Updated: Thursday, July 02, 2009
12:50GMT—8:50AM/EST
Washington, 2 July (WashingtonTV)—Six men convicted of drug trafficking were hanged in a prison in the Iranian city of Qom, south of Tehran, on Thursday, the conservative Fars news agency reports.
Three of the men, identified as Ahmad T., Abolfazl B. and Reza A., were said to have organized a major smuggling ring in Qom, said judiciary official Mohammad Rezai.
That 13-person ring had smuggled nearly two tons of illegal drugs from Iran’s eastern border to Qom and onto Tehran, Karaj and Arak, he told Fars news.
“This smuggling ring was one of the biggest rings that have been discovered in Qom Province in the last few years,” said Rezai.
“After the discovery of this ring, an insecure atmosphere has been created for smugglers in Qom Province,” he added.
The other three men who were sent to the gallows were identified as Mostafa F., Esmail R. and Mohammad Kh. All were convicted of trafficking different amounts of narcotics.
Amnesty International says that Iran has executed at least 140 people this year.
The London-based human rights group said that Iran carried out at least 346 executions in 2008, second only to China.
Murder, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking, adultery and apostasy are among the crimes punishable by death in the Islamic Republic.
Sources: Fars… >>>
