Iran Executes Another Protester as Dozens Face Hanging Threats

Iran has executed another man on charges linked to this year’s protests, as rights groups warn that dozens more face the threat of execution. Abbas Akbari was tried over an alleged attack on a government building in Nain, in Isfahan province. Since March, nearly three dozen men have been hanged on charges tied to the protests, as well as membership in banned opposition groups and espionage. The executions have come amid a widening crackdown that rights organizations say is intended to spread fear across society and deter future demonstrations. Norway-based human rights groups said the executions are being used as a tool of intimidation rather than justice. They said the authorities are seeking to raise the political cost of dissent by turning executions into a daily practice. The organizations warned that unless those political costs increase, the executions will continue and may even escalate. Their statements added to growing concern over Iran’s use of capital punishment against people connected to the unrest.