TEHRAN: More than 300 people have been indicted over Tehran protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, including four charged with an offence that can carry the death penalty, Iran’s judiciary said on Monday.

The Islamic republic has witnessed a wave of protests over the death of 22-year-old Amini on Sept 16 after her arrest by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code for women.

The street violence has led to dozens of deaths, mostly among demonstrators but also among the security forces, and hundreds of protesters have been arrested.

Tehran prosecutor Ali Salehi said that indictments have been issued for 315 people on charges of “congregating and colluding with the intention of acting against the country’s security”, “propaganda against the system” and “disturbing public order”, the Judiciary’s Mizan Online news website reported.

He added that “indictments were also issued for four rioters on charges of moharebeh,” which means ‘war against God’, a charge that can carry a death sentence.

Four among them could face death penalty for confronting the system

They are accused of “using a weapon to terrorise the society and people, injuring security officers, setting fire to and destroying public and government property with the intent to disrupt the country’s security and confronting the holy system of the Islamic republic of Iran,” Salehi added.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei announced that the processing of cases related to protesters “has already started,” he was quoted as saying by Mizan Online.

“The trial of those who committed crimes... and were affiliated with counter-revolutionary elements inside and outside and with foreigners will be held carefully and according to the law, and these people will be punished according to the law,” he stressed.

The judiciary had previously announced on October 12 that more than 100 people had been charged in Tehran province and Hormozgan province over the unrest.

10 ‘Israeli agents’ detained

Iran has arrested 10 agents working for Israel in west Azerbaijan province, Fars news agency reported. These people were in direct video communication with Mossad officers, it added, referring to the Israeli intelligence agency.

Iran and Israel are longtime foes. Israel accuses Iran of backing militant attacks against it, while Iran says Israel has carried out a number of killings of Iranian officials. Israel does not confirm nor deny reports of such actions.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2022