Iran executes at least 24 prisoners in a week

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region--At least 24 people from various parts of the country were executed in Iran last week, according to official media.

The Iranian judicial authorities announced the convicts were armed narcotics smugglers and among them some who were executed for murder.

The executions took place in provinces such as Qazvin, Hormozgan and Shiraz.

Activists from the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) condemned the hangings and said in a report that the number of executions were far higher than reported by the state.

The agency said that five other prisoners were also executed in Kerman and only one of them was charged with drug trafficking.

The identity of the other four was not made public.

In October the United Nations Human Rights Rapporteur for Iran, Ahmed Saheed said that Iran was executing people at an exceptional rate, reaching 1,000 people this year

According to Shaheed, Iran executes more people per capita than any other country world.

A dozen Kurdish prisoners have been hanged in Iran this year for their human rights or political activities.

Behrouz Alkhani, 30, was executed in Urumiyeh prison in August despite pleas from international human rights organization to consider his appeal.

http://www.insideofiran.org/en/human-rights/13637-iran-executes-at-least-24-prisoners-in-a-week.html