The China Mail - Spared, married, hanged: the last weeks of Iranian protester Alireza Sepahi

But on the morning of October 5 came the moment the 25-year-old had feared for months when he was hanged in the central city of Isfahan.

He had married his partner Mahshad Kashani, 22, who was also jailed over the protests, in a ceremony conducted by telephone by their lawyer on the eve of the execution, according to reports by several rights groups.

He was executed at Isfahan's central prison alongside another man, 21-year-old Alireza Raissi, over protests in Isfahan's Alikhani Square on January 8, where four police officers were killed, according to the authorities.

They were convicted of membership of an armed group and endangering national security, according to the judiciary's Mizan agency.

Iran has now executed 34 people over the protests, which peaked on January 8-9, according to Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR).

Rights groups say the demonstrations were stamped out with a crackdown that killed thousands, accompanied by an internet blackout.

- 'Every day in fear of execution' -

Alireza Sepahi was arrested on January 10, just days after the alleged incident -- alongside his mother, who remains in prison and is serving a five-year-term.

The case against him was marred "by serious procedural flaws" including "disregard for defence evidence" including footage showing that he was not present in the area of the incident at the time, according to the US-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center rights group.

A dozen people, including Sepahi, were sentenced to death in the case.

Two were executed in prison on July 19, while Sepahi was due to be hanged on July 28 in public in Alikhani Square along with two men including his cousin Abolfazl, IHR said.

"But shortly before the scheduled execution, he suffered a heart attack and was transferred to hospital," said Mai Sato, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran.

The public execution of the two other men went ahead.

"He was discharged a few days later and returned to prison, where he lived every day in fear of execution, until the moment arrived," she added.

- 'Married in absentia' -

The Isfahan Revolutionary Court dismissed his application to appeal and relatives were summoned for a final meeting. But Sepahi had one final plan.

His lawyer arranged an audio call with Kashani, who is jailed in Isfahan but in another prison, to recite religious marriage vows before he died, with their fathers both giving permission.

Asked by the lawyer "do you give me permission" to carry out the marriage with a dowry of "one copy of the holy Koran, one piece of rock candy and a red rose", both parents replied "yes", according to the audio recording shared by rights groups including IHR.

Prison officials refused the couple permission to meet in person for the last time.

"The lawyers hoped perhaps that the marriage could delay the execution. But the authorities claimed the fiancee was not related to the prisoner and prevented an in-person ceremony," said Roya Boroumand, co-founder of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center.

"They were married but in absentia. There has been a legal act but it did not happen inside the prison in the presence of the two individuals," she added.

Sato said that even after his execution, "for his family the horror continued" with his body not returned for burial in Isfahan but transferred to Kashan some 200 kilometres away.

B.Carter--ThChM