Iran executed three men on Wednesday for allegedly working with Israel’s Mossad agency.
According to news outlet Tasnim, the three individuals brought “assassination equipment” into the country disguised as shipments of alcoholic beverages. The equipment was allegedly used in the assassination of a public figure.
The judiciary’s Mizan news agency identified the men as Idris Ali, Azad Shojai, and Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul. According to Mizan, the men were “arrested and tried for… cooperation favoring the Zionist regime,” a reference to Israel. “The sentence was carried out this morning… and they were hanged.”
Since Israel struck Iranian nuclear and military sites on June 13, Iran has arrested over 700 individuals described as “Israeli mercenaries,” according to Fars News Agency.
Iranian state media outlet ISNA reported that the head of Iran’s judiciary, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, called on Saturday for the expedited processing of cases so that sentencing could be carried out “as quickly as possible.”
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have raised alarms over the recent wave of executions and arrests. The group warned that the regime may carry out broader crackdowns without presenting any evidence of wrongdoing.
“Official calls for expedited trials and executions of those arrested for alleged collaboration with Israel show how the Iranian authorities weaponize the death penalty to assert control and instill fear among the people of Iran,” said Hussein Baoumi, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.
Baoumi urged Iranian authorities to uphold justice and human rights by ensuring all detainees are protected from abuse and granted fair trials.
