Iranian authorities have executed a man accused of spying for Israel, accusing him of providing information and supporting sabotage of military facilities. The execution is another in a series of sweeping increases in death sentences for espionage in the country.
Iranian authorities have executed a man accused of spying for Israel’s Mossad secret service, the Mizan website reported. TASR informs about it according to the report of the AFP agency.
The man was accused of providing information to a Mossad agent, buying equipment to help Israel carry out “sabotage operations” in Iran’s missile facilities and moving vehicles with explosives. The Iranian authorities executed him by hanging.
Increase in executions in Iran
Human rights organizations say that since the Israel-Iran war in June last year, Iran has executed 12 people accused of espionage or similar acts. The last execution on charges of spying for Israel was carried out in Iran on January 7. Human rights organizations are also concerned about the detention of people during mass protests in Iran.
Activists have long criticized Iran for its increasing use of the death penalty, particularly in politically sensitive cases and espionage charges. At the same time, they point out that many sentences are based on coerced confessions and that trials often take place behind closed doors without access to independent legal counsel, AP writes.
Iran’s response to the allegations
But Tehran says those executed were “enemy intelligence agents” involved in terrorist or sabotage activities. Iranian officials have repeatedly accused Israel of conducting covert operations on Iranian soil, including the assassination of nuclear scientists and cyber attacks on strategic facilities.
According to data from the Norwegian NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR), at least 1,500 people were executed by hanging in Iran last year.
