Amnesty International Condemns the 'Secret and Shocking' Execution of Reza Rasayi by the Islamic Republic

On Tuesday, August 7, Amnesty International issued a statement condemning the 'secret and shocking' execution of Reza Rasayi, a young protester involved in the nationwide 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests, by the Islamic Republic. The organization stated that 24-year-old Reza Rasayi, who belonged to ethnic and religious minorities in Iran, was executed arbitrarily by the Islamic Republic without prior notice to him, his lawyer, or his family. Diana Tahavi, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, said in the statement: 'At a time when global and domestic media attention is focused on regional tensions with Israel, Iranian officials have arbitrarily and horrifically executed a young man who was tortured and subjected to other abuses, including sexual violence, while in detention and was executed after a sham trial.' She added: 'This execution once again shows that the judicial system of the Islamic Republic is fundamentally 'rotten,' and Iranian officials are determined to use the death penalty as a tool for political repression and instilling fear among the people.' Ms. Tahavi, referring to the inauguration of Masoud Pezeshkian as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, stated that in light of Reza Rasayi's execution, any illusion of progress in human rights in Iran is eliminated. She added: 'The continued arbitrary executions of protesters following the nationwide 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests once again shows that without constitutional, legal, and policy reforms, human rights violations and the death penalty will continue in the Islamic Republic.' Diana Tahavi also emphasized the need to initiate judicial investigations based on accepted global principles against all individuals suspected of involvement in crimes under international law, including senior officials of the Islamic Republic. According to reports from Iranian media, Reza Rasayi, a 34-year-old young man who was arrested in the city of 'Shahneh' in Kermanshah during the protests of 2022, was executed early on Tuesday. According to the human rights organization 'Hengaw,' Reza Rasayi's death sentence was executed secretly and without his family's knowledge at the central prison (Dizelabad) in Kermanshah. Security agencies later informed Rasayi's family about the execution, warning them that 'they are not allowed to bury him in his hometown; Shahneh.' Reza Rasayi was sentenced to death for murder by the second branch of the Kermanshah Criminal Court last October. This sentence was later confirmed in late December by the 17th branch of the Supreme Court. This condemned protester was sentenced to death for the alleged murder of Nader Birami, the head of the intelligence department in 'Shahneh,' but he had denied the accusation. Reactions to Reza Rasayi's execution: As long as the Islamic Republic exists, 'poverty, executions, and torture' will continue. Reza Rasayi, one of the detainees from the 2022 protests, was executed; his body was buried under security measures in a location far from the city. Family visits and phone calls were cut off, and harassment and pressure on Reza Rasayi increased. Amnesty International warned about the execution of eight other protesters.