Iran’s ambassador to Bucharest, Sadat Meydani, was summoned to the headquarters of the Romanian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday in connection with the January 7 execution by hanging of two Iranian protesters. The ambassadors were officially informed that “Romania condemns the death penalty under all circumstances and, even more reprehensibly, the practice of executions by hanging protesters in Iran,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) announced on Wednesday.

According to the source cited, on the occasion of the convening, at the level of the political director general of the Foreign Ministry, “deep concern” is caused by the continuation of human rights violations in Iran, including the conviction of protesters on political grounds, in the absence of a fair trial in the context of the national level demonstrations that have begun in September 2022 following the death of young Mahsa Amini in custody. There was also a call to stop human rights violations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded the Iranian ambassador in Bucharest of the conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union dated December 12, 2022, emphasizing all problematic aspects that did not receive a constructive response from the authorities in Tehran. “It was emphasized that relevant aspects of the conclusions adopted by the Council of the EU remain valid and their non-resolution negatively affects relations with the EU,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted.

In Iran, dozens of people are accused of the death penalty

Two men were executed on Saturday in Iran after being found guilty of killing a paramilitary during demonstrations sparked by the death of a young Kurdish woman in custody, the judiciary agency said, as quoted by France Presse.

The country sparked a protest movement following the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman who died after being arrested by police for violating the Islamic Republic of Iran’s dress code, including the requirement that women wear the veil in public.

“Mohammad Mahdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini, the main perpetrators of the crime that led to the martyrdom of Ruhollah Ajamian, were hanged this morning,” Mizan Online reported, citing a member of the Revolutionary Guard-linked Basij militia. .

The first-instance court sentenced two men to death on December 4, the agency reports. On Jan. 3, Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the death sentences of two men accused of murdering Ajamian on Nov. 3 in Karaj, west of Tehran.

Mohammad Medhi Karami, 21, started practicing karate at the age of 11 and was one of Iran’s best athletes in the discipline. He was part of Iran’s youth national team and won several national titles.

Karimi was sentenced on December 5, just a week after his trial began in Tehran. According to the family, he was tortured in prison and denied access to a lawyer. Seyed Mohammad Hosseini was the junior coach.

Since the start of the protest movement, justice has sentenced 14 people to death in connection with the demonstrations, according to an AFP count based on official information. Four of them were executed, the verdicts for two were confirmed by the Supreme Court, six are awaiting new trials, and two more may appeal.

Activists say dozens more face charges that carry the death penalty.