Iran has executed a second prisoner who was detained and convicted for participating in protests that challenged the country’s theocracy.
Majidreza Rahnavard was publicly hanged on Monday, less than a month after he was accused of stabbing two security force members to death and injuring four others in the city of Mashhad.
Mizan Online, a regime-affiliated news website, broke the news and said he was convicted of “waging war against God” which is a charge that carries the death penalty.
This morning, at 7am, the family of Mr Rahnavard were called by the regime and told that he was killed and that his body was buried in a cemetery in Tehran, according to 1500 Tasvir.
He is the second known person to be executed in connection to the 2022 protests, but rights groups believe the true toll is much higher.
Mr Rahnavard's death comes less than a week after Mohsen Shekari was also hanged.
At least 488 people have been killed since the demonstrations began in mid-September, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran and over 18,000 people have been detained.
People have been rising up against the regime following the brutal death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
In September, Ms Amini was arrested by Iran's morality police for “improperly” wearing her hijab and, according to her family and local media, severely beaten while in custody.
She died three days later in police custody and since then women have been taking to the streets and burning their hijabs.
The streets have swelled with demonstrators shouting “Death to the dictator” for the last three months and people have been marching in defiance of heightened security measures since the uprising began.
Karim Sadjadpour an Iranian-American analyst wrote on Twitter : "Another 23-year-old protestor was just executed in Mashhad, Iran. No lawyer, no due process, tortured confession, sham trial. He was hanged for 'waging war against God.' This cruelty in the name of religion is what has secularized so many young Iranians."
A heavily edited state television report aired after Mr Rahnavard’s execution, showing clips of him in the courtroom.
According to claims by Iran’s state media, the former wrestler had confessed to the charges.
Opposition sources have said that he was not given access to a lawyer and was tortured.
