Iran top judge orders harsh sentences for ‘main riot elements’ - Al Jazeera English

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Iran has been rocked by weeks of protests pursuing the decease of Mahsa Amini successful custody.

Published On 13 Oct 2022

Iran’s judiciary main has ordered judges to contented harsh sentences for the “main elements of riots” arsenic protests continue implicit the decease of Mahsa Amini, a young pistillate who died successful custody astir a period ago,

“I person instructed our judges to debar showing unnecessary sympathy to main elements of these riots and contented pugnacious sentences for them portion separating the little blameworthy people,” the Iranian semi-official Students News Agency quoted Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei arsenic saying connected Thursday.

Mohseni-Ejei had antecedently ordered courts crossed the state to fast-track the cases of those arrested.

The protests started successful mid-September aft Amini, 22, died portion successful the custody of Iran’s alleged “morality police” for an alleged breach of the country’s strict formal codification for women.

A study past week by the aesculapian examiner’s bureau did not specifically notation the origin of Amini’s decease but said she had a encephalon tumour operated connected erstwhile she was eight, and no blows were dealt to her caput oregon different organs.

Amini’s household person refuted the authorities’ relationship that she was not beaten, and has besides questioned the validity of the coroner’s report.

Her decease triggered the biggest protests successful Iran since 2019 erstwhile a astonishment determination to ration substance and rise prices sparked unrest.

Last week, Majid Mirahmadi, lawman for information and constabulary affairs astatine the interior ministry, had warned that “anyone who is arrested astatine the country of the riots volition not beryllium freed nether immoderate circumstances until the clip of their trial, which volition beryllium held rapidly and volition contented assertive and deterring sentences”.

Dozens of radical person truthful acold been indicted successful transportation with “riots”, portion stringent net restrictions continue.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi connected Thursday accused the United States of resorting to a “policy of destabilisation” against Iran.

“Following the nonaccomplishment of America successful militarisation and sanctions, Washington and its allies person resorted to the failed argumentation of destabilisation,” Raisi said astatine a acme successful Kazakhstan, according to his office.