Iranian authorities have executed a man convicted of killing a police officer who was struck by a vehicle during clashes in 2022, the country’s judiciary announced on Sunday.
The execution comes amid reports of increased use of the death penalty in Iran following the outbreak of the Middle East war in February and anti-government protests that began late last year.
According to the judiciary’s Mizan Online website, local prosecutor Aref Akbari confirmed that the death sentence had been carried out against a man convicted of killing Reza Ehterami, an officer attached to Iran’s police emergency unit.
Akbari said the execution followed an investigation and trial, after which Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the verdict.
The defendant, identified in court only as “Danial”, was found guilty of intentionally killing Ehterami, a third lieutenant serving with law enforcement authorities in Bandar Abbas, a city in southern Iran.
Previous reports by Iranian state media said Ehterami died in 2022 after being struck by a vehicle driven by the defendant during clashes between police officers and fuel smugglers.
Iran carries out more executions annually than any country except China, according to human rights organisations, including Amnesty International.
