Iran on Saturday carried out the death sentence of a man accused of carrying out a mission for Israeli intelligence during mass protests in January, judicial authorities reported, writes LETA citing AFP.
Erfan Kiani was hanged after the country's Supreme Court upheld his sentence, reported the Iranian judiciary-affiliated agency 'Mizan'.
Kiani was characterized as one of the 'main agents' in a 'mission assigned by the Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad' during the unrest in Isfahan province in central Iran.
Iran accused him of 'destroying public and private property, arson, possession and use of Molotov cocktails, carrying cold weapons, blocking transportation routes, attacking police officers, and creating fear and panic among the population'.
The death sentence was carried out after another man convicted for participating in a banned opposition group was hanged in Iran on Thursday.
In recent weeks, Iran has intensified the use of the death penalty amid the war with Israel and the United States that began on February 28.
State authorities claim that the January protests were provoked by Israel, the U.S., and opposition groups such as the banned organization 'People's Mujahedin'.
Since March 19, Iranian authorities have executed nine men on charges related to the protests.
Protests in Iran began in late December amid rising living costs and then escalated into large-scale anti-government demonstrations that peaked on January 8 and 9.
According to human rights organizations, including 'Amnesty International', Iran ranks second in the world after China in the number of executions carried out.
Human rights groups have long criticized the widespread use of the death penalty in Iran, accusing the authorities of using it as a means of intimidation.
Last year, at least 1,639 people were executed in Iran — the highest figure in 35 years, according to data from the Norway-based organization 'Iran Human Rights'.
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