Iran’s Supreme Court accepts young man’s appeal against death penalty

In a statement on Saturday, the top tribunal said it accepted Sahand Noor Mohammadzadeh, one of the accused in the recent protests and deadly riots. His case has been sent to the same branch of the revolutionary court for review.

The 25-year-old was detained in early October and given a death sentence two months later on the charge of “waging war against God” for trying to close off a highway in Tehran by breaking a guardrail and setting fire to tires and a recycle bin during riots.

According to a verdict issued against him, his actions amount to “confrontation with the Islamic government, gathering, and collusion with the aim of committing crimes against national security and disrupting public order and peace.”

Earlier, Iran dropped a death sentence handed down to a doctor, Hamid Qareh Hassanlou, who was arrested over his role in the protests and violent riots.

Iranian authorities blame hostile countries and their agents for the turmoil in the country, which started in mid-September following the death of an Iranian woman in police custody.