A suspected serial rapist who sparked a kind of #MeToo movement in Iran is to be executed, according to a media report.
A court has imposed a provisional death sentence on Keyvan Emamverdi, the Iranian news agency Isna quoted lawyer Shima Ghouscheh, who represents five alleged abuse victims, as saying on Saturday.
However, the court did not fix any compensation for Emamverdi's victims.
They would therefore “certainly” appeal the court decision.
Emamverdi was arrested in August 2020 after at least 20 women accused him of sexual assault.
The accusations were mostly made anonymously on the online service Twitter under the keyword "rape".
The former bookseller and trained archaeologist is said to have put something in the women's drinks before he raped them.
His case caused great outrage in the Islamic Republic.
The police then called on those affected to file a complaint against their tormentor.
Police said the women need not fear being accused of drinking alcohol or having sex outside of marriage, both of which are illegal in Iran.
Emamverdi was eventually arrested.
Sexual violence is usually taboo in Iran.
The authorities rarely take action in such cases.