Iran: Young ‘alcoholic’ faces death penalty

AKI: A young Iranian man is facing execution after a court judged him a ‘hardened and incorrigible drinker,” Iranian daily Etemad Melli reported. A section of Tehran’s criminal court is currently deciding whether the 22-year-old man, known as Mohsen, should be executed.
Adnkronos International

Tehran, 31 Jan.(AKI) – A young Iranian man is facing execution after a court judged him a ‘hardened and incorrigible drinker,” Iranian daily Etemad Melli reported. A section of Tehran’s criminal court is currently deciding whether the 22-year-old man, known as Mohsen, should be executed.

Mohsen was arrested after allegedly being caught for the fourth time in possession of alcohol and in a state of drunkenness. He has already been sentenced to a flogging.

Article 179 of Iran’s penal code punishes with the death sentence anyone caught drinking alcohol more than three times.

“Under Iran’s new computerised systems, re-offenders have no chance of escape,” prosecutor Jalil Jalili was quoted as saying. He has requested the death penalty for Mohsen.

Iran is one of the countries carrying out the highest number of executions annually. At least 177 people were executed in 2006, according to campaign group Amnesty International’s annual report for 2007.

These included one minor and at least three others who were under 18 at the time of the alleged offence, Amnesty said.

Methods of execution in Iran include hanging (photo) and stoning.