Iranian authorities on Thursday executed a young man convicted of killing a law enforcement officer during the mass protests that rocked the country last year, rights groups said.

This is the eighth execution in the Islamic Republic’s crackdown on protests, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsha Amini at the hands of morality police after she was arrested for allegedly violating the strict dress code imposed on women in September 2022.

Milad Zohrevad was “secretly” executed early yesterday in a prison in the western city of Hamadan, the Norwegian-based human rights group Hengaw claimed.

He was sentenced to death for allegedly killing a Revolutionary Guard officer during a demonstration in the city of Malaga in November 2022.

Hengaw, which notably defends the rights of Kurds in Iran, said the 21-year-old man was not warned that his execution was imminent and was not allowed to see his family members for the last time.

The execution of Miland Zohrevad was not reported by Iranian media.

The Dadban collective, made up of lawyers who take on pro bono cases for political prisoners and human rights defenders in Iran, confirmed his execution via X (formerly Twitter), stressing that he had not been granted access to a lawyer.

Iranian authorities have already executed seven men – three in May – convicted in connection with the 2022 protests, prompting outrage from rights groups and Western governments.

Amnesty International considers that the hangings are carried out by the Iranian authorities to send a “strong message to the world and the Iranian people”, which is that “nothing will stop them” in their attempt to “crush and punish” any disobedience.

Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, were killed and thousands arrested during the massive mass demonstrations in October and November 2022 in Iran, which continued for some time despite a bloody crackdown.

According to the Oslo-based NGO Iran Human Rights, authorities have executed more than 680 people this year, the majority after being convicted of murder and drug trafficking.