Iran Upholds Death Sentence for Basij Member

The Egyptian Criminal Court has upheld the death sentence against Essam Abdel Majeed for the murder of Major General Nabil Farag during the violent crackdown on supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi in 2013. This ruling follows the final approval by Egypt’s highest Sunni Muslim authority and comes amidst condemnation from local and international human rights organizations, which label the sentences as politically motivated. In a related development, Iran's Supreme Court upheld the death sentence for a Basij member involved in the fatal shooting of 60-year-old Mohammad Jamehbozorg during the 2022 protests over Mahsa Amini's death. This rare accountability for security forces comes as part of a broader crackdown that resulted in over 500 deaths and more than 22,000 detentions. Despite the rulings, Iranian state media has not reported on the outcomes, highlighting concerns over transparency in the judicial process. The cases underscore ongoing issues of human rights abuses in both Egypt and Iran amid political unrest.