France, April 30 -- Nine of the 10 political prisoners executed by Iran since 18 March were linked to the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (known as the MEK), according to Iran Human Rights, an independent NGO that investigates each execution carried out.

Founded in 1965 in opposition to the Shah, the movement later turned against the Islamic Republic and remains one of Iran's best-organised opposition groups, despite years in exile.

"One of [those executed] was actually a former activist in exile who had come back to visit his family," Amiry Moghaddam, director of Iran Human Rights, told RFI. "But all the others were genuine, active MEK members."

Six of those nine belonged to the same resistance unit and had been on death row f...