Iran hangs two opposition activists

The Iranian authorities have hanged two men convicted of participating in protests against the result of the 2009 presidential poll. Tehran prosecutors have said that Jafar Kazemi and Mohammad Ali Hajaghaei had disseminated photographs and video footage of the protests, pertaining to the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on the internet.

The two men were also found guilty of chanting slogans promoting the exiled People's Mujahideen of Iran (PMOI). The leader of the exiled opposition group, Maryam Rajavi, said the executions were inhumane and barbaric.

On August 10th 2010, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Iran to release the two men, despite the PMOI being on Washington's list of foreign terrorist organisations.

"We are also concerned about the fate of Iranians who are in danger of imminent execution for exercising their right to free expression after the June 2009 elections," said Clinton in a statement, naming Kazemi and Hajaghaei.

Of those arrested after the protests most have been rleased, but more than 80 people have been jailed for up to 15 years, and at least four other people convicted of involvement in the demonstrations are reported to be on death row.

Sources: BBC News, AFP, RTT News, EuroNews

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