Islamic Republic (Iran) executes two men for rape
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran, criticized by rights groups for its policy of executing some criminals, hanged two men on Saturday for rape, a local news agency reported
"The two accused were hanged today at Evin prison with blue ropes around their necks so as to serve as a lesson for all aggressors," the semi-official Fars agency quoted the head of Tehran criminal affairs court Fakhreddin Jafarzadeh as saying.
Fars said the rape was committed last year.
Murder, adultery, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking and apostasy -- the renouncing of religion, -- are all punishable by death under sharia, Islamic law.
Rights groups say Iran has one of the highest execution rates in the world. New York-based Human Rights Watch said last week Iran should issue a moratorium on capital punishment.
Thursday Iran hanged two men convicted of "moharebeh" (waging war against God) in the wake of unrest that erupted after last year's disputed presidential re-election of hard-liner President Mahmoud Ahmadeinejad.
Courtesy of the Respected site
Islamic Republic (Iran) 'executes two over
post-election unrest'
LONDON (AP)
last updated at 10:59 GMT, Thursday, 28 January 2010
(Islamic Republic of) Iran has executed two men arrested
during the period of widespread unrest that erupted after June's disputed
presidential election, reports say.
They had been convicted of being
"enemies of God", members of armed groups and trying to topple the Islamic
establishment, Isna news agency said.
The executions are believed to be
the first related to last year's protests.
Millions demanded a re-run of
June's poll at the largest demonstrations in Iran since the 1979 Islamic
Revolution.
Opposition groups said it had been rigged to
ensure the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a charge the government
denied.
At least 30 protesters have been killed in clashes since the
elections, although the opposition says more than 70 have died. Thousands have
been detained and some 200 activists remain behind bars.
Last month, eight people were killed in clashes at demonstrations on Ashura,
one of the holiest days in the Shia Muslim calendar.
"Following the riots
and anti-revolutionary measures in recent months, particularly on the day of
Ashura, a Tehran Islamic Revolutionary Court branch considered the cases of a
number of accused and handed down death sentences against 11 of those," Isna
said, quoting a statement from the Tehran prosecutor's office.
"The
sentences against two of these people... were carried out today at dawn and the
accused were hanged," the semi-official agency said, adding the sentences had
been confirmed by an appeal court.
It named them as Mohammad Reza
Ali-Zamani and Arash Rahmanipour.
"The sentences for the other nine of
the accused in recent months' riots are at the appeal stage... upon
confirmation, measures will be undertaken to implement the sentences," Isna
added.
'Show trial'
There has been no independent
confirmation of the executions or the names, but opposition groups had
previously said Mr Ali-Zamani was sentenced to death in October.
He and
one other person were believed to have been convicted for ties with the Kingdom
Assembly of Iran (Anjoman-e Padeshahi-e Iran), a banned monarchist group.
Mohammad Ali-Zamani is reportedly one of those hanged
|
At his trial in August, prosecutors accused Mr Ali-Zamani of plotting
political assassinations with US military officials in Iraq before returning to
Iran "aiming at causing disruption during and after the election". He is said to
have admitted his guilt in court.
The Kingdom Assembly of Iran confirmed
it had worked with Mr Ali-Zamani, but dismissed the allegations and insisted he
had been forced to confess. The group said he had played no role in the
post-election protests and had merely passed on news to its radio station.
Human rights activists also noted the indictment stated that Mr Ali-Zamani had
been arrested before engaging in any actions relating to the protests.
Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer for Mr Rahmanipour, also denied he had played any role
in the unrest and dismissed his "show trial" in July.
"He was arrested in
Farvardin [the Iranian month covering March-April] - before the election - and
charged with co-operation with the Kingdom Assembly," she told the AFP news
agency.
Ms Sotoudeh said her client had been 19 when he was arrested, and
that many of the charges related to the time when he was a minor.
"He
confessed because of threats against his family," she said, adding that his
family had not known the appeal had failed.
In 2008, the Iranian authorities blamed the Kingdom Assembly of Iran for an
explosion at mosque in the south-western city of Shiraz which killed 12 people
and wounded more than 200.
Correspondents say the executions may further increase tension in Iran ahead of
possible new anti-government protests next month.
Messages have been circulating on the internet about demonstrations on 11
February, the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution.
On Wednesday, Iran's state media reported that two German diplomats had been
detained and accused of playing a role in last month's anti-government protests.
A deputy interior minister was quoted as saying they were detained on 27
December, the day after the demonstrations. He also said a close aide to the
opposition leader, Mir Hossein Mousavi, was being held for alleged contacts with
German intelligence agents.
Germany's foreign ministry said it had no knowledge of the detentions and
categorically rejected the accusations.
RECENT UNREST IN IRAN
19 Dec: Influential dissident cleric Grand
Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri dies aged 87
21 Dec: Tens of thousands attend his funeral in Qom; reports
of clashes between opposition supporters and security forces
22 Dec: Further confrontations reported in Qom
23 Dec: More clashes reported in city of Isfahan as memorial
is held
24 Dec: Iran reportedly bans further memorial services for
Montazeri except in his birthplace and Qom
26 Dec: Clashes reported in central and northern Tehran
27 Dec: At least eight dead following anti-government protests
in Tehran; 300 reported arrested
Courtesy of respected site
irishtimes.com - Last Updated: Thursday, January 28, 2010, 14:40
EST
Islamic Republic (Iran) executes opposition activists
Iran executed two people today who were sentenced to death in trials that
followed the disputed presidential election last year which caused bloody
opposition protests, Iranian media said.
It was the first report of
executions of detainees put in the dock in connection with the vote unrest and
may further increase tension in the Islamic Republic ahead of possible new
anti-government demonstrations next month.
Internet messages have
circulated about new opposition rallies on February 11th, when Iran marks the
31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution. Iran's hardline authorities have
made clear they will not tolerate what they call "riots".
The two who were
hanged were among a group of 11 people sentenced to death on charges including
waging war against God, trying to overthrow the Islamic establishment and being
members of armed groups, the ISNA news agency said.
Other Iranian media
also carried reports on the executions.
"Two of the rioters and
anti-revolutionary elements were hanged on Thursday," state television said.
The lawyer of one of those executed said 19-year-old Arash Rahmanipour was
detained before the June poll. She described the charges as "political" and the
verdict as "illegal and unjust".
"An execution with this speed and rush
has only one explanation ... the government is trying to prevent the expansion
of the current (opposition) movement through the spread of fear and
intimidation," lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh said.
"He was never granted the
right to defend himself freely and I could not defend him (adequately)," she
said.
Tehran chief prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said the two were
members of a pro-monarchy and anti-revolutionary group who had planned to plant
bombs and assassinate officials.
"The were arrested by the intelligence
forces. They were tried in a court in the presence of their lawyers ... and
confessed to the charges against them," he told state television, without
specifying when they were detained.
Curtesy of the respected site
Voice of America- Last Updated: Thursday, January 28, 2010, 14:40
EST
دو ناراضی در جمهوری اسلامی( ایران) اعدام شدند
رسانه های دولتی گزارش می دهند محمد رضا علی زمانی و آرش رحمانپور بامداد پنجشنبه
اعدام شدند. از زمان نا آرامی های پس از انتخاب دوباره محمود احمدی نژاد، این
نخستین بار است که گزارشی از اعدام ناراضیان منتشر می شود.
Arash Rahmanpoor 19
|
عباس جعفری، دولت آبادی دادستان تهران، می گوید دو مرد به طرح ریزی برای ترور افراد
و بمب گذاری و عضویت در انجمن پادشاهی ایران اعتراف کردند. جمهوری اسلامی این گروه
را مسئول بمب گذاری در مسجدی در شیراز در سال ۲۰۰۸ که ۱۳ تن را کشت می داند.
دولت آبادی به درگیری دو ناراضی در اعتراض علیه نتایج انتخابات اشاره نکرد. اما،
برخی از خبرگزاری های ایران اعدام ها را بخشی از سرکوب اعتراضات پس از انتخابات
تصور کردند.
نسرین ستوده، وکیل رحمانپور، به صدای آمریکا گفت او در آوریل گذشته، پیش از برگزاری
انتخابات دستگیر شد. ستوده همچنین از اعدام رحمانپور به عنوان عملی «غیر قانونی و
ناعادلانه» انتقاد کرد و گفت او مجبور شد اعتراف کند. ستوده همچنین می گوید او
اجازه نیافت به اندازه کافی از موکلش دفاع کند.
فعالان مخالف در ایران محمود احمدی نژاد را به تقلب در انتخابات متهم می کنند.
سال پیش، عفو بین الملل گزارشی منتشر کرد که در آن گفته می شد ایران از نظر تعداد
اعدامها پس از چین رتبه دوم را در جهان دارد.
|
|
|