Six Iranian protesters sentenced to death prepare to appeal
Attorneys representing six young protesters sentenced to death for allegedly killing a Basij militia member are preparing to appeal the verdicts, according to one of the lawyers.
Attorneys representing six young protesters sentenced to death for allegedly killing a Basij militia member are preparing to appeal the verdicts, according to one of the lawyers.
The defendants' attorneys are also collectively preparing to lodge a complaint with judicial authorities about the anomalies in the trial and sentencing process, lawyer Payam Derafshan announced on X on Tuesday.
The anomalies included returning the defendants to prison while on bail only a few days before the sentencing and abruptly assigning the two investigating judges who issued the arrest warrants to the case.
The six young men were among 50 residents of the Shahrak-e Ekbatan housing complex in western Tehran, arrested in connection with the severe beating of Arman Aliverdi, a pro-establishment seminary student and a Basij militia member, at the height of the Woman, Life, Freedom protests of 2022.
Aliverdi was attacked by enraged protesters who suspected him of infiltrating their ranks. He succumbed to his injuries in the hospital two days later. Authorities have labeled Aliverdi a "martyr" and have heavily leveraged his death in state propaganda against the protesters.
The Basij maintain four bases within the five square kilometer complex which has been a hotbed of protests since 2022, heavily manned by plainclothes security agents. They often fired their guns at windows, raided apartment lobbies, and destroyed property to intimidate residents.
Dissident activist Hossein Ronaghi protesting the death sentences in Shahrak-e Ekbatan with sewn lips
In the wake of the announcement of the death sentences, security forces have increased their presence in the neighborhood. A popular dissident X account, reported on Tuesday that plainclothes agents on motorbikes were patrolling the area doing random searches of residents and their phones.
Hossein Ronaghi, a dissident activist who sewed his lips in protest last week and has been holding daily protests in various areas of Tehran since then, staged a brief one-man sit-in on Friday in the area, protesting the death sentences.
The defendants, Milad Armoon, Alireza Kafa’i, Amir Mohammad Khosh Eqbal, Navid Najaran, Hossein Nemati, and Alireza Barmarzpournak, were sentenced to death on November 13 by the magistrates of Branch 13 of the Criminal Court One.
Four of the defendants sentenced to death have also been indicted for "muhariba" (waging war against God), which also bears a death sentence. All of the accused have also been charged with “propaganda against the system” and similar charges for which they will be tried separately.
Two of the three magistrates of Branch 13 of Criminal Court One voted for a death sentence. The presiding magistrate, Babak Paknia, however, opposed it.
Paknia maintains that confessions in custody, on which the death sentences were based, are not valid unless repeated in court. During the trial, the accused denied involvement in the beatings that led to Aliverdi’s death.
The talks scheduled for November 29 were announced following a resolution by the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, condemning Tehran's lack of transparency and violations of its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
While the United States has stated it will not participate in the November 29 talks, some Iranian observers, including Mahmoud Abbaszadeh Meshkini, a former member of the Iranian parliament's foreign policy and national security committee, have expressed skepticism. Meshkini remarked, "Europeans do not make decisions on Iran's nuclear program independent of the United States. Their foreign policy aligns with US policies and priorities."
Meshkini warned that Iran should not enter the talks without a clear objective, adding that Tehran should avoid "negotiations for the sake of negotiating."
The hardline daily Kayhan, closely aligned with the office of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has emphasized that "while the talks are essential, the Pezeshkian administration should not be involved in the negotiations." Kayhan criticized the government for ignoring "the Europeans' hostile actions against Iran and the IAEA's recent resolution, which was drafted by the very countries Iran plans to negotiate with."
The paper further accused the administration of "repeated retreats" from its positions while the West continues to disregard the Pezeshkian administration's "optimistic overtures." It also noted that European nations have failed to acknowledge Pezeshkian's victory in Iran's presidential election. Kayhan warned that some might view the government's approach as "a treacherous disregard for past experiences that have harmed Iran's national interests."
The daily characterized "negotiations with Europe as a mistake" and reiterated that talks with the EU-3 are bound to fail.
The upcoming negotiations are set to take place two years after the last round of talks between Iran and European nations. However, this is not a high-level meeting, as deputy foreign ministers are scheduled to discuss "a range of bilateral, regional, and international issues," according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
The broad scope of the talks suggests that the agenda extends beyond Iran's nuclear program. Meanwhile, the moderate news outlet Khabar Online described the talks as an effort by Iran to reduce tensions with Europe.
Iranian media have also lauded the role of former Majles Speaker Ali Larijani, now a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei, in shaping diplomatic developments with Europe and the Middle East. Larijani was the first to propose negotiating with Europe and the United States in recent weeks. Observers have also noted his involvement in brokering the cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel.
Politician Ali Mohammad Namazi told Nameh News website that Larijani went to Syria and Lebanon with an important mandate from Khamenei and conducted some successful negotiations. Namazi said that Larijani's political comeback was significant and meaningful. He added that what brought him back to the forefront of Iranian politics included the prospect of a change in relations between Iran and the United States, and the tensions in Lebanon and Gaza that brought Iran very close to an all-out war with Israel.
He highlighted Larijani's experience as a former secretary of the Supreme Council of National Security from 2005 to 2007 and suggested that Pezeshkian, who maintains good relations with Larijani, should consider asking him to assume that role once again for Iran.
Reformist figure Mohammad Ali Abtahi echoed this sentiment, describing Larijani's recent mission to Lebanon as marking "a strategic shift in Iran's foreign policy" in the region. Similarly, another reformist, Mohammad Atrianfar, argued that Larijani should be reappointed as the secretary of Iran's Supreme Council of National Security, citing his pragmatic approach and his potential to facilitate the resumption of ties between Iran and the United States.