Despite UN appeal, Iran hangs ethnic Baluch for 'terror'

Despite international calls against his execution, a Baluch man was hanged by Iran for murder, abduction and 'terrorist' links on Saturday. Javid Dehghan Khalad was put to death early in the morning in the restive southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, Mizan Online reported.

The execution came just a day after the United Nations made an appeal to Iran against it. Mizan said Dehghan was arrested in June 2015 and later convicted of being "one of the leaders" of a "terrorist" group linked to the jihadist Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice).

Also known as Mohammad Omar, he had been found guilty of carrying out "armed action against the state", the website said.

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Dehgan was found to have been involved in the killing of two Revolutionary Guards' members in 2015. He was also accused of leading a raid aiming to abduct five border guards one of whom was killed.

"We urge the authorities to halt the imminent execution of Javid Dehghan, to review his and other death penalty cases in line with human rights law," the Geneva-based Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights wrote on Twitter before the execution.

"We strongly condemn the series of executions –- at least 28 –- since mid-December, including of people from minority groups," it added.

London-based rights group Amnesty International has alleged Dehghan's trial was "grossly unfair" with the court relying on "torture-tainted confessions" and ignoring abuses committed during the investigation.

(With agency inputs)