Rohollah Zam was hanged on Saturday after Iran's supreme court upheld his death sentence passed in June for his role in protests during the winter of 2017-18, among other charges.
The EU in a statement on Saturday condemned the execution in the "strongest terms" and emphasised its "irrevocable opposition to the use of capital punishment".
The Iranian foreign ministry's Europe director in turn told Germany's ambassador, Hans-Udo Muzel, that Tehran "condemned" the statement, which it deemed "an unacceptable interference in Iran's domestic affairs," state news agency IRNA said.
Germany currently holds the European Union's rotating presidency.
Meanwhile, reactions have been coming from human rights organisations, such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which said it had warned the UN Human rights commissioner Michelle Bachelet of Rohollah's fate as early as 23 October.
#Iran: AmadNews editor #Rohollah_Zam was executed this 12/12. RSF is outraged at this new crime of Iranian justice and sees @ali_khamenei as the mastermind of this execution. RSF had warned @mbachelet and @JavaidRehman about his possible execution since the 23rd of October pic.twitter.com/sRGZRFxe95
— RSF (@RSF_inter) December 12, 2020
Zam's “execution is a deadly blow to freedom of expression in Iran and shows the extent of the Iranian authorities’ brutal tactics to instill fear and deter dissent,” Diana Eltahawy of Amnesty International said.
French ambassador to be summoned
IRNA reported Sunday that the foreign ministry will summon the head of France's embassy in Tehran.
Iran also protested the "indulgence towards elements spreading violence and committing terrorist acts" against Iran shown by "some European countries," the news agency added.
Zam was granted political asylum in France and reportedly lived in Paris before his arrest last year by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, who claimed he had been "directed by France's intelligence service".
Unacceptable and barbaric act
The EU's External Action Service said on Saturday "it is... imperative for the Iranian authorities to uphold the due process rights of accused individuals and to cease the practice of using televised confessions to establish and promote their guilt".
France's foreign ministry had likewise decried the hanging, calling it "an unacceptable and barbaric act" and a "serious attack on freedom of expression and freedom of the press."
After the German envoy, Iran's Foreign Ministry just summoned French ambassador Philippe Thiebaud to protest Paris' statement on #RouhollahZam execution https://t.co/vPyVdjC70F
— Reza Khaasteh (@Khaaasteh) December 13, 2020
Zam was charged with "corruption on earth", one of the most serious offences under Iranian law.
IRNA also said he was convicted of espionage for France and an unnamed country in the region, cooperating with the "hostile government of America," acting against "the country's security," insulting the "sanctity of Islam" and instigating violence during protests in 2017.
At least 25 people were killed during the unrest in December 2017 and January 2018 that was sparked by economic hardship.
