Parents ‘beg’ Iran judiciary to spare son on death row

The parents of a young man who rights group warn is at imminent risk of execution over his involvement in Iran’s protest movement issue a video pleading with the judiciary to spare their son’s life.

Their appeal for the life of Mehdi Mohammad Karami comes as Amnesty International warns that at last 26 people are at risk of execution over the protests, the biggest challenge to the authorities since Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iran sparked global outrage by executing two protesters earlier this month.

The Islamic Republic has announced 11 death sentences in connection with the demonstrations, which it calls “riots” and blames on “foreign enemies” in the West. Authorities issued the capital sentences over sometimes-deadly violence, including against security force members.

#SayTheirNames Mohammad Mehdi Karami was on 5 December sentenced to death after convicting him of “corruption on earth” in connection with the fatal assault of a Basij agent during protesters. pic.twitter.com/vgQqNvHKnj

— Amnesty Norway (@Amnesty_Norge) December 15, 2022

Rights groups say the legal processes have been rushed. They are concerned detainees have been tortured and forced to confess.

“I am Mashallah Karami, father of Mohammad Mehdi Karami,” says the father in the video circulated on social media, sitting cross-legged on a carpet and flanked by his wife.

He describes his son as a “karate champion” who won national competitions and was a member of the national team.

“I respectfully ask the judiciary, I beg you please, I ask you… to remove the death penalty from my son’s case.”

“I beg from judiciary chief to lift death sentence issued against my son”: father of Mohammad Mehdi Karami says. Denied right to a lawyer he’s been sentenced to death in relation to Iran protest. The way his mother is cuddling her arms… #محمدمهدی_کرمی‌. pic.twitter.com/uD61Hfy8bh

— Khosro K Isfahani (@KhosroIsfahani) December 18, 2022