Iranians gathered around a burning motorcycle during a demonstration against the increase in the price of diesel in the city of Isfahan on November 16, 2019. - AFP

Iran has suspended the execution of three people involved in the November 2019 protests and sentenced to death, a lawyer for the defendants told AFP on Sunday. “We forwarded a request (for a new trial) to the Supreme Court and it accepted it. We hope the verdict will be quashed, ”said Babak Paknia on the phone.

The judicial authority announced on Tuesday the confirmation of the death penalty for these three people, affirming that evidence had been found on their phones according to which they had burned banks, buses and public buildings during these demonstrations.

A verdict that creates a lively controversy

According to Iranian newspapers, the three death row inmates are Amirhossein Moradi, 26, a cellphone salesman, Said Tamdjidi, a 28-year-old student, and Mohammad Rajabi, 26.

"We really hope that the (death) sentence will be overturned, given that one of the judges of the Supreme Court has already opposed the verdict," the defense for the defendants wrote in a statement released on Sunday by the agency. official Irna.

The announcement of the confirmation of the verdict sparked a lively controversy on social networks and many internet users called for the execution to be stopped using the hashtag "NePasExecuter", notably on Twitter and Instagram.

Justice system spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaïli said on Tuesday that the verdict could still change due to "extraordinary procedures", stressing a legal clause which could trigger a new trial if the head of justice deemed it necessary.

Strong repression during these November demonstrations

A protest movement erupted on November 15, 2019 when a sharp rise in the price of gasoline was announced, in the midst of an economic crisis, and had affected a hundred cities.

London-based human rights organization Amnesty International has estimated that 304 people have died while a group of independent experts working for the UN have estimated that more than 400 people have died (including 12 children).

Iranian authorities have spoken of 230 people killed in the riots. According to the United States, the repression of the demonstrations in November left more than 1,000 dead.

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