Iran confirms 3 death sentences amid AI warning (2nd Roundup)

Oct 10, 2009, 14:20 GMT

Tehran/London - Iran's judiciary Saturday confirmed that three death sentences had been handed down to dissidents, as meanwhile the human rights group Amnesty International warned of the prospect of a wave of death sentences in the Islamic state.

The ISNA news agency cited the Iranian judiciary on Saturday as confirming press reports that three dissidents had been sentenced to death.

Two of the dissidents belong to a pro-monarchy group and the third one is linked to the Iranian rebel group People's Mujaheddin, judiciary spokesman Bashiri Rad told ISNA.

But Rad however noted that the death sentences were not final and the lawyers of the three defendants could still appeal.

The opposition website Mowj Camp had reported that the 37-year-old monarchist Mohammad-Reza Ali-Zamani was sentenced to death by a revolutionary court. Zamani is accused of belonging a group that wants to end the Islamic Republic of Iran and re-establish a monarchy.

Following the mass protests against alleged fraud which led to re- election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, over 4,000 demonstrators, dissidents and former reformist officials were arrested. More than 100 are still jailed and charged with planning to topple the Islamic establishment.

Earlier Saturday, AI in pointing to the Zamani verdict, warned that there could be a wave of death sentences handed down in Iran.

In a statement marking Saturday's World Day Against the Death Penalty, the human rights group said Zamani, 37, was convicted of 'enmity against God for membership of and activities to further the aims of the terrorist grouplet Anjoman-e Padeshahi-e Iran.'

   He was also convicted of 'propaganda against the system,' 'insulting the holy sanctities,' 'gathering and colluding with intent to harm national internal security' and leaving the country illegally to visit Iraq, where he was alleged to have met US military officials, Amnesty said.