13:00GMT—9:00AM/EST
IRAN – EXECUTIONS - EVIN
Washington, 3 July (IranVNC)—Iran yesterday morning executed three convicted murderers in the yard of Tehran’s Evin prison, an Iranian news website reported today.
According to Asr-e Iran News website, Ramin Rashidi, 33, was the first to be hanged. He had been found guilty of stabbing to death a 33-year-old driver in Tehran on 20 February 2006.
Hamidreza, 29, was hanged next for stabbing to death a 21-year old man by the name of Ruhollah Amir Ahmad in May 2006, the website wrote.
The last man to be hanged was 25-year-old shepherd, Naqibollah, who was convicted of murdering his friend in a fight in early 2005.
Yesterday’s three executions bring the total in the Islamic Republic this year to 117, according to an Amnesty International count.
Four other men were also scheduled to be hanged yesterday morning, but were granted reprieve by the families of the victims in accordance with Iranian law, Asr-e Iran reported. The law allows the surviving relatives of a victim to spare a murderer’s life in exchange for the payment of diyeh [blood money].
Iran, the world’s second most prolific executor after China, sent 317 individuals to the gallows in 2007, according to Amnesty. International human rights groups say Iran uses the death penalty “too freely”.
But Iran denies the charge, saying it is an effective deterrent to murder, adultery, rape, armed robbery and drug trafficking, which are punishable by death under Iran’s Islamic penal code.
Source: Asr-e Iran News website, Amnesty International website
© IranVNC 2008. All rights reserved.