Iran hangs child rapist, killer
2008-02-17 19:48
Tehran - A child rapist and a murderer were hanged in Iran's northeastern province of Khorasan Razavi after they were sentenced to death, the ISNA student news agency reported on Sunday.
An unidentified man who had raped several girls under the age of 10 was executed in a local prison and in the second unconnected case another unindentified man was hanged for murder.
The report did not provide more details.
The hangings bring to at least 36 the number of executions in the Islamic republic so far this year.
The number of executions soared last year to 298, many of them in public, according to an AFP count, amid a government campaign to boost "security in society."
Capital offences in Iran include murder, rape, armed robbery, serious drug trafficking and adultery.
Human rights groups have accused Iran of excessive resort to the death penalty. The authorities say capital punishment is an effective deterrent and is used only after an exhaustive judicial process.
- SAPA