“Without showing any mercy” to those who “wage war against Allah.”
“Iranian cleric says ‘rioters’ should be executed,” by Parisa Hafezi for Reuters, June 26 (thanks to all who sent this in):
TEHRAN (Reuters) – A hardline Iranian cleric on Friday called for the execution of “rioters” in the latest sign of the authorities’ determination to stamp out opposition to the June 12 presidential election….
“I want the judiciary to … punish leading rioters firmly and without showing any mercy to teach everyone a lesson,” Ahmad Khatami told worshippers at Tehran University.
Iranian state television said on Thursday eight Basij militiamen were killed by “rioters” during the protests. State media previously said 20 people were killed in the marches….
Khatami, a member of the Assembly of Experts, said the judiciary should charge the leading “rioters” as being “mohareb” or one who wages war against God.
“They should be punished ruthlessly and savagely,” he said. Under Iran’s Islamic law, punishment for people convicted as mohareb is execution….