Tehran court sentences two men to death after Qasameh ceremony

A court in Tehran Province has sentenced two men, Shayan and Meysam, to death following a fatal incident during a party in early 2023. The case stemmed from a mass brawl at a garden in western Tehran, which resulted in the death of a 40-year-old man named Ahmad after he sustained injuries from knives and swords.

Due to conflicting testimonies from the 12 detainees, the court ordered a 'Qasameh' ceremony—a traditional procedure involving solemn oaths. More than 50 male relatives of the deceased appeared in court to swear that Shayan and Meysam were responsible for the death.

Despite the oaths, the defendants maintained their innocence. Meysam claimed his weapon lacked a blade and was used only for intimidation, while Shayan argued that a single blow he delivered to the victim's back was not the cause of death. Following the ceremony and judicial review, the judges issued the death sentences for the two men, while a third individual, Mehrzad, received a prison sentence for causing injury resulting in death.