Death Sentences for Two Defendants in the 'Armed Robbery' Case on Sadra Highway

The judiciary of the Islamic Republic has announced the issuance of death sentences for the first and second defendants in the 'armed robbery' case on Sadra Highway in Tehran. The Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary, reported on Wednesday, July 20, that the charges against the two defendants were 'waging war through cold weapons' and 'creating insecurity in the environment.' The third defendant in this case was also sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment for complicity in waging war, taking into account the time spent in detention. On April 9 of this year, the release of videos on social media showing an armed robbery with cold weapons by three motorcyclists from an L90 vehicle on Sadra Highway in Tehran sparked significant reactions among users. The two defendants were sentenced to death despite the fact that after the incident, the Mehr news agency quoted the Tehran police as confirming 'robbery and extortion' on Sadra Highway, but denied the armed nature of the robbery despite the sighting of weapons in the hands of the robbers. On the other hand, Ali Salehi, the Tehran prosecutor, announced on May 13 during a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council the issuance of an indictment against the defendants in this case. The court also sentenced all three defendants to 10 years of imprisonment and restitution of the stolen property for their participation in armed robbery, considering their criminal history and the method of committing the crime. The first defendant was also ordered to pay compensation to one of the plaintiffs. This ruling is subject to appeal, and if appealed, the case will be sent to the Supreme Court for review. In recent years, with the worsening economic and living conditions of the people, the statistics of extortion and robbery in Iran have significantly increased. In recent years, some law enforcement and judicial officials have emphasized the need to intensify actions against robbers and extortionists, including the commander of the Islamic Republic's police, who on August 20, 2022, called for the execution of extortionists on the Niayesh Highway at the scene of the crime to serve as a 'lesson' for others. The prosecutor of Razavi Khorasan province also requested on July 13, 2022, that judges issue sentences of amputation and even execution for theft crimes that meet the conditions for issuing a Hadd (punishment) based on law and Sharia, without regard to foreign outcries. The emphasis on increasing punishments for theft by officials of the Islamic Republic comes at a time when many officials and experts consider economic pressures, rising inflation, and unemployment as the main factors behind the increase in theft statistics in Iran. Hossein Ashtari, the former commander of the Islamic Republic's police, had previously stated that since 2018, with rising prices, theft statistics in the country have suddenly increased by 37%.