Authorities Pressure Family of Executed Protester

A cousin of executed protester Majid Kazemi says the security institutions have suspended Kazemi's father's retirement benefits and dismissed his sister from her job, leaving the family bereft of financial support.

The cousin, Mohammad Hashemi, also said on Twitter that Kazemi's brothers, Mehdi and Hossein, remain in custody after calling for a stay of the death penalty prior to his execution earlier this month.

Kazemi and two other protesters, Saleh Mirehashemi and Saeed Yaqoubi, were sentenced to death for the alleged killing of two Basij paramilitary force members and a special police unit colonel during protests in November 2022.

Their execution on May 19 sparked widespread public outrage, with rights groups and several governments criticizing the authorities for conducting hasty trials, forcing "confessions" and denying the accused due process.

Meanwhile, the authorities have ratcheted up pressure on their families.

Human rights groups say the Islamic Republic has escalated executions in recent weeks to try to instill fear in society following months-long protests across Iran demanding fundamental economic, social and political changes.

More than 520 people were killed during the demonstrations and over 20,000 others were unlawfully detained, activists say. Following biased trials, the judiciary has handed down stiff sentences to protesters.