Iranian crowd stops execution and frees convicts

[Ian David]

Source: BBC News

A crowd of people have helped two convicts escape a public execution in Iran, officials there say.

The crowd overpowered security services and helped two men convicted of robbery to escape hanging in the province of Kerman, the Fars news agency reported.

The men were recaptured hours later, and justice department officials say they will be put to death on Wednesday.

<snip>

The members of the crowd who aided their escape will also be punished, officials said.





Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8426683.stm

---

Hat-tip to: http://www.astreetjournalist.com/2009/12/23/iranian-crowd-stops-execution-and-frees-convicts/

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. Wow. It is really heating up over there again.

I stand in solidarity with the Sea of Green. Stay strong, Persians.

[Gman2]

2. This could be the spark. The people spoke, officials said FU.

If they could bottle that zeal, either party would pay handsomely for the recipe. I have a theory that democracy breeds apathy. The more free you are, the more entrenched, and frightened.

[maxsolomon]

3. since the iranian govt has limitless funds from oil

they have no incentive to bend to democratic will. there is lots more brutality and death to come.

[Ian David]

6. Iran imports 40% of their oil. n/t

[maxsolomon]

10. i thought that was gasoline

due to refinery limitations.

[Ian David]

13. You might be right. n/t

[PeaknikB]

16. Iran is a net oil exporter

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/country_energy_data.cfm?fips=IR

[AzDar]

4. Amazing.

:thumbsup:

[TheWraith]

5. Iran is heading for a civil war inside of ten years, I think. nt

[intheflow]

8. Something like 70% of Iranian citizens are under 35.

Which means they have never directly experienced a free Iran. And yet they are the driving force behind much of this unrest. Viva the youth of Persia!!

[TheWraith]

11. I should correct what I said.

Iran is heading for a civil war, unless they have an outright fucking revolution first.

Lately, the latter has seemed increasingly likely.

[daleo]

19. And it has been for the last 30 years. n/t

[RandomKoolzip]

7. Good thing they were male.

[WriteDown]

9. Sounds like our CIA at work.

Obvious CIA op.

[TheWraith]

12. Oh please. Take the conspiracy theory shit elsewhere.

Like NOBODY else can EVER do anything in the world without it being the CIA. :eyes:

[WriteDown]

14. Its the CIA...

Cheney ordered this months ago. Sorry if you didn't catch the :sarcasm:

[TheWraith]

23. Sorry. I've seen a lot of DUers say even crazier shit and mean it seriously.

This place is a madhouse these days.

[ShortnFiery]

30. It's NOT crazy if it just so happens to be true ... or do you not believe in the CIA

covert OPS? Are you one of the folks who thinks Iran-Contra was a set up and "the government never lies to the American People?" If so, who's the crazy? ;)

[Ian David]

20. The CIA keeps using the last piece of toilet paper. n/t

[ShortnFiery]

29. +1

[AverageJoe5]

15. The convicts who escaped were robbers - not political dissidents

The Iranian authorities should arrest, prosecute, and punish the people who facilitated the escape of the convicted robbers (they were not political dissidents). Even here in the U.S. it's against the law to provide assistance to a suspected criminal to evade arrest or punishment.

[earcandle]

17. But, but, but, isn't Obama and DOJ doing just that for Bush and Cheney?

[Iwillnevergiveup]

22. Still

death by hanging for robbery seems a tad harsh.

I'm so tired of the U.S. and Israel worrying about Iranian nukes. Iranians seem mostly consumed with overthrowing their nasty regime....focused inward, not outward. The Green wave keeps rising.

[whopis01]

24. You left out execute.

The convicts who temporarily escaped were not political dissidents. However I think it is fairly clear that the crowd who freed them are.

These men were being executed for robbery. Most likely they will still be executed for robbery. I don't think the crowd felt that robbers should go free - I think they felt that execution was not an appropriate punishment. The crowd was attempting to stand up against an oppressive authoritarian force. Sounds like political dissidents to me.

Do you really feel the people who helped them escape should be punished?

Just because something is against the law does not make it the wrong thing to do. Sometimes it is the law which is wrong.

[alp227]

18. wow, idiocy.

At least in America, death rows are under numerous deep layers of security. If you don't want the state to give a convict the needle, just gather around the state prison building, wave signs, and holler.

This is ironic...I just posted a story about an American sentenced to death for killing a cop.

[eridani]

21. Cool! They got rid ot the Shah by withdrawing consent to his rule

Maybe we can hope for the same here.

[Freddie Stubbs]

25. Perhaps, but it doesn't mean that the next regime will be any better

[Odin2005]

26. Yay! Good for them!

[Vidar]

27. Good for them!

[David__77]

28. popular justice is a good thing.

the iranian people have a high militant fighting spirit