Dozens of people gathered to protest outside of a prison in Iran overnight after authorities were reported to be preparing to execute two anti-government protesters. The two protesters were hanged on Saturday, causing international condemnation. The people protesting the executions gathered outside of Rajai Shahr jail in the city of Karaj.
The UN human rights office called the executions of Mohammad Mahdi Karami and Seyed Mohammed Hosseini shocking and stated their executions followed unfair trials. The men were found guilty of “corruption on Earth” over their alleged involvement in killing a member of the paramilitary Basij force in Karaj in November. Both men denied the charge and stated that they had been tortured. The two men were executed in connection with the protests that grew in September after the death of a woman in custody after she was detained by morality police. At least 519 protesters and 68 security personnel have been killed in the unrest and the two men were the third and fourth people to be executed.
Read More: Crowd gathers outside prison in bid to stop executions in Iran
