Why Iran abducted and hanged Ruhollah Zam
The execution may complicate Joe Biden’s plan to re-engage
EVEN BY IRAN’S standards the justice was rough. Four days after sentence was passed, Ruhollah Zam was hanged. The judge said he had spied, incited violence and “sown corruption on earth”. Most Iranians took that to mean that he had simply disagreed with the right of the ayatollahs to rule.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Go hang”
From the December 19th 2020 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Middle East & Africa
A narrow corridor in Gaza has become an obstacle to a ceasefire
Binyamin Netanyahu says the presence of Israeli troops is crucial. His generals disagree
If Nigeria cannot end fuel shortages, disaster beckons
A new refinery creates a chance to scrap ruinous petrol subsidies
The fall of Libya’s central banker triggers a new struggle
It could help the warlord who controls the country’s east
How Africans can stay cool as the climate warms
Air-conditioning is only part of the answer
The relationship between Israel and Turkey is at breaking point
But the Turkish president is desperate to avoid a regional war
China’s relationship with Africa is growing murkier
A decline in capital flows does not necessarily signal disengagement