Iran hangs three Afghans convicted of rape

AFP: Three Afghans convicted of raping an Iranian women and stealing a sheep have been hanged in the southern town of Ravar in Kerman province, the state news agency IRNA reported Wednesday. The three men — identified as Nazar Mohammad, Kheyrollah, and Besmellah — were reported to have been in the Islamic republic illegally. Their crime was committed in December, the local judiciary was quoted as saying. AFP

TEHRAN – Three Afghans convicted of raping an Iranian women and stealing a sheep have been hanged in the southern town of Ravar in Kerman province, the state news agency IRNA reported Wednesday.

The three men — identified as Nazar Mohammad, Kheyrollah, and Besmellah — were reported to have been in the Islamic republic illegally. Their crime was committed in December, the local judiciary was quoted as saying.

Before being strung up, the trio were also given 74 lashes each. An accomplice, identified as Jilan, was sentenced to three years in prison and 164 lashes.

So far this year Iran has executed at least 29 people, according to an AFP tally based on witness and press reports.

In 2004 at least 159 people were executed in the Islamic republic — the highest rate in the world after China, according to human rights watchdog Amnesty International.

Iran’s capital offences include murder, rape, armed robbery, apostasy, blasphemy, serious drug trafficking, repeated sodomy, adultery or prostitution, treason and espionage.