Iran: 25 people executed in one week

Tehran, 16 May (AKI) - Twenty-five prisoners were executed in Iran in a single week and at least were 6 hanged in public, the Iranian dissident group the National Council of Resistance of Iran said Monday in a statement.

Among the hangings, three prisoners were executed in Qazvin and Tonokabon on Saturday and four prisoners were put to death in Kerman on Friday.

"In another brutal, middle-ages-style act, 9 Arab- speaking Iranians were hanged in Ahvaz on May 8. Six of them were hanged in the Karun prison of Ahvaz and 3 others, who were brothers and were from 21 to 25 years of age, were hanged in public," the statement said.

Prior to their executions, the victims were paraded through the streets of suburbs of Ahvaz in Khuzestan province, the statement added.

Iran so far this year has executed over 300 people, according to human rights groups.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other human rights groups have spoken out against Iran for its use of capital punishment.

The country is alleged to have the second highest execution rate in the world, after China.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran, founded in 1981 in France, is the parliament in exile of the "Iranian Resistance", and is a political umbrella coalition of five Iranian opposition political organizations, the largest organization being the People's Mujahedin of Iran.

Source: http://www.adnkronos.com/IGN/Aki/English/Security/Iran-25-people-executed-in-one-week-including-6-public-hangings_312020949621.html