Abiola Owoseni
The execution of British-Iranian national, Alireza by Iran has been described as “barbaric.”
The Case of the former Iranian deputy defense minister who had been sentenced to death on charges of spying for the UK was earlier reported by Iranian Judiciary’s Mizan news agency.
Meanwhile, the UK had earlier warned that the death penalty should not be carried out.
UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak said on his twitter handle, “I am appalled by the execution of British-Iranian citizen Alireza Akbari in Iran.”
“This was a callous and cowardly act, carried out by a barbaric regime with no respect for the human rights of their own people.”
However, the UK also noted that an asset freeze and travel ban had been placed on Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, the Iran prosecutor general, “because he is and has been responsible for, engaging in, providing support for and promoting serious human rights violations in Iran.”
“Sanctioning him underlines our disgust at Alireza Akbari’s execution, “Cleverly said. “The Prosecutor General is at the heart of Iran’s use of the death penalty. We’re holding the regime to account for its appalling human rights violations.”
The relationship between Iran and the west which has deteriorated since talks to revive its 2015 nuclear deal hit deadlock and as Tehran unleashed a deadly crackdown on protesters last night seems to be further worsen the relationship between Iran and the west.
61 years old Akbari was arrested in 2019 and convicted of spying for the UK, an allegation he denied.
In the audio recording credited to Akbari and broadcasted by BBC Persian on Wednesday, he said, he had confessed to crimes he did not committed after extensive torture.
According to a Mizan report, Akbari was accused of receiving payments of $1.95 million, $323,988, and $50,000 for spying for UK.
