Execution of a Prisoner in Zahedan for Alleged 'Espionage' for Mossad; Mahmoud Amiri-Moghadam: Inhumane

The director of the Iran Human Rights Organization condemned the execution of a prisoner accused of 'espionage' for the Israeli Mossad in Zahedan in an interview with Voice of America, stating that the death penalty is an 'inhumane' and 'illegal' act. Mahmoud Amiri-Moghadam pointed out the 'unfair' nature of the proceedings in the Islamic Republic's courts, noting that the basis for the sentences issued to security defendants in the Islamic Revolutionary Courts has been 'confessions obtained under torture.' The judiciary-affiliated news agency, Mizan, reported on Saturday, December 16, about the execution of an individual accused of 'contacts with foreign services including Mossad' in Zahedan prison. This news agency did not mention the identity of the executed individual, stating: 'This person, while in contact with foreign services including Mossad, deliberately collected classified information and, with the participation of his associates, provided documents to foreign services, especially Mossad.' The government media did not explain how this individual accessed classified information. Mizan described his goal of 'intelligence cooperation and espionage in favor of Israel' as 'disrupting the order of the country and promoting groups and organizations opposing the Islamic Republic of Iran.' Iranian officials have reported the arrest of individuals on espionage charges in various regions of Iran in recent years. In April 2022, the Intelligence Directorate of Sistan and Baluchestan announced the arrest of three individuals with the initials 'M.S.', 'M.Z.', and 'A.Q.' on charges of 'espionage for Mossad.' Furthermore, the execution of this sentence was carried out after Mahdi Shamsabadi, the prosecutor of Sistan and Baluchestan province, announced on Friday, December 15, that following an armed attack on a police headquarters in Rask County, 12 police officers were killed and 7 others were injured. The director of the Iran Human Rights Organization, in an interview with Voice of America, suggested that the execution of the individual accused of espionage in Zahedan prison might be a 'revenge' act by the Iranian government. The armed group 'Jaish al-Adl' claimed responsibility for the attack on the police headquarters in Rask County through a statement on their Telegram channel.