Iran has executed Mojahed Kourkouri, a man arrested during the 2022 nationwide anti-government protests, on charges including armed attacks and killings. The execution has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations, particularly given conflicting accounts surrounding the charges.
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Iran’s judiciary announced the execution of Mojahed Kourkouri, also known as Abbas Kourkouri, three years after his arrest. He was sentenced to death after convictions for armed attacks and membership in a “rebellion group,” according to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency.
He was accused of killing seven people, including nine-year-old Kian Pirfalak, during protests in the city of Izeh in November 2022.
Mojahed Kourkouri, whose execution by Iran relates to the 2022 anti-government protests
Context of the 2022 Protests
Kourkouri’s case is linked to the widespread anti-government demonstrations that swept Iran starting in September 2022. These protests were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in the custody of Iran’s morality police after being arrested for allegedly violating dress code rules.
Security forces violently cracked down on the protests, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests. Authorities often characterized the demonstrations as “riots.”
Disputed Killing Accusation
Kourkouri was specifically accused by state authorities of opening fire on a vehicle carrying Kian Pirfalak and his family in Izeh, located in the south-western province of Khuzestan.
However, Kian’s family has consistently disputed the official narrative, stating they believe security forces, not Kourkouri, were responsible for the child’s death. Kian’s mother publicly stated her belief that plainclothes forces shot her child. She later appeared to modify her remarks in a state TV interview, prompting concerns about potential coercion.
Authorities arrested Kourkouri during an armed raid the month after Kian’s death, during which Kourkouri was reportedly shot and injured. For more on similar incidents during the unrest, see: Two boys shot dead by Iran security forces – sources.
Human Rights Condemnation
Human rights organizations have strongly condemned Kourkouri’s execution, citing serious concerns about his trial and treatment. Amnesty International stated that Kourkouri’s trial was “grossly unfair,” alleging he was denied access to an independent lawyer and subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, including severe beatings, following his arrest.
They reported that confessions, broadcast on state media, were allegedly obtained under duress and torture after he was held in solitary confinement. Concerns about the fairness of the judicial process, particularly regarding access to legal counsel in death penalty cases, have been raised previously. Read more about this process here: 15 minutes to defend yourself against the death penalty.
Kourkouri was initially sentenced in April 2023. A judicial review was filed in January 2024, but his conviction was upheld, and the sentence was sent for implementation later that year.
Broader Trend: More Executions
Kourkouri is reported to be the 11th person known to have been executed in connection with the 2022 anti-government protests. Another notable case was that of Reza Rasaei, executed in August 2023, also following a trial described as “grossly unfair” by Amnesty International, relying on alleged forced confessions obtained under torture. Rasaei’s execution was reportedly carried out in secret without prior warning to his family. Learn more about related cases: Iran executes protester with mental health condition.
Groups tracking executions in Iran, such as the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights (IHR), have highlighted a high rate of executions in the country. The director of IHR, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, called for accountability for Kourkouri’s death and others, urging the international community to address the “tsunami of executions.” The Kurdish human rights group Hengaw reported that at least 582 prisoners had been executed in Iranian prisons so far this year, including political, religious, and security inmates.
Conclusion
The execution of Mojahed Kourkouri underscores the Iranian authorities’ response to the 2022 protests and raises significant human rights concerns regarding the judicial process, particularly accusations of unfair trials and the use of forced confessions amidst conflicting accounts of the events.
