From Tehmina Mustapha
TEHRAN: Iran’s judiciary has charged more than 750 people in three provinces for participating in “recent riots” amid nationwide protests since the death of Mahsa Amini.
More than 2,000 people had already been charged — nearly half of them in the capital Tehran — since the demonstrations began in mid-September, according to judiciary figures.
Dozens of people — mainly demonstrators but also security personnel — have been killed during the protests, which the authorities have branded as “riots”.
The judicial chief for the southern province of Hormozgan, Mojtaba Ghahremani, said that 164 people had been charged “after the recent riots”, the Judiciary posted on its official news website on Sunday.
They face accusations including “incitement to killing”, “harming security forces”, “propaganda against the regime” and “damaging public property”, the website said.
It further added that their trials would begin “from Thursday in the presence of their lawyers”.
Another 276 people were charged in the central province of Markazi, its Judiciary Chief Abdol-Mehdi Mousavi said.
However, 100 young people were released after signing pledges not to participate in any future “riots”,.
Judicial Chief Asadollah Jafari said that 316 cases had been filed in connection with the recent strife in central Isfahan province.
“Twelve have already gone to trial,” he said. Amini’s death on September 16 came days after her arrest by the morality police for an alleged breach of the country’s strict dress rules for women.
Authorities have denied claims by rights groups abroad that some 15,000 people have been detained in the ensuing unrest.
