Another Public Hanging in Iran

Iranians watch an execution in central Tehran 02 August 2007. Iran has hanged a convicted murderer in public in a town just south of the capital Tehran, the latest in a growing number of public executions in the Islamic republic, Iranian media reported (AFP).

While the left wets their pants at the idea we may soon strike Iran, the fine folks there had another public execution.

Iran hangs convicted murderer

Iran hanged a man in public on Sunday for killing a judge, Fars News Agency reported, the latest of a series of executions that have been criticised by rights groups and European states.

The 28-year old, named only as Amir-Hossein R., was convicted of the murder in July of a judge in Gharchak, a town 40 kilometres south of Tehran, the report said.

The number of executions, many in public, has risen since July with the launch of a summer crackdown on "immoral behaviour". During the campaign, police have arrested dozens of drug addicts, smugglers, rapists and murderers.

The clamp down has also included an initiative to confront youths who fail to adhere to Iran's strict Islamic dress codes. Youths found flouting the rules may be verbally reprimanded on the spot or briefly detained.

Amnesty International has protested to Iran over the number of executions, which it said in an April report had doubled to at least 177 people last year.

Before the latest series of hangings that began in July, Amnesty said at least 124 people had been put to death in 2007. Based on those figures, Iran has now executed more than 150 people so far this year.

The European Union in May criticised Tehran's human rights record and expressed concern about the use of death penalty in the Islamic state.

Murder, rape, adultery, armed robbery, apostasy and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Iran's Islamic sharia law, imposed after the 1979 revolution.

Meanwhile, they've now reached a grim milestone.

UPDATE: Weasel Zippers located more photos.