Two Iranian teenagers face the death penalty after being sentenced to be hanged over involvement in protests that have rocked the Islamic Republic for months, a rights group said Monday, according to the AFP news agency. Mehdi Mohammadifard, an 18-year-old protester, was sentenced to death on charges of setting alight a traffic police kiosk in the western town of Nowshahr in Mazandaran province, the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) group said. The death sentence was issued by a Revolutionary Court in the provincial capital of Sari after convicting him of the capital charges of "corruption on earth" and "enmity against God", it added. The double conviction means that he has been given two death sentences. IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam told AFP that based on available information, Mohammadifard appeared to be the youngest person yet sentenced to death over the protests. Meanwhile, the judiciary's Mizan Online news website said that the death sentence of another protester, Mohammad Boroghani, had been upheld in December by the supreme court on charges of "enmity against God". IHR said Boroghani is 19 years of age. Mizan Online's report came after some reports indicated the execution had been annulled. Protests have gripped Iran following the September 16 death of 22-year-old Amini after she was arrested by the morality police. Hundreds of protesters have been killed in more than two months of nationwide unrest, including dozens of minors. Two men aged 23 have already been executed over the protests, and campaigners fear dozens more risk being hanged as Iran uses capital punishment as an intimidation tactic in a bid to quell the protests. Related articles: Iranian security forces disperse pro-hijab demonstrators 34 Iranian women prisoners begin hunger strike Sentences for journalists who covered Amini's death reduced Iranian lawyer who criticized government arrested Last week, Iranian writer and painter Mehdi Bahman was reportedly sentenced to death after taking part in the anti-government protests and giving an interview to Israel’s Channel 12 News . The reports indicated that Bahman was charged with and convicted of espionage over the interview with Israeli television.
