Parents ‘beg’ Iran judiciary to spare life of death row son
Amnesty warns at least 26 people are at risk of execution over the protests
The parents of a young man who rights group warn is at risk of execution over his involvement in Iran’s protests issued a video pleading with the judiciary to spare their son’s life.
Their appeal for the life of Mehdi Mohammad Karami comes as Amnesty International warned that at least 26 people are at risk of execution over the protests. Iran sparked global outrage by executing two protesters earlier this month.
It has announced 11 death sentences in connection with the demonstrations, which it calls “riots” and blames on “foreign enemies” in the West.
“I am Mashallah Karami, father of Mohammad Mehdi Karami,” said the father in the video circulated on social media. He described his son as a “karate champion” who had won national competitions and been a member of the national team. “I respectfully ask the judiciary, I beg you please, I ask you.. to remove the death penalty from my son’s case.”
His wife, her arms folded as if cradling a baby, then speaks to also ask for the death penalty to be revoked.
Deprived of lawyer
According to Amnesty, Karami is one of five people sentenced to death over the fatal assault on a member of the Basij militia during a funeral ceremony for a protester in the city of Karaj near Tehran.
It said he was convicted less than a week “after the beginning of a fast-tracked unfair group trial which bore no resemblance to a meaningful judicial proceeding.”
Mashallah had told Iranian media that a family lawyer was not allowed to access his son’s case, and a court-appointed lawyer failed to respond to the family’s repeated calls.
Karami’s age has not been given but reports on pro-protest social media channels suggested he is in his early 20s like the two men already executed.
Karami is one of five people sentenced to death over the fatal assault on a member of the Basij militia.