Latest news with #RasoulAhmadRasoul
Nahar Net
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Iran hangs three more accused of spying as fears grow for Swede
by Naharnet Newsdesk 25 June 2025, 17:19 Iran on Wednesday hanged three men convicted of spying for Israel after what activists decried as an unfair trial, bringing to six the number of people executed on such charges since the start of the war between the Islamic republic and Israel. The hangings have also amplified fears for the life of Swedish-Iranian dual national Ahmadreza Djalali who has been on death row for seven-and-a-half years after being convicted of spying for Israel which his family vehemently denies. The executions also bring to nine the number of people executed by Iran on espionage charges since the start of 2025, with activists accusing the Islamic republic of using capital punishment as a means to instil fear in society. Idris Ali, Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul and Azad Shojai were executed earlier Wednesday in the northwestern city of Urmia, the judiciary said, the day after a truce between the Islamic republic and Israel came into effect. They had "attempted to import equipment into the country to carry out assassinations," it added. Iran had executed three other men accused of spying for Israel since the start of the conflict on June 13, in separate hangings on June 16, June 22 and June 23. "The Islamic Republic sentenced Idris Ali, Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul, and Azad Shojai to death without a fair trial and based on confessions obtained under torture, accusing them of espionage," Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), told AFP. He said Ali and Shojai were two border porters -- known locally as kolbar -- who carry goods over the border. "They were arrested on charges of smuggling alcoholic beverages but were forced to confess to espionage for Israel," he said. Ali and Shojai were members of Iran's Kurdish minority while Rasoul, while also Kurdish, was an Iraqi national. - 'Imminent risk' - He warned that in the coming weeks the lives of "hundreds" more prisoners sentenced to death were at risk. "After the ceasefire with Israel, the Islamic republic needs more repression to cover up military failures, prevent protests, and ensure its continued survival." Djalali was arrested in 2016 and sentenced to death in October 2017 on charges of spying following what Amnesty International has termed "a grossly unfair trial" based on "'forced confessions' made under torture and other ill-treatment." Long held in Tehran's Evin prison, which was hit by an Israeli strike on Monday before the truce, he has now been transferred to an unknown location, raising fears that his execution could be imminent, his family and government said. "He called me and said, 'They're going to transfer me.' I asked where, and he said, 'I don't know,'" his wife Vida Mehrannia told AFP. "Is it because they want to carry out the sentence? Or for some other reason? I don't know," she said, adding that she was "very worried" following the latest executions. The Swedish foreign ministry said it had received information that he has been moved to an "unknown location" and warned there would be "serious consequences" for Sweden's relationship with Iran were he to be executed. Amnesty International said Tuesday it was "gravely concerned" that he "is at imminent risk of execution". - 'Grossly unfair trials' - Rights groups say defendants in espionage cases are often convicted under vaguely-worded charges which are capital crimes under Iran's sharia law including "enmity against god" and "corruption on earth". Analysts say that Israel's intelligence service Mossad has deeply penetrated Iran, as shown by its ability to locate and kill key members of the Iranian security forces in the conflict. But rights groups say that those executed are used as scapegoats to make up for Iran's failure to catch the actual spies. Iran's judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei had ordered swift trials against people suspected of collaborating with Israel with rights groups saying dozens of people have been arrested since the conflict started. "A rush to execute people after torture-tainted 'confessions' and grossly unfair trials would be a horrifying abuse of power and a blatant assault on the right to life," said Hussein Baoumi, deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International. According to IHR, Iran has executed 594 people on all charges this year alone. Iran executes more people every year than any nation other than China.
France 24
5 hours ago
- Politics
- France 24
Iran hangs three more accused of spying as fears grow for Swede
The hangings have also amplified fears for the life of Swedish-Iranian dual national Ahmadreza Djalali who has been on death row for seven-and-a-half years after being convicted of spying for Israel which his family vehemently denies. The executions also bring to nine the number of people executed by Iran on espionage charges since the start of 2025, with activists accusing the Islamic republic of using capital punishment as a means to instil fear in society. Idris Ali, Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul and Azad Shojai were executed earlier Wednesday in the northwestern city of Urmia, the judiciary said, the day after a truce between the Islamic republic and Israel came into effect. They had "attempted to import equipment into the country to carry out assassinations," it added. Iran had executed three other men accused of spying for Israel since the start of the conflict on June 13, in separate hangings on June 16, June 22 and June 23. "The Islamic Republic sentenced Idris Ali, Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul, and Azad Shojai to death without a fair trial and based on confessions obtained under torture, accusing them of espionage," Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), told AFP. He said Ali and Shojai were two border porters -- known locally as kolbar -- who carry goods over the border. "They were arrested on charges of smuggling alcoholic beverages but were forced to confess to espionage for Israel," he said. Ali and Shojai were members of Iran's Kurdish minority while Rasoul, while also Kurdish, was an Iraqi national. 'Imminent risk' He warned that in the coming weeks the lives of "hundreds" more prisoners sentenced to death were at risk. "After the ceasefire with Israel, the Islamic republic needs more repression to cover up military failures, prevent protests, and ensure its continued survival." Djalali was arrested in 2016 and sentenced to death in October 2017 on charges of spying following what Amnesty International has termed "a grossly unfair trial" based on "'forced confessions' made under torture and other ill-treatment." Long held in Tehran's Evin prison, which was hit by an Israeli strike on Monday before the truce, he has now been transferred to an unknown location, raising fears that his execution could be imminent, his family and government said. "He called me and said, 'They're going to transfer me.' I asked where, and he said, 'I don't know,'" his wife Vida Mehrannia told AFP. "Is it because they want to carry out the sentence? Or for some other reason? I don't know," she said, adding that she was "very worried" following the latest executions. The Swedish foreign ministry said it had received information that he has been moved to an "unknown location" and warned there would be "serious consequences" for Sweden's relationship with Iran were he to be executed. Amnesty International said Tuesday it was "gravely concerned" that he "is at imminent risk of execution". 'Grossly unfair trials' Rights groups say defendants in espionage cases are often convicted under vaguely-worded charges which are capital crimes under Iran's sharia law including "enmity against god" and "corruption on earth". Analysts say that Israel's intelligence service Mossad has deeply penetrated Iran, as shown by its ability to locate and kill key members of the Iranian security forces in the conflict. But rights groups say that those executed are used as scapegoats to make up for Iran's failure to catch the actual spies. Iran's judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei had ordered swift trials against people suspected of collaborating with Israel with rights groups saying dozens of people have been arrested since the conflict started. "A rush to execute people after torture-tainted 'confessions' and grossly unfair trials would be a horrifying abuse of power and a blatant assault on the right to life," said Hussein Baoumi, deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.
Int'l Business Times
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Iran Hangs Three More Accused Of Spying As Fears Grow For Swede
Iran on Wednesday hanged three men convicted of spying for Israel after what activists decried as an unfair trial, bringing to six the number of people executed on such charges since the start of the war between the Islamic republic and Israel. The hangings have also amplified fears for the life of Swedish-Iranian dual national Ahmadreza Djalali who has been on death row for seven-and-a-half years after being convicted of spying for Israel which his family vehemently denies. The executions also bring to nine the number of people executed by Iran on espionage charges since the start of 2025, with activists accusing the Islamic republic of using capital punishment as a means to instil fear in society. Idris Ali, Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul and Azad Shojai were executed earlier Wednesday in the northwestern city of Urmia, the judiciary said, the day after a truce between the Islamic republic and Israel came into effect. They had "attempted to import equipment into the country to carry out assassinations," it added. Iran had executed three other men accused of spying for Israel since the start of the conflict on June 13, in separate hangings on June 16, June 22 and June 23. "The Islamic Republic sentenced Idris Ali, Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul, and Azad Shojai to death without a fair trial and based on confessions obtained under torture, accusing them of espionage," Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), told AFP. He said Ali and Shojai were two border porters -- known locally as kolbar -- who carry goods over the border. "They were arrested on charges of smuggling alcoholic beverages but were forced to confess to espionage for Israel," he said. Ali and Shojai were members of Iran's Kurdish minority while Rasoul, while also Kurdish, was an Iraqi national. He warned that in the coming weeks the lives of "hundreds" more prisoners sentenced to death were at risk. "After the ceasefire with Israel, the Islamic republic needs more repression to cover up military failures, prevent protests, and ensure its continued survival." Djalali was arrested in 2016 and sentenced to death in October 2017 on charges of spying following what Amnesty International has termed "a grossly unfair trial" based on "'forced confessions' made under torture and other ill-treatment." Long held in Tehran's Evin prison, which was hit by an Israeli strike on Monday before the truce, he has now been transferred to an unknown location, raising fears that his execution could be imminent, his family and government said. "He called me and said, 'They're going to transfer me.' I asked where, and he said, 'I don't know,'" his wife Vida Mehrannia told AFP. "Is it because they want to carry out the sentence? Or for some other reason? I don't know," she said, adding that she was "very worried" following the latest executions. The Swedish foreign ministry said it had received information that he has been moved to an "unknown location" and warned there would be "serious consequences" for Sweden's relationship with Iran were he to be executed. Amnesty International said Tuesday it was "gravely concerned" that he "is at imminent risk of execution". Rights groups say defendants in espionage cases are often convicted under vaguely-worded charges which are capital crimes under Iran's sharia law including "enmity against god" and "corruption on earth". Analysts say that Israel's intelligence service Mossad has deeply penetrated Iran, as shown by its ability to locate and kill key members of the Iranian security forces in the conflict. But rights groups say that those executed are used as scapegoats to make up for Iran's failure to catch the actual spies. Iran's judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei had ordered swift trials against people suspected of collaborating with Israel with rights groups saying dozens of people have been arrested since the conflict started. "A rush to execute people after torture-tainted 'confessions' and grossly unfair trials would be a horrifying abuse of power and a blatant assault on the right to life," said Hussein Baoumi, deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International. According to IHR, Iran has executed 594 people on all charges this year alone. Iran executes more people every year than any nation other than China. The life of Ahmadreza Djalali is at imminent risk, he wife said AFP
Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Iran executes three men accused of spying for Israel
Iran has executed three men accused of spying for Israel, as it cracks down on suspected foreign interference. Since Israel started bombing the country, hundreds of people have also been arrested. The hangings on Wednesday mean that six people have now been executed on similar charges. The three men – Idris Aali, Azad Shojaei and Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul – were executed at dawn at Urmia prison on charges of 'corruption on Earth through cooperation with hostile foreign states in favour of Israel', according to state media. Iran's Revolutionary Guard-affiliated Fars news agency reported on Wednesday that authorities have arrested more than 700 people across the country on allegations of spying for Israel. Both the arrests and the executions suggest that the Islamic Republic is waging an extensive crackdown going forward as the regime works to regain power and legitimacy after the devastation. Iranian officials are likely more concerned than ever about the risk of espionage given that it has emerged that Israeli intelligence was able to operate from within Iran to launch its initial attack. The executions came one day after Iran accepted a US-brokered ceasefire ending 12 days of war with Israel. All three had been arrested in connection with the 2020 assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a Iranian nuclear scientist. 'Imported assassination equipment' Aali and Shojaei were cross-border porters, known as kolbars, initially detained on alcohol smuggling charges who later confessed under interrogation to importing 'equipment for assassinating nuclear figures', according to authorities. Iran's judiciary-affiliated Mizan news agency claimed that the men had 'imported assassination equipment under the cover of alcohol shipments'. The killings follow Iran's recent execution of Ismail Fekri and Mohammad Amin Mahdavi Shayesteh on espionage charges. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights Organisation said Fekri was 'sentenced to death in a brief 10-minute trial based on confessions made during interrogation' without access to a lawyer in Branch 26 of Tehran's Revolutionary Court. Iran has been cracking down on citizens since the war began, claiming that Israeli agents have deeply infiltrated the country. The 700 arrests happened over 12 days and spanned provinces including Kermanshah, Isfahan, Khuzestan, Fars and Lorestan. No arrest figures were provided for Tehran. Security officials accused the detained individuals of 'directing suicide drones', 'making homemade bombs', 'photographing sensitive military sites' and 'sending information to Israel'. Authorities also claimed to have confiscated more than 10,000 'micro-drones' in Tehran alone. Iranian officials have not provided independent verification of the detainees' identities or case details, and no photographic evidence of alleged confiscated materials has been released. Iran's judiciary announced that it would immediately revise the legal definition of espionage 'to free the hands of the judiciary and security institutions to deal with infiltrators and spies'. Limitations of espionage law Asghar Jahangir, the spokesman for the judiciary, said on Tuesday: 'The current espionage law is general and may not cover many instances of today's events.' He said that if Iran had attempted to prosecute individuals arrested during the war with Israel under existing espionage definitions, authorities would have faced 'limitations and restrictions'. Meanwhile, citizens across Iran reported receiving threatening text messages from the judiciary warning them not to follow social media accounts affiliated with the Israeli government. The messages warned of prosecution under Iran's 'law against hostile actions of the Zionist regime'. Iranian lawyers dismissed the messages as having 'no judicial or legal value' and said they were intended to 'create fear and terror'. Iran Human Rights Organisation has warned that Iran might accelerate executions of prisoners accused of espionage following recent tensions with Israel. Concerns are mounting over the possible execution of Ahmad Reza Jalali, an Iranian-Swedish researcher who was transferred from Evin prison to an undisclosed location after Israel's Monday attack on the detention centre. The fragile ceasefire appeared to hold on Tuesday night after both sides blamed each other for violations. It went into effect after the US bombed Iran's three main nuclear sites over the weekend and the Islamic Republic retaliated by firing missiles at an American base in Qatar.
The National
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Iran hangs three accused of spying for Israel as truce appears to hold
Iran's judiciary said on Wednesday that three men convicted of spying for Israel had been executed, a day after a ceasefire between the two foes appeared to have taken effect. 'Idris Ali, Azad Shojai and Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul, who attempted to import equipment into the country to carry out assassinations, were arrested and tried for … co-operation favouring the Zionist regime,' the judiciary said, with reference to Israel. 'The sentence was carried out this morning … and they were hanged,' it added. The executions took place in Urmia, a city in northwestern Iran home to ethnic minorities such as Azeris and Kurds. Iran regularly announces the execution of those convicted of having worked for foreign intelligence services. After the war broke out with Israel on June 13, Iranian authorities vowed swift trials for suspects arrested for collaborating with its arch-foe. A ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday after 12 days of intense and unprecedented bombardment between Israel and Iran. The truce appeared to be holding on Wednesday despite uncertainty. Iran suffered significant blows to its nuclear programme during the war and Israel boasted about its use of Mossad agents on the ground to carry out covert operations. Since then, Tehran has announced several executions related to spying for Israel. Tehran has put to death many people convicted of having links with Mossad and enabling its operations. Iran has long accused Israeli intelligence of carrying out sabotage operations against its nuclear facilities and assassinating its scientists. Human rights groups have accused Iran of carrying out sham trials and issuing sentences for spying without credible evidence.
