Iran defends further public executions

Iran hanged a man yesterday for killing a doctor he thought had caused his mother’s death, and a 17-year-old, convicted of killing the country’s strongest man, will be executed today.

The two cases have caught the public’s imagination in a country which has the highest per capita death penalty rate in the world, according to rights groups. Iran dismisses any criticism, saying it is an effective deterrent.

Sajjad Karimi was convicted of killing Gholamreza Sarabi, a cardiologist, after his mother died. He was hanged in one of Tehran’s main squares.

Alireza Molla-Soltani, 17, was convicted of stabbing to death Rouhollah Dadashi, twice champion in Iran’s Strongest Men competition, the Haft-e Sobh daily newspaper reported. He will be executed today if Mr Dadashi’s family chooses not to pardon him.

Iran hanged 22 people convicted of drug trafficking on Monday, the latest mass executions in the Islamic republic.