Iran Executes Two More Men Over Killing of Four Police Officers During January Protests

Iran on Tuesday executed two men convicted of killing four police officers during the January protests, even as the United Nations and rights groups again called on the country to stop using the death penalty.

Iran's judiciary identified the men as Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amir Hossein Safari Hosseinabadi. Officials said they took part in clashes in Isfahan on January 8, killed four police officers, set a police station on fire and damaged public property.

The two men were convicted of moharebeh, or "waging war against God", and another serious charge known as "corruption on earth". They were publicly hanged in Malekshahr, a district in Isfahan.

Local reports said many people gathered near the execution site during the night in an effort to stop the hangings. Security forces sealed the area before the executions went ahead.

The men were among thousands arrested after protests spread across Iran in late December and January. The demonstrations began over rising prices and the poor economy before turning into wider protests against the government.

Earlier this month, Iran executed two other men linked to the same Isfahan case. That brings the total number of executions in the case to four. Rights groups say 12 people received death sentences over the incident and warn that more executions could follow.

The United Nations and several human rights groups say the four men did not get fair trials. They claim the accused were forced to confess under torture and were denied proper legal help. Iranian authorities have rejected those claims.

Iran says more than 3,000 people died during the unrest. Rights groups put the death toll at over 7,000, saying the crackdown was far deadlier than the official figures suggest.