Iran on Monday executed a member of the nation’s Jewish minority who had been convicted of homicide, an NGO stated, at a time of rising tensions with Israel.
Arvin Ghahremani was hanged in jail within the western metropolis of Kermanshah after being discovered responsible of a homicide throughout a road combat, stated the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) group.
“Within the midst of the threats of struggle with Israel, the Islamic republic executed Arvin Ghahremani, an Iranian Jewish citizen,” stated IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, including the authorized case had “important flaws”.
“Nevertheless, along with this, Arvin was a Jew, and the institutionalised anti-Semitism within the Islamic republic undoubtedly performed an important position within the execution of his sentence,” Amiry-Moghaddam added.
IHR stated that Ghahremani was accused of killing a person throughout a road combat in Kermanshah two years in the past. However it stated that, in keeping with his household, he had been attacked with a knife and defended himself utilizing the attacker’s weapon.
Ghahremani’s mom, Sonia Saadati, had requested for his life to be spared.
His household urged the sufferer’s kinfolk to simply accept blood cash underneath Iran’s Islamic legislation of retribution (qesas), which allows this different.
In keeping with IHR, Iran is seeing a surge in executions, with not less than 654 individuals hanged this yr together with 166 in October alone.
– Retrial requests rejected –
The Mizan On-line web site of the Iranian judiciary confirmed Ghahremani’s execution, saying the sufferer’s household had “refused to provide consent” to such a deal.
Mizan, which didn’t seek advice from Ghahremani’s Jewish religion in its report, stated the incident passed off in November 2022 as a result of a monetary disagreement. Ghahremani stabbed the sufferer to loss of life with a knife.
The defendant’s attorneys requested a retrial 3 times, however every request was rejected, it added.
Mizan stated that Ghahremani was 21 on the time of the combat. Nevertheless IHR stated he was 18 then, with different studies saying he was 20 or 21 by the point of his execution.
The US-based Human Rights Activists information company (HRANA) additionally confirmed the execution and the Jewish religion of Ghahremani, who was also referred to as Nathaniel.
The as soon as sizeable Jewish neighborhood in Shiite Muslim-dominated Iran has dwindled for the reason that 1979 Islamic Revolution however stays the most important within the Center East exterior Israel.
Whereas Jewish Iranians had been executed within the speedy aftermath of the revolution, there was no execution of any Jewish Iranians in recent times.
Iran and Israel have traded unprecedented air assaults this yr following the outbreak of Israel’s wars with armed teams backed by the Islamic republic within the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
Following Iran’s October 1 salvo of missiles in opposition to Israel — supposed as a reprisal to Israeli strikes that killed senior figures in Iran-backed teams Hezbollah and Hamas — Israel on October 26 attacked Iranian air defences and oil manufacturing amenities.
Iran’s supreme chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday vowed new retaliation for assaults by Israel, saying “the enemies, each the USA and the Zionist regime, ought to know that they may undoubtedly obtain a tooth-breaking response.”
Estimates in recent times have typically put the numbers of Jews remaining Iran as 20,000 however the newest report on spiritual freedom of the US state division cited the Tehran Jewish Committee as saying the inhabitants was now as small as 9,000.
The Islamic republic doesn’t recognise Israel and Israeli flags are often burned and the slogan “loss of life to Israel” chanted in road demonstrations.
Nevertheless the authorities reject prices of anti-Semitism, saying Iran’s Jewish neighborhood is a recognised minority within the structure with freedom of worship and an MP to symbolize their pursuits in parliament.
