Iranian authorities publicly executed two men on Monday over the killing of a police officer during an armed robbery in central Iran, according to the judiciary.
“The death sentence of two armed robbers was carried out this morning in the city of Khomein” in the central province of Markazi, the judiciary’s Mizan Online reported, citing the local prosecutor.
According to the report, the sentence was carried out in public on Monday morning.
Iran, which carries out death sentences by hanging, rarely executes convicts in public.
The two convicts shot dead a police officer nearly four years ago as they tried to flee after clashes with police, Mizan reported.
Iran carries out the highest number of executions annually after China, according to rights groups including Amnesty International. The number of executions in 2023 was the highest since 2015, marking a 48% increase from 2022 and a 172% increase from 2021, Amnesty said.
According to Human Rights WatchIran executed at least 87 people last month, including 29 in one day.
“Iranian authorities are carrying out a blatant wave of executions while touting their recent presidential elections as evidence of real change,” he said. Nahid Naghshbandiacting Iran researcher at Human Rights Watch.
The Islamic republic uses the death penalty for major crimes, including murder and drug trafficking, as well as for cases of rape and sexual assault.
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