Iran Executes Two Islamist Terrorists Accused of Rocket Attacks on Civilians
The Shiite regime hanged two MEK-linked jihadists for allegedly building and firing rockets at Iranian civilians. Amnesty International condemned the "unfair trial" while ignoring the victims.
In a move that sparked renewed outrage among Western human rights groups, Iran executed two Islamist terrorists this week accused of manufacturing and deploying rockets against civilians inside the country. The men were members of Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), a militant Shiite opposition group long labeled as a terrorist organization by Tehran.
The executions of Mehdi Hassani and Behrouz Ahsani-Eslamlou followed a conviction last September on charges of “waging war against Allah,” “destroying public property,” and “membership in a terrorist organization aiming to undermine national security.” Iran’s Supreme Court upheld their death sentence after rejecting a petition for retrial.
According to Iranian prosecutors, the two men, acting under the direction of MEK leaders, constructed makeshift launchers and indiscriminately fired rockets at residential areas, public buildings, and schools — allegedly killing or injuring civilians and damaging infrastructure.
Despite the serious nature of the charges, Amnesty International, a left-leaning UK-based human rights group, swiftly condemned the executions, calling the trial “grossly unfair” and “tainted by torture.”
In a statement, Amnesty claimed that the men's confessions were coerced under duress: “Sources with direct knowledge allege the two were tortured, beaten, and held in prolonged solitary confinement without access to lawyers.”
While the Iranian regime’s human rights record is undoubtedly troubling, critics argue that Amnesty’s selective outrage — focusing on procedural fairness for alleged terrorists while ignoring their victims — underscores a deeper bias. “Where was Amnesty when these rockets were being fired into homes and schools?” asked one Iranian dissident.
Iran, which routinely executes hundreds of individuals each year, has intensified its crackdown on opposition elements in recent months. According to reports, over 900 executions have been carried out in 2024 alone — the highest number since 2015.