Iran executes foreign national over deadly Isfahan protests

Iran executed Ghaem Hosseini, also known as Arian, on August 20 over his involvement in protests in the central city of Isfahan in January, making him the fifth person put to death in a case in which UN experts have raised concerns about the defendants' trials, Iran International reports.

Iran's judiciary described Hosseini as a foreign national but did not say which country he was from. A source familiar with the case told Iran International earlier his month that Hosseini was a cousin of Golmohammad Mohammadi, an Afghan national who was previously executed in the same case, indicating Hosseini may also have been Afghan.

The judiciary's media center said Hosseini was executed on August 20 morning after his death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court. It said he had been convicted of charges including moharebeh, or "waging war against God," and corruption on earth, as well as destruction of property and collusion to act against national security.

Twelve people were sentenced to death in the Ali-Khani Square case, which stems from protests in Isfahan on January 8.

Iranian authorities executed Golmohammad Mohammadi and Erfan Esfandiari on July 19, followed by Amirhossein Safari and Abolfazl Sepahi on July 28. Hosseini's execution on August 20 brings the number of defendants put to death in the case to five.

 By Vafa Guliyeva