Iran court takes a u-turn after protester goes on hunger strike against death sentence

The Supreme Court in Iran accepted the appeal of a protester against his death sentence after he was held guilty for allegedly destroying public property during anti-government protests, sending his case for another review, said the judiciary on Saturday.The police had arrested Noor Mohammadzadeh, aged 25, on October 4 and two months later, he was sentenced to death after being charged with “waging war against God”. He had allegedly set a garbage bin on fire and attempted to break a highway guardrail in Tehran.

The accusations were rejected by him, as he claimed that the authorities had forced him to confess to thecrime. Protesting against his trial, he sat on a hunger strike two weeks ago.

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Two protesters have been already executed by Iran after they were held for demonstrations that swept the nation against the death of Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in police custody in September after she was detained by the morality police for failing to follow the Islamic dress code for women.

Amnesty International has stated that the authorities in Iran have announced the death penalty for at least 26 other protesters.

“The Supreme Court has accepted the appeal of Sahand Noor Mohammadzadeh, one of the accused in the recent riots. His case has been sent to the same branch of the Revolutionary Court for review,” announced the judiciary’s Mizan news agency on Twitter.

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Last week, rapper Saman Seydi Yasin's death sentence appeal was accepted by the Supreme Court, however, the same sentence was confirmed for another protester Mohammad Qobadloo.

(With inputs from agencies)