Iran hanged two persons last week in connection with the unrest that erupted after last year’s disputed June presidential vote. The hangings were condemned by human rights groups and the West, which Iran accuses of backing the opposition. “These demands (by hard-liners) are political in nature and are against the law and Shariah,” Sadeq Larijani was quoted as saying on the judiciary’s official website Dadsara.
Some hard-liners, including an influential preacher, have urged the judiciary to execute more opposition supporters to end the demonstrations that have continued on-and-off despite a government crackdown and a wave of arrests.
Larijani, however, did not rule out further executions against those who “harm the Islamic establishment.” “In reviewing detainees’ cases, we will only consider the law and Islamic Shariah law (which Iran implements since its 1979 revolution),” he said.
The two men executed were accused of being part of an anti-revolutionary group who had planned to plant bombs and assassinate officials to create tension in Iran on the day of the election and afterward. Death sentences of the other nine are at the appeal stage.
Opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, who also contested the vote, condemned the hangings, calling on their supporters to attend a rally on Feb. 11, when the country marks the 31st anniversary of Iran’s revolution.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iranians would “disappoint the enemies completely on the anniversary day,” state television reported Monday.
Hard-liners have warned that they will not tolerate any more anti-government protests after the bloody demonstrations during the Ashura on Dec. 27, when eight protesters were killed and officials said over 1,000 arrested.
