Iran hangs 2 men convicted of killing 4 police officers in January protests

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran on Tuesday hanged two men convicted in a case of killing four police officers during January protests, state media reported.

A report by Mizanonline.ir, affiliated to the country’s judiciary, identified the two as Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amir Hossein Safari Hosseinabadi, saying they also set a police station on fire and damaged public properties in the central city of Isfahan, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of the capital, Tehran.

The two men are the latest executed from among the tens of thousands who were arrested during a January crackdown on nationwide protests. Rights groups say more could face death sentences. The protests that began late December and extended to January faced a heavy crackdown by security forces.

Earlier in July Iran hanged two other men in the same case.

Iran put the death toll of the protests at more than 3,000. Right groups activists put the number at more than 7,000.