Report: Iran plans mass execution, includes illegal relationships

[notfullofit]

AFP Published: 07.26.08, 09:56

Iran is planning a mass execution of 30 people convicted of murder and drug trafficking, a press report said on Saturday.

"Thirty people convicted of murder, drug trafficking, illegal relationships... will be executed on Sunday at dawn," the Aftab newspaper quoted Tehran's prosecutor office as saying.

It would the largest mass execution in the Islamic republic in recent years.

Human rights groups have accused Iran of making excessive use of the death penalty but Tehran insists it is an effective deterrent that is carried out only after an exhaustive judicial process.

Iran has so far hanged at least 126 in this year, according to an AFP count.

Amnesty International reported that in 2007 Iran applied the death penalty more often than any other country apart from China, executing 317 people during the year.

Capital offences in the Islamic republic include murder, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking and adultery.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3573267,00.html

[spanone]

1. we execute people too.

[notfullofit]

2. en masse? nt

[peacebird]

4. does killing people one at a time make it "better" somehow?

[deadmessengers]

8. Yes.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9902EFDF1031F936A3575BC0A962958260

[notfullofit]

11. In public and in front of kids? nt

on edit... and you had to go back to 1994?

Keep digging you'll probably find something more recent if you really feel the need to.

[SOS]

31. China has mass executions by firing squad

for crimes as petty as stealing gasoline.
"Of 1,591 confirmed executions in 25 countries worldwide, 1,010 people were executed in China during 2007."

Where's the outrage?

[Behind the Aegis]

Where's the article?

Get in touch with AFP and ask why it hasn't written about it (or prhaps they have, I haven't searched their site).

I am sure if you posted an article confiring what you quoted, you would see plenty of posters condemning it, unlike this thread.

[SOS]

35. Here

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?did=127

There was actually an error....2006, not 2007.
Apparently China has scaled back their public mass executions for the Olympics.

My puzzlement is in the fact that no-one seems bothered by China's brutality.

[LeftishBrit]

37. I think lots of people are bothered by Chinese excessive use of the DP

and many people have criticized the decision to give the Olympics to a country with such a poor human rights record.

[Behind the Aegis]

38. Post it as a separate thread.

I think you will find many people would be disgusted and 'outraged.'

"My puzzlement is in the fact that no-one seems bothered by China's brutality."

I don't know which threads you read, but when the preparations for the Olympics were being made and as it got closer and closer, there have been numerous posts 'condemning' China for its treatment of her citizens and her brutality. Though, I will agree sometimes it seems to be overlooked (post something on Tibet and China and watch that bad boy sink!).

On edit: Did you notice the last set of stats had Mongolia listed twice? :shrug:

[notfullofit]

44. I don't know, perhaps nobody is listening. HELLO OUT THERE!!!

[dysfunctional press]

56. what exactly is the outrage suppose to accomplish...?

:shrug:

americans outraged over capital punishment won't matter to the powers that be in china.

[seemslikeadream]

61. New Orleans, Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan

[Bill McBlueState]

7. Should citizenship in a country that has the DP

*really* prohibit one from objecting to its application elsewhere?

[Marrah_G]

9. For adultery, rape, homosexuality and drug trafficking?

I think being horrified at Iran's actions is quite normal.

[wuushew]

15. We are not so different than Iran

many people on this board(as well as Senator Obama) denounced the recent SCOTUS decision to prohibit capital punishment for child rape.

[Marrah_G]

21. I think we are different, very different

The main problem I see is that we have started to go backwards instead of forwards. If allowed to we could end up the same as they are. I am very glad the scotus ruled against it. It's up to the people to convince others that we need to start moving forward again.

[Dreamer Tatum]

62. We are worlds different from Iran. Sheesh.

Debating executions for something other than murder is equivalent to doing it en masse?

I think NOT.

[malaise]

69. So what happened in Iraq other than mass murder?

Fuck all governments that murder innocent people. Fuck the death penalty everywhere.

[marshall]

42. And by rape do they mean the woman who is the victim?

I've read several articles where the women who were raped were the ones in prison or on trial.

[LeftishBrit]

29. True, and I think it's wrong (Britain gave it up long ago BTW) BUT

at least in the USA people are not executed for crimes other than murder - wasn't there a recent Supreme Court ruling about that? - and certainly not for adultery.

I favour the abolition of the DP worldwide; and ESPECIALLY for offences other than murder.

[Retired AF Dem]

45. Do we execute people for being gay?

Just what do you think illegal relationships mean in Iran?

[jmowreader]

60. It means living together out of wedlock

Iran executes for homosexuality, but they specifically call it that in the statute.

[w4rma]

3. "Illegal relationships" = adulterers. (nt)

[peacebird]

6. good grief! if we did that half the R's in Congress would be gone...! (and a number of D's as well)

:wow:

[scarletwoman]

5. Just wondering what your point is in posting this.

There are states all over the world that kill their own citizens with great regularity and apparent impunity.

I believe that state-sponsored killing is wrong no matter which country does it. However, since state-sponsored murders occur in hundreds of countries all over the planet every day, I wonder why those committed by Iran should merit any more notice than those committed by any other country.

sw

[notfullofit]

10. Oh for goodness sake.

Mass hangings in the public square in front of kids, is nothing more than a ruthless regime
scaring the shit out of the population. Barbaric bastards.

If you are gay, we'll hang you.
If you have sex before marriage, we'll hang you.
If you smoke a joint, we'll hang you.
If you look at me sideways we'll hang you.

No wonder Ahmalooneyface says there are no gays in Iran, he hangs em as soon as he finds em.

Close your eyes if you wish, you don't like it, don't read it.

[scarletwoman]

12. I see. Your point is to aid in the propaganda effort to demonize Iran.

Thanks for making that clear.

sw

[notfullofit]

16. They sure as hell don't need my help to demonize them. nt

[scarletwoman]

18. I look forward to all your other posts decrying the death penalty in all the other countries of the

world who utilize it. As well as all the countries who have corrupt judiciary systems.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Straight Story]

39. The RW says the same about the left when they say bad things about the US

That we are trying to 'demonize' America and promoting hatred of our country.

Speaking the truth isn't always demonizing.

[LeftishBrit]

41. Very good point!

[notfullofit]

46. Thank you.

How can condemning such atrocities for non lethal crimes be a rightwing talking point?
He lost me there.

Yes I do also condemn theocratic govts and I make no apologies for that when it comes to human rights abuses.

[scarletwoman]

48. Oh get off it. My point is that there atrocities being committed by governments all over the world.

Iran is hardly alone in doing some really fucked up shit.

However, Iran IS alone in having a big target painted on it by OUR fucked up government; therefore I think it's relevant to ask what the OP's purpose is in posting this particular account.

Is it to stir up outrage and antipathy in order to make it easier to justify bombing them? That's what I want to know.

sw

[Occam Bandage]

50. And should we then not bother looking at the offenses of governments

that have drawn the ire of our own? I'm glad when people post about the cruelties of any government.

[notfullofit]

51. Exactly, you got it!

Thanks.

[conscious evolution]

52. Nothing wrong with criticizing

fucked up governments.But when one does so about a government that our government is trying to start a war with it does seem to give the appearance of black propaganda aimed at demonizing the 'enemy'.

[notfullofit]

54. The reason for

my posting the article is that in and of itself it is an interesting story and an unusual one (even for Iran).

As I said in a previous post, Iran does not need me to demonize them and I'm sure the folks here at DU are already well aware of the Human Rights violations in Iran. Even our own effing govt is not going to start a war over 30 hangings, anyway I'm sure they also know this is happening without my 'black propaganda' so no excuse there.

[conscious evolution]

55. 30 executions may not be enough excuse

for our goverment to go to war but if enough stories like this keep getting play it feeds the mindset the propoganda operators are trying to create.
Repeating them just gives them more credibility.

[Occam Bandage]

58. Then the people to whom that appearance is given

need to get a goddamn grip. Which, really, is more likely on a progressive message board?

A: A person is legitimately outraged at a massive violation of human rights causing great pain and suffering, and is sharing that emotion on the board.

B: A person is only pretending to be outraged at such a violation, since they secretly hope that by posting on a progressive message board, they will hasten a war with Iran (because a few dozen hangings are a pretty good case for war, right?)

[conscious evolution]

59. Here on DU

either one is likely to happen.
And I for one would rather it be because of a deeply felt outrage.
But you know good and well that this board gets more than its fair share of people who are here to stir up shit.

[notfullofit]

64. Amd the answer is......

A: A person is legitimately outraged at a massive violation of human rights causing great pain and suffering, and is sharing that emotion on the board.

Not only am I outraged but deeply saddened by what these poor damn people are going to face in the morning (if it's not been done already) and very damned pissed off too.

If they were all murderers my anger would still be justified but execute a person for being gay or having an affair, or for holding somebody's hand who is not your husband, that's worse than inhumane and in my book the world needs to know about it. If I have to be the one to tell it, then so be it.

I really don't give a shit if somebody gets the wrong idea, suit yourself. BUT those of you who don't get pissed off at this story then I'd say you are the one with the problem.

[The Straight Story]

57. Well, I dunno about all that here on DU really

Try to bitch about Castro, and people tell you that you are buying into RW crap (and I don't think we plan on bombing them anytime soon).

Iran IS a pivotal country in the ME, whether we like it or not. They DO have some really sucky policies as can be seen from several sources.

I *DO* get your point on a lot of levels, there are many other countries who do fucked up shit to their people, so why focus on just one? But I don't think many here focus on just one (Darfur has had some posts about it, as have other countries).

China gets bashed (and rightly so) here on a regular basis as well.

So maybe it is not the poster who has the problem, but some folks here who think that if you say something negative about another government when our government does not like them then you have an agenda.

Hell, I have seen posts about the British government and their spy tactics that paint the whole government in a bad light (as it should) but it does not mean I endorse bombing the hell out of them.

Iran sucks when it comes to Human Rights, and I support calling them on it. I also support calling the US, et al on it as well - but that does not mean I support bombing anyone, it just means that I don't like the shit some governments put their people through and just like with bush I want to call them on it.

Why let the fear of what our government may do dictate to folks whom they may criticize?

Iran sucks on some issues, and pointing them out I think is a good thing.

I spend more time myself on the issues we have here in the US as they are more relevant to me and my family, but I don't want to gloss over the many other folks who are getting screwed over by their government.

Iran is in the news right now. Iran sucks on human rights issues.

Do you want to bury those issues because you fear what we may do, or do you want to expose such things in hopes of getting them to change someday?

Human rights are an issue we can all relate to, and I invite you to post as much as you can about any country that is abusing those rights, and I won't think you want to go to war with them.

Call em all out, even us here in the US for our own failings.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. Illegal relationship, Ahmedinijad says there are no gay people in Iran

Wikipedia

[notfullofit]

26. Minors executed

STOP CHILD EXECUTIONS IN IRAN

Atefeh Rajabi Salaaleh was a sixteen year-old Iranian girl who was executed in Iran after being sentenced to death by an Iranian judge, Haji Rezaii, for allegedly having committed "acts incompatible with chastity" (having sexual intercourse with an older man), and for removing her hijab while arguing with her judge in court.
Atefeh reportedly had no access to legal counsel during the trial and was allegedly not believed to be mentally competent. Her death sentence was upheld by a Supreme Court of conservative mullahs.

Haji Rezaii, the religious judge, was reportedly so incensed with Atefeh’s "sharp tongue" during the trial that he traveled to Tehran to convince the mullahs of the Supreme Court to uphold the death sentence. She was publicly hanged in Neka, Iran, in August 2004, by the judge himself. Her body was left hanging for some time so people could see what happened to teenagers who committed acts incompatible with chastity. Amnesty International, as well as human rights organizations from the international community at large, declared the execution to be a crime against humanity and against children of the world.

Atefeh's body was allegedly removed from the grave soon after the burial by unknown perpetrators.

BBC2 showed a documentary about the execution of Atefeh, called "Execution of a teenage girl." It can be viewed here. (Also on our Multimedia page)The Guardian has published an article about the making of the documentary, written by the director.


Sources:

http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=174
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ateqeh_Rajabi
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/5217424.stm

Makwan Moloudzadeh

Iranian Kurd Makwan Moloudzadeh was sentenced to death for raping three teenage boys when he was 13 years old. He was hanged at December 5, 2007 in the morning at a prison in Kermanshah province in western Iran. Makwan was executed despite his alleged rape victims withdrawing their accusations and a judicial review and stay of execution being ordered into the sentence.


many more
http://www.stopchildexecutions.com/minors_executed.aspx

[DavidDvorkin]

14. Where's the post that says this is no reason to bomb Iran?

Maybe it's there and I overlooked it.

[fla nocount]

17. It's here, it's no reason to bomb Iran,

maybe if you're going to have a death penalty(not cool)a mass spectacle might be more effective.

[notfullofit]

19. Yeah, why not bring

the kids and we'll have a picnic.

[Behind the Aegis]

20. sarcasm?

[DavidDvorkin]

32. Yes.

[Behind the Aegis]

33. Heehee.

I thought so. ;)

[LeftishBrit]

30. It's no reason to bomb Iran!

I would have thought that was obvious. If America does bomb Iran, it won't be because of capital punishment; or they'd be bombing their pals the Saudis and lots of other countries too. The country that executes by far the most people (and not just for murder) is in fact China; and the US certainly won't bomb them!!!

[fla nocount]

34. Go ahead and take it on home LB, name those other countries.

You know you want to. Looking at the posters on this thread you've the makin's for a cat fight should you choose.

[LeftishBrit]

40. I did in another post

China, Saudi Arabia, Iran use the DP for many crimes. The US just for murder; but even that's unacceptable in the 21st century IMO. Pakistan is another big user of the DP - I am not sure for which crimes.

According to Amnesty International, the countries that still use the DP are:

Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo (Democratic Republic), Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Korea (North), Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saint Christopher & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad And Tobago, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States Of America, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe


I don't see why this info should cause a cat-fight!

[spanone]

23. do couples count? meet the rosenbergs

The Rosenbergs

In the 1950s, the attention of Americans were focused on the Cold War, and Senator Joseph McCarthy preyed on a country fearful of communist infiltrators. The trial and execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg represented the fears and tensions of that era.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg died in the electric chair on June 19, 1953 at Sing-Sing Prison. Mrs. Rosenberg, whose ties to the crime were limited primarily to typing up notes for her husband, was the first woman executed by the United States government since Mary Surratt was implicated in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Mrs. Rosenberg was reportedly restrapped to the electric chair after the first jolt failed to kill her.

http://www.courttv.com/archive/national/death_penalty/famous_ctv.html

[Dreamer Tatum]

63. Congrats...one example, from 1953

Why, we're JUST LIKE Iran! I didn't see it clearly until now!

:eyes:

[yurbud]

24. which of these would righties disapprove of?

[Deja Q]

25. Maybe 'Reverend' Moon should go preach in Iran? He digs multiple matrimonies

Moon puts them together and the other nutjob puts in the mutha of interventions...

[Bluenorthwest]

27. So China is number one,

so they get the Olympics. Number two gets bombed?
I abhore the excecutions in both countries and our own. But odd to point this out about Iran when the actual leader in excecutions is being paid billions to host a world event. If Iran had killed more people, would they be hosting the Olympics, or what?

[thewiseguy]

28. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are 3 and 4

They are apparently our buddies. :)

USA is ranked 5th. I wonder if there is any Islamic theocracy at work there as the OP claims! :sarcasm:

[LeftishBrit]

36. Here is an Amnesty International report on the death penalty

www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=17724

The biggest users are China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the USA (yes!) and Pakistan.

The USA only uses it for murder; I don't know about Pakistan; but certainly the other three countries use it for many offences.

Abolish it everywhere!

[Fumesucker]

43. Strange Fruit

Mass executions aren't all that far away in the USA. The only real difference is that ours were extracurricular.



I bet if we kill a few hundred thousand Iranians, that will teach them to respect human life.

After all, it's worked so well in Iraq.

[notfullofit]

47. Oh I wish you had posted a warning before

showing that picture, my wife was looking over my shoulder and let out a big yell in my ear!

[Fumesucker]

71. The truth hurts

That picture is within living memory, we have not always been so perfect as we are today.

Personally I think executions should be public, you hide away that of which you are ashamed.

[Occam Bandage]

49. Fuck the Iranian government.

This is ridiculous, backwards bullshit. And yes, I think similarly of the American and Chinese death penalties, so save your cries of "hypocrite" and "warmonger."

[pork medley]

53. sigh

[Contrary1]

65. It's done.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25867532/

[notfullofit]

68. Iran hangs 29 convicted criminals

Iran hangs 29 convicted criminals

People convicted of drug trafficking, murder and rape hung in largest mass execution in Islamic republic for years

AFP Published: 07.27.08, 10:07 / Israel News

Iran hanged 29 people convicted of drug trafficking, murder and rape in Tehran's Evin prison on Sunday, in the largest mass execution in the Islamic republic for years, the state broadcaster said.

The hangings were carried out in the notorious prison at 5:10 am (0040 GMT), it said on its website.


more
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3573525,00.html

[TexasObserver]

66. Executions are morally repugnant, but then, so are most wars.

Given the level of murderous conduct our country has committed the past five plus years in Iraq, it's important to note that such killings are no better than these executions planned by Iran, and considerably larger in numbers.

Let's not limit our outrage to executions.

China, the USA, Iran and Saudi Arabia share the distinction of being the states which routinely kill those it considers criminals. But only the USA regularly kills others in wars of conquest.

[EFerrari]

67. Thank goodness America doesn't murder people. n/t

[Phred42]

70. It's THEIR Country - If they don't like it THEY can take it back

We have bigger problems here to deal with.

We cannot be the Worlds 'moral' Police any longer.

[madokie]

72. I believe hanging is the most human way to execute, is it not?

If I knew something I was doing could get me the death penality and did it anyway and got caught that I would deserve to be executed, I went into it knowing it was unacceptable. Let me make it clear I am against capital punishment in all cases. Death is not punishment. Have you noticed that many of the people who are put on deathrow somehow find Jesus and through his teachings death can be something to look forward too especially to someone who knows that the day after tomorrow at whatever time was their time. Asked for and received forgiveness and now I am on the journey of journeys, heaven itself. I do not believe in heaven and hell.

When I die I'm going to become a guardian of good, plain and simple.