Iran: Death Sentence for Two Men Convicted of Armed Robbery

An Iranian court has sentenced two men to death for armed robbery in the capital, Tehran, in April, the judiciary announced today, Wednesday. The Mizan Online website, associated with the judiciary, reported that "the 28th branch of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced the defendants to death for 'moharebeh' (waging war against God) for using a weapon in this case to seize people's property and spread insecurity." The "armed robbery" occurred on April 8 on a highway in northern Tehran and involved three individuals on motorcycles who used a weapon. The same source mentioned that a third defendant in this case was sentenced to 25 years in prison for aiding in the "moharebeh." The three men have the right to appeal the verdict in the Supreme Court. Iran is reported to execute the highest number of death sentences annually in the world after China, according to Amnesty International, a human rights organization.