Iran on Wednesday executed Abbas Kurkuri, a man convicted of killing seven people, including a 10-year-old boy, during the nationwide protests that erupted in 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, according to the country’s judiciary.
Kurkuri was hanged after the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence handed down by the Revolutionary Court in Ahvaz, the capital of Khuzestan province. He was found guilty of “corruption on earth” and “moharebeh”, charges commonly used in Iran for serious crimes against the state, such as waging war against God.
The court found Kurkuri responsible for opening fire with a military-grade weapon in the city of Izeh during a protest, killing seven people, including 10-year-old Kian Pirfalak. Authorities labeled the shooting a “terrorist attack.” Kurkuri allegedly confessed to the charges, stating he was influenced by content on social media.
According to the judiciary’s Mizan Online news outlet, Kurkuri had a criminal record that included violent offenses, drug and alcohol trafficking, and armed assaults. He was described as a “notorious offender” who disrupted public order.
The 2022 protests were sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman who died in police custody after being detained for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code for women. The unrest, one of the largest in years, resulted in hundreds of deaths, including security personnel, and thousands of arrests. Since then, several people have been tried and executed in connection with the protests.
Kurkuri’s execution comes just a day after Iran carried out the hanging of nine other men convicted of planning attacks for the Islamic State group in 2018. Iran remains one of the world’s top executioners, second only to China, according to rights groups such as Amnesty International.
Written By Rodney Mbua
