Iran has executed a 29-year-old student accused of spying for the United States and Israel, according to the country's judiciary. Erfan Shakourzadeh, a postgraduate aerospace engineering student at Iran University of Science and Technology, was hanged at Ghezel Hesar prison near Tehran on Monday.
Human rights groups reported that Shakourzadeh was subjected to months of torture and solitary confinement to extract a forced confession. Norway-based Iran Human Rights described him as an 'elite student' who was held in solitary confinement and tortured. Another group, Hengaw, said he was executed at dawn after being transferred from Evin prison.
In a message published by rights groups, Shakourzadeh denied the charges, stating they were 'baseless' and that he was forced into false confessions. He urged the public not to let 'another innocent life be lost in silence.' His family was not given prior notice of the execution and was denied a final visit.
Iranian officials claimed Shakourzadeh collaborated with the CIA and Mossad, providing sensitive information about his work on satellite technology. He is the fifth person executed on spying charges since the start of the conflict with the US and Israel on February 28.
