad was an administrator and primary organizer of 15 internet groups and channels, according to the judiciary. He disseminated anti-Islamic and anti-prophetic propaganda and preached atheism.
Mehrad was discovered to be collaborating with Fazeli Zare, who was also charged with running 20 anti-religion web outfits.
According to the publication, their “insults” were so heinous that none of them were particularly cited in the Supreme Court’s acceptance of the verdict allowing the men to be executed.
According to the judiciary, Mehrdad’s phone also had a publicly uploaded video of the Quran being torn apart.
The executions come days after the execution of a dual Swedish-Iranian national, Habib Chaab, who was convicted for leading a national Arab separatist group accused of attacks in Iran.
According to a joint report released by the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and the France-based Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM), at least 582 executions took place last year, a 75% rise from the previous year.
According to a report released last month, it was the greatest number of executions in the Islamic Republic since 2015.
Following the murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September, the investigation discovered a “surge” in executions in Iran. The assassination of Amini ignited a months-long national revolt, which was eventually put down by a harsh police onslaught.
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