Iran continues to draw condemnation from international sources for its handling of protests that erupted in 2022 following the death of a young woman detained for improperly wearing her headscarf. Mohammad Qobadlu, who was convicted in the death of a policeman during these protests, was hanged on Tuesday, making it the ninth execution since the protests began. U.N. experts criticized Iran for unfair proceedings in Qobadlu's case, stating that he had suffered from a psychosocial disability and had been denied access to lawyers. Qobadlu's lawyer also condemned the execution, calling it "murder" and highlighting his efforts to appeal for another trial for his client.

These protests followed the September 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by Iran's morality police for improperly wearing the mandatory Islamic veil. At least 529 people have been killed and scores of thousands of others detained in the demonstrations. Iran has faced criticism not only for its handling of the protests but also for its execution of individuals involved in the unrest.

In addition to Qobadlu's execution, the country also executed a bank guard for fatally shooting a senior cleric and a Kurdish cleric who had spent 14 years behind bars over the killing of another clergyman. These executions, along with reports of unfair trial proceedings, have raised concerns about human rights abuses and the rule of law in Iran. The ongoing discontent over economic, political, and civil rights issues has only heightened these concerns as the international community monitors the situation in the country.