TEHRAN — Iran has hanged a convicted rapist and three men found guilty of drug trafficking in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, hardline Kayhan newspaper reported on Sunday.
Kayhan identified the convicted rapist only as Gh.F and said he was found guilty of “acting against virtue” — the charge brought against rapists in the Islamic republic. The three drug traffickers were also identified only by their initials — A.A., H.M. and J.J.
| Problem is, we don't know if they were just criminals who deserved to swing or whether they were political dissidents on trumped up charges. |
The four were executed on Saturday in the prison of Ahvaz, the newspaper said citing the provincial judiciary. The latest hangings bring the number of executions in Iran to at least 167 so far this year, according to a count based on media reports. At least 270 people were executed in 2009. |