Iran condemned a police officer to death for the protester killing incident
According to reports from local media on Wednesday, an Iranian court has handed down a death sentence to a police chief from northern Iran for his involvement in the death of a protester during the mass demonstrations of 2022.
Jafar Javanmardi, the local police chief, was apprehended in December 2022 following allegations of his involvement in the death of a protester amid the widespread unrest triggered by the demise of Mahsa Amini while in custody.
Javanmardi received a death sentence under the Islamic law of retribution, known as the 'qisas' law, for the premeditated murder of Mehran Samak, as conveyed by Majid Ahmadi, the lawyer representing the victim's family, in an interview with the reformist Shargh daily. Samak, a 27-year-old protestor, tragically passed away from injuries sustained after being struck by shotgun pellets during a demonstration in the northern city of Bandar Anzali on November 30, 2022.
According to reports from rights groups outside Iran, Samak was allegedly fatally shot by Iranian security forces for honking his car horn in celebration of Iran's defeat to the United States in the 2022 World Cup, while participating in the Amini protest. The loss in the football tournament prompted a diverse reaction from both supporters and opponents of the government.
Ahmadi, the lawyer, clarified that the police official involved was charged with misconduct in firearms usage, leading to Samak's death. In mid-January, the judiciary's Mizan Online website announced that the Supreme Court had invalidated the initial death sentence and transferred the case to another court.
Gilan province, home to Bandar Anzali, emerged as a focal point of the nationwide protest movement that swept through Iran. The months-long protests resulted in numerous casualties, including both civilians and security personnel, with thousands more detained and nine individuals executed in cases related to the demonstrations. The events in Gilan province underscored the intensity and breadth of the unrest gripping Iran during that period.
