Iranian authorities have executed a further three men in connection with January’s mass protests, according to the Misan news portal, which is linked to the judiciary.
Hassan Divband, Hamid Kazemi and Reza Zanganeh had been arrested during the mass protests against the Iranian leadership in January in the western city of Karaj, Misan reported on Sunday.
The men were accused of acting against Iran’s national security and interests, on behalf of Israel, the United States and “hostile groups,” the portal said.
According to Misan, the judiciary further accused them of taking part in attacks on government buildings, setting public property on fire and inciting others to do so during the protests.
Their death sentences had previously been upheld by the Supreme Court and their assets had been confiscated, the portal reported. It did not provide details of the executions. In Iran, the death penalty is usually carried out by hanging.
Human rights organizations accuse the Iranian leadership of using the death penalty for political repression and to intimidate the population.
The Iranian judiciary has now executed at least 40 men in connection with protests at the turn of the year. The demonstrations broke out amid an economic crisis in the country and quickly developed into mass protests against the authoritarian leadership.
The state violently crushed the unrest. Thousands of protesters were killed.
According to human rights organization Amnesty International, at least 2,159 people were executed in Iran last year. That is the highest figure recorded since 1981.