Iran executes man over January protests, judiciary's news agency says

DUBAI, July 22 - Iran executed a man on charges linked to nationwide protests in January, an opposition group and the Iranian judiciary's official Mizan news agency reported on Wednesday.

Mizan identified the man as Mehdi Khaneki and said he was executed for "operational actions" that benefited Israel, the United States and hostile groups, and for what it called crimes during the January protests. It said he also produced and possessed weapons.

The Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the political arm of the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI), said in a statement that Khaneki was hanged on charges of membership of the PMOI and taking part in protests in the city of Karaj.

There have been a number of executions over the last few months that Mizan and Iranian media have linked to the PMOI.

In its statement the NCRI said Khaneki, a 26-year-old law graduate, "had been subjected to months of physical and psychological torture".

"Dozens of other PMOI members remain on death row or face execution in the regime's prisons," the group said, adding that eight of its members had been executed between March 30 and April 20.

Mizan and Iranian media reported 12 executions over the same period.

The PMOI, also known by its Farsi name Mujahideen-e-Khalq, is banned in Iran, and it is unclear how much support it has there.

Along with a rival group of monarchists backing Reza Pahlavi, exiled son of the toppled shah, it is one of the few opposition forces able to rally supporters. REUTERS