Iran summons German, France envoys over criticism of journalist’s execution

(Reuters) – Iran on Sunday summoned the envoys of Germany, present holder of the European Union’s rotating presidency, and of France more than criticism of the execution of an Iranian journalist, Iranian media claimed.

The Overseas Ministry voiced Iran’s protest to the two ambassadors over French and EU criticism of the execution on Saturday of dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam, who had been based in Paris prior to he was captured in Iraq and taken to Iran.

Zam was convicted of fomenting violence in the course of anti-governing administration protests in 2017. His Amadnews feed experienced extra than 1 million followers.

The EU said in a assertion right after his execution: “The European Union condemns this act in the strongest conditions and remembers when again its irrevocable opposition to the use of money punishment less than any situations.”

The French Overseas Ministry identified as the execution a “barbaricand unacceptable act”, declaring in a statement: “Francecondemns in the strongest probable conditions this critical breach offree expression and press flexibility in Iran.”

Amnesty Worldwide and push advocacy team Reporters With out Borders (RSF) also condemned the execution.

Iranian officials have accused the United States, as nicely asTehran’s regional rival Saudi Arabia and government opponentsliving in exile, of stoking the unrest that started in late 2017as regional protests around economic hardship distribute nationwide.

Officials mentioned 21 folks were being killed through the unrest andthousands ended up arrested. The unrest was among the worst Iran hasseen in decades, and was adopted by even deadlier protests lastyear in opposition to gasoline value rises.