World
Pope Francis speaks during the weekly general audience on January 4, 2023 at Paul-VI hall in The Vatican. Photo: Filippo Monteforte/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis on Monday slammed Iran for sentencing protesters in the country to death, saying that the death penalty attacks the “dignity” of the person, and called on countries worldwide to abolish the sentence.
Iran on Saturday executed two more protesters, claiming that they were behind the killing of a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Basij paramilitary force in the nationwide demonstrations that were ignited by the death of Zhina (Mahsa) Amini while in the custody of Iran’s morality police.
“The right of life is also threatened in those places where the death penalty continues to be imposed, as is the case in these days in Iran, following the recent demonstrations demanding greater respect for the dignity of women,” said the Pope in his audience to diplomats accredited to the Vatican on Monday.
The pontiff appealed for terminating the death penalty around the world, saying the sentence only “fuels the thirst for vengeance.”
Iran has violently cracked down on the protests, killing at least 519 protesters, including 70 children, and arresting over 19,000 people since the demonstrations began almost four months ago, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) on Saturday.
At least four protesters have been publicly executed in Iran since December 8.
Iran on Saturday executed two more protesters, claiming that they were behind the killing of a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Basij paramilitary force in the nationwide demonstrations that were ignited by the death of Zhina (Mahsa) Amini while in the custody of Iran’s morality police.
“The right of life is also threatened in those places where the death penalty continues to be imposed, as is the case in these days in Iran, following the recent demonstrations demanding greater respect for the dignity of women,” said the Pope in his audience to diplomats accredited to the Vatican on Monday.
The pontiff appealed for terminating the death penalty around the world, saying the sentence only “fuels the thirst for vengeance.”
Iran has violently cracked down on the protests, killing at least 519 protesters, including 70 children, and arresting over 19,000 people since the demonstrations began almost four months ago, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) on Saturday.
At least four protesters have been publicly executed in Iran since December 8.
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