10 PRISONERS WERE HANGED IN IRAN

Iran Human Rights, April 10: Ten prisoners were executed in Iran yesterday and today, reported the state run Iranian media.

Three prisoners were executed in Shehr-e-Kord (western Iran) this morning:

According to the Young Joyrnalist’s Club (associated with the Iranian state broadcasting) three prisoners were executed in the central prison of Shahr-e-Kord early this morning April 10. According to the report the prisoners who were not identified by name, were convicted of drug-related crimes.

One of the prisoners was convicted of carrying 400 grams of crack, 22 grams of "shisheh" (synthetic heroin) and 14 grams of hashish, and had in addition confessed to selling one kilogram of heroin, said the report. The two other prisoners were convicted of participation in keeping 3 kilos and 102 grams of heroin, crack and shisheh, and participation in keeping 2 kilos and 783 grams of the same substances, respectively.

Two prisoners were hanged in Tabas (eastern Iran) today:

According to the state run Iranian news agency ISNA, two prisoners were hanged in the prison of Tabas (eastern Iran) this morning April 10. According to the report the prisoners were identified as "A. H." (45 year-old) charged with participation in carrying 1380 kilos of opium, 498 kilos of morphine, and keeping and carrying 190 kilos of opium, and "M. M." (30 year-old) charged with carrying 30 kilos of heroin, said the report.

Five prisoners were hanged in Kerman province (southeastern Iran):

According to the official website of the Iranian judiciary in Kerman, five prieoners were hanged in the cities of Bam and Kerman yesterday April 9. None of the prisoners were identified by name and no further details were given in the report.

According to IHR’s annual report on the death penalty in 2011 in Iran, more than 676 people were executed in 2011 in this country. According to this report more than 80% of those executed were charged with drug-related offences and tried behind closed doors by the revolutionary courts. IHR has received several reports of forced confessions in such cases.