Iran executes two men convicted in January protest killings

Iran hanged two men on Tuesday convicted of killing police officers during January protests, state media reported.

The two men, identified as Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amir Hossein Safari Hosseinabadi, were executed in a public square in Malekshahr, in Isfahan province in central Iran, according to Mizan Online, the website of Iran's judiciary.

The men were convicted of attacking police officers with machetes on January 8. According to judicial authorities, they tied the officers to traffic signs, threw them to the ground, spread gasoline on their bodies, and set them on fire. They were also accused of setting a police station on fire and damaging public properties in Isfahan, approximately 250 miles south of Tehran.

Beyond the charges related to the police killings, the men faced additional accusations. They were charged with "moharebeh," a charge meaning waging war against God, for using weapons to create fear and terror. They were also accused of "corruption on earth" for committing acts of grave disturbance to public order and national security.

The executions are part of a broader wave of capital sentences following the January crackdown on nationwide protests. The protests began in late December and extended into January, with security forces conducting a heavy crackdown. Iran reported the death toll from the protests at more than 3,000.

Earlier in July, Iran hanged two other men in the same case. Rights groups have said more individuals arrested during the January crackdown could face death sentences. Tens of thousands of people were arrested during the security forces' response to the protests, which were driven by concerns over economic crisis and deteriorating conditions.