Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg announced via social media that he invited the Iranian ambassador to Vienna for a formal discussion following the executions on 7 January. In his message, the Austrian official condemned the execution of Mohammad Mehdi Karemi and Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini, two protesters who had been detained during the demonstrations in Iran. The Iranian envoy was summoned today, with Schallenberg stressing that Austria opposes the death penalty in all cases and supports its global abolition.
The protests across Iran intensified in response to the death of Mahsa Amini, who was detained by morality police after which she died. Iranians took to the streets and social media to express outrage, with many posts showing women cutting their hair and removing their headscarves in visible acts of defiance against the authorities.
Iranian courts handed down death sentences to several protesters connected to the death of a police officer, and other participants received extended prison terms. Reports indicate that the first executions occurred on 8 December, followed by a subsequent execution on 12 December. On 7 January 2023, authorities executed two more individuals described as principal participants in the incident, namely Karemi and Hosseini. Local media also surfaced claims that two younger individuals, aged 17 and 15, were under threat of the death penalty in related investigations.
In response to the executions, multiple foreign ministries summoned Iranian diplomats. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned an Iranian interlocutor to lodge a formal protest over death sentences. The Dutch authorities briefly summoned the Iranian ambassador on similar grounds. On 9 January, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the Iranian ambassador had been requested to appear for consultations in Oslo, continuing a pattern of international concern over the sentencing and execution practices in Iran.
The international community remains attentive to the ongoing domestic turmoil in Iran, where ordinary citizens have demonstrated for months in opposition to political leadership and to calls for accountability in the handling of protest-related violence. Governments around the world are weighing their diplomatic responses, including public statements, summonses of ambassadors, and, in some cases, sanctions or other measures meant to signal serious concerns about human rights and the use of capital punishment in the country.
Observers note that the episodes surrounding the January executions have intensified debates about legal reforms and human rights in Iran. Analysts point to the need for clearer judicial processes, fair trials, and transparent accountability for security forces involved in incidents linked to protests. The evolving situation continues to influence international dialogue about Iran’s domestic policies and its relations with Western governments, with many nations seeking to balance diplomatic engagement with principled stands on human rights and due process.