Iran condemned for surge of youth hangings
Iran, the world’s most prolific executioner after China, has hanged a woman and four men for murder in defiance of mounting criticism from human rights groups.
One of those executed in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison had killed a five-year-old boy while robbing his home. The woman was put to death for killing her husband after discovering he wanted to marry another woman, a government daily reported today.
Yesterday’s hangings brought to 232 the number executions in Iran this year, compared to 317 in 2007, according to Amnesty International figures. China, a far more populous country, carried out 407 death sentences last year.
Human rights groups and European governments have criticised Iran for an increase in the number of hangings since authorities launched a clampdown on “immoral behaviour” in July.