Iran's top court overturns death sentence against 3 protesters

TEHRAN, Iran

Iran's top court has overturned the death sentence of three protesters in connection with the killing of a paramilitary Basiji last month.

Amir Hashemi, head of the judiciary's public relations department, said in a statement on Tuesday that the top court accepted the appeal of three protesters while upholding the sentence against two others.

The death sentence against Hamid Qara Hasanlou, Hossein Mohammadi, and Reza Aria was overturned because of "shortcomings in the investigation," he said.

The top court ordered a retrial against the three defendants and the completion of the investigation.

However, the sentences against the other two - Mohammad Mahdi Karami and Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini - were upheld under Section 469 of the country's criminal code.

The Supreme Court also ordered the retrial of 11 other protesters who had been sentenced to prison terms.

Rohullah Ajamian, a 27-year-old paramilitary Basiji, was killed with sharp weapons by a group of protesters in early November in the city of Karaj, the capital of the central province of Alborz.

Videos and photos of the attack were widely circulated on social media.

The judiciary conducted a televised trial of the defendants, in which the main defendants described graphic details of the incident that led to Ajamian's death.

Earlier last month, judiciary spokesman Masoud Setayeshi said 16 people had been summoned in the case, five of whom were sentenced to death and 11 to long prison terms.

The death penalty was imposed for "corruption on earth" as well as "crimes against security" and "disturbing public order," the judiciary spokesman said.

Iran has been rocked by widespread protests in recent months, sparked by the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody in mid-September.

The protests, which have been ongoing for months, have been marked by violence. Officials say at least 200 people have been killed in the unrest. Foreign human rights groups estimate the death toll at more than 450.

So far, two people have been executed in connection with the protests, while at least eight people are on death row, including Karami and Hosseini.