UN human rights chief says Iran has executed greater than 10 individuals every week thus far this yr.
Tehran, Iran – Iran has hanged three prisoners, together with a person often known as the “sultan of cocaine”, because the United Nations warns of a rising variety of executions.
The lads executed on Wednesday have been members of Panjak, in response to the official information outlet of the judiciary, which recognized the group because the “largest cocaine distribution cartel” within the nation.
The judiciary’s Mizan information website mentioned the chief of the group, Hossein Panjak, was 32 and had been concerned with drug smuggling for a decade when he was arrested together with 5 different members in 2014 throughout a celebration he organised to have a good time his rising wealth.
It mentioned 1kg (2.2 kilos) of cocaine, opium and methamphetamines have been confiscated throughout the arrest.
A brief state tv report confirmed the lads in handcuffs and mentioned the primary suspect was arrested 17 instances earlier than. The judiciary mentioned the Supreme Courtroom confirmed their demise sentences however didn’t elaborate on their trials.
International-based human rights organisations recognized the 2 different executed males as Abdolhossein Emami Moghadam and Babak Aghaei. They mentioned the lads have been hanged at Ghezel Hesar jail in Karaj regardless of pleas for clemency by relations who had gathered in entrance of the jail.
In addition they mentioned 4 extra unnamed inmates have been executed early Wednesday at Rajaei Shahr jail in Karaj, however Iranian authorities didn’t verify this.
The Mizan outlet mentioned on Friday an unnamed “worldwide drug smuggler” was executed, however it was unclear whether or not that referred to Panjak. It mentioned the person led three worldwide teams that smuggled narcotics to a number of European nations, together with the Netherlands, and authorities seized 750kg (1,650 kilos) of heroin from him.
‘Abominable’ report
The executions on Wednesday got here a day after the UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, mentioned Iran has an “abominable” monitor report of executions this yr with a mean of greater than 10 individuals hanged every week.
A UN assertion mentioned greater than 210 individuals have been executed in 2023 however the precise quantity might be increased.
On the present price, executions this yr could be far increased than the 580 registered final yr and might be the very best since 2015 when 972 demise sentences have been carried out, the UN mentioned.
Iran executes extra individuals yearly than every other nation besides China, in response to human rights organisations, together with Amnesty Worldwide.
Earlier than Wednesday’s hangings, the newest executions have been carried out on Monday when two men were put to death for blasphemy convictions. They have been accused of burning Qurans and working on-line teams that insulted the prophets of Islam.
