Iran protester on death row gets stay of execution

An Iranian sentenced to death for his actions during protests triggered by last year’s death in custody of Mahsa Amini has been given a stay of execution, the judiciary says.

Mohammad Ghobadlou was sentenced to death in November after being convicted of “corruption on earth for attacking police in Tehran with a car, resulting in the death of one officer and injuries to five others.”

In December, the Supreme Court rejected Ghobadlou’s appeal and upheld his death sentence, which had been expected to go ahead any day.

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But today, the judiciary rules that precedence should be given to the right of the slain police officer’s family to demand or forgo retaliation and his execution on the corruption on earth conviction should be suspended in the meantime, its Mizan Online website reports.

“The execution of the sentence of qesas (Iran’s Islamic law of retribution) takes precedence over the execution of the sentence of corruption on earth,” it quotes the office of the Supreme Court as saying.

Ghobadlou’s family has appealed for clemency claiming he suffered from bipolar disorder. The police officer’s family has demanded retribution.