Iran executed two young men on Sunday for assisting anti-regime protesters who were attempting to evade security forces, according to reports cited by Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad. The two individuals, identified as 18-year-old Erfan Esfandiari and 23-year-old Afghan refugee Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, were hanged after being arrested during protests in Shahid Alikhani Square in Isfahan earlier this year.
Iranian officials stated that four members of the security forces were killed during the demonstrations. Esfandiari and Mohammadi were among a group of 59 individuals arrested in connection with the events. Twelve of those arrested, including Esfandiari and Mohammadi, received death sentences. Alinejad, writing for The Free Press, noted that the 12 individuals sentenced to death were moved to quarantine the previous week, suggesting that the remaining 10 are likely to face execution soon.
Alinejad described Esfandiari as his parents' first child, emphasizing that he did not kill anyone or carry a weapon. His alleged offense, according to the Islamic Republic, was providing refuge to protesters fleeing security forces.
