Another teenager has been sentenced to death in Iran as Tehran authorities show no sign of giving in to international pressure and halting the execution of anti-regime demonstrators.
Arshia Takdestan, 18, received the death sentence after being convicted of “moharebeh” and “corruption on earth”, the judiciary's Mizan news agency said on Thursday.
It said the teenager was a leader of “riots” — referring to months-long popular protests — in the city of Nowhshahr.
Moharebeh — which translates as enmity against God — and corruption on earth are vague charges commonly levelled against those who speak or act against the regime, which has been shaken by countrywide protests calling for an end to the government's decade-long reign.
Two people have already been executed for their participation in the protests, and protesters are often accused of killing members of the security forces. Since the protests began, more than 500 people are thought to have lost their lives, and more than 18,000 have reportedly been sent to prison and secret detention centres.
On Wednesday another two teenagers were sentenced to death, also 18. If carried out, they will be the youngest protesters so far to be executed.
Iran, one of the world's biggest executioners, is still known to execute children and those convicted of a crime carried out as minors. In December, a 22-year-old man convicted of a murder that he was accused of committing at the age of 16 was hanged, according to Iran Human Rights.
The group says at least 100 people are at risk of death sentence charges. Some protesters have been granted retrials but there is no guarantee of acquittal, with cases handled by hardline revolutionary courts.
In one case, a man has been sentenced to death for an interview with an Israeli television channel — the judiciary then accused him of spying for its arch foe.
'No lessons' to learn from Iran
Meanwhile, Iran and France have clashed over the publication of cartoons insulting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Tehran summoned the French ambassador on Wednesday after the images were published in a special edition by the magazine, marking the eighth anniversary of an attack on its offices in which 12 people were killed in 2015.
The cartoons were slammed by Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian as “insulting and indecent,” and he said the publication “has definitely chosen the wrong path.”
In response, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said Paris has no lessons to learn from Tehran over press freedom and human rights.
“Let's remember that in France press freedom exists contrary to what's happening in Iran,” she said on Thursday, also hitting out at Tehran's lack of an independent judiciary.
On Thursday, Tehran announced it had closed a French institute in the capital in response to the cartoons, with the foreign ministry claiming the issue was linked to Israel. It has also tried to blame Israel for the protests.
It is not the first time France and Iran have been at loggerheads.
President Emmanuel Macron sparked anger in the Muslim world in 2020 following the beheading of French schoolteacher Samuel Paty.
Mr Paty was killed after showing images depicting the Prophet Mohammed during a discussion on free speech and the attack on Charlie Hebdo.
The French President's ensuing comments on Islam and defence of the cartoons led to protests in several countries and a call to boycott French products.
Mr Khamenei hit out at Mr Macron while Iranian newspapers published cartoons of him depicted as the devil.
France has also called on Iran to release several of its citizens held in Iran on trumped-up charges.
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Asia Cup 2018 Qualifier
Sunday's results:
- UAE beat Malaysia by eight wickets
- Nepal beat Singapore by four wickets
- Oman v Hong Kong, no result
Tuesday fixtures:
- Malaysia v Singapore
- UAE v Oman
- Nepal v Hong Kong
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Aldar Properties Abu Dhabi T10
*November 15 to November 24
*Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
*Tickets: Start at Dh10, from ttensports.com
*TV: Ten Sports
*Streaming: Jio Live
*2017 winners: Kerala Kings
*2018 winners: Northern Warriors
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE v Zimbabwe A
Results
Match 1 – UAE won by 4 wickets
Match 2 – UAE won by 5 wickets
Match 3 – UAE won by 25 runs
Match 4 – UAE won by 77 runs
Fixture
Match 5, Saturday, 9.30am start, ICC Academy, Dubai
TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
The Transfiguration
Director: Michael O’Shea
Starring: Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine
Three stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Scores in brief:
Day 1
New Zealand (1st innings) 153 all out (66.3 overs) - Williamson 63, Nicholls 28, Yasir 3-54, Haris 2-11, Abbas 2-13, Hasan 2-38
Pakistan (1st innings) 59-2 (23 overs)
Januzaj's club record
Manchester United 50 appearances, 5 goals
Borussia Dortmund (loan) 6 appearances, 0 goals
Sunderland (loan) 25 appearances, 0 goals
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
