While Iran moves through its current political crisis, it's treatment of criminals has remained the same. It has been widely reported that the Islamic Republic has hanged 20 criminals.
Iran's news agency, IRNA, has reported that 20 Iranians convicted of drug trafficking were executed on Saturday. The executions follow the country's hanging of 12 others just days ago.
According to
Reuters, "700 kg of heroin, cocaine and opium had been seized from the convicted traffickers, who were between 35 and 48 years old."
Punishment by execution is nothing new in Iran. Human rights organization Amnesty International maintains that only China performs more executions than Iran. Amnesty reported that Iran executed 346 people last year alone. An
AFP count, based on news reports, estimates that Iran has executed 161 people thus far in 2009.
The crimes of murder, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping and drug trafficking are all punishable by death in Iran.
Despite criticism from Europe and others for an increase in executions since 2001, Iran says it rejects Western double-standards in human rights and that it is enforcing Islamic law.
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