Iranian opponent Rouhollah Zam, a time exiled in France, was executed on Saturday morning, December 12, after the confirmation of his death sentence for his role in the wave of protest in winter 2017-2018, according to television d Iranian state.
The “Counter-revolutionary” Zam was hanged in the morning a few days after the Supreme Court’s confirmation of his sentence was announced, due to the “Severity of crimes” committed against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Abducted in obscure circumstances
Rouhollah Zam had lived in exile for several years in France, in Montauban, with his wife and children. He enjoyed refugee status under asylum protection, and was protected by the French security services.
But in October 2019, while on his way to Iraq, he was arrested by the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic, under obscure circumstances. Iran did not specify the location or date of the incident, accusing the 40-year-old opponent of being “Led by French intelligence and supported” by the secret services of the United States and Israel.
Rouhollah Zam ran a channel (Adamnews) on the encrypted messaging platform Telegram, and was found guilty of playing an active role, through this medium, in the winter 2017-2018 protest . Tehran’s Revolutionary Court pronounced the death penalty at first instance in June.
At least 25 people were killed in the unrest that affected several dozen Iranian cities between December 28, 2017 and January 3, 2018. Tehran had described it as “Sedition” this protest movement against the high cost of living quickly took a political turn.
Reporters Without Borders condemns this execution
The non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reacted on Saturday to the execution of Rouhollah Zam. In a tweet, RSF, which was particularly following the case of this opponent, said it was “Shocked that Iranian justice and the sponsor of this act, Ali Khamenei [le Guide suprême iranien], have carried out their sentence ”.
In September, the execution of a young Iranian wrestler, Navid Afkari, for the murder of an official during anti-government protests in 2018 sparked an outcry abroad and on social media.
Many voices were raised to denounce what they described as the authorities’ haste to execute a verdict, pronounced, according to Afkari’s supporters, on the basis of confessions extracted under torture.
