Iran hanged 20 drug traffickers, official media reported, days
after putting to death 12 other convicted criminals.
The traffickers were executed in a prison in the city of Karaj west
of Tehran after being convicted for buying, selling and possessing
various drugs, IRNA news agency said.
A total of 700 kg of heroin, cocaine and opium had been seized from
the convicted traffickers, who were between 35 and 48 years old,
IRNA said.
Murder, adultery, rape, armed robbery, apostasy and drug
trafficking are all punishable by death in the Islamic
Republic.
The human rights group Amnesty International has listed Iran as the
world's second most prolific executioner in 2008 after China, and
says Iran executed at least 346 people last year.
Iranian media reported earlier this week that six drug traffickers
were executed in a prison in Qom on Wednesday and six people were
hanged for murder in Tehran's Evin prison on Tuesday.
European governments and Western rights groups have criticised Iran
for an increase in the number of executions since authorities began
a campaign against immoral behaviour in 2007.
Iran says it is implementing Islamic law and rejects accusations it
is violating human rights, accusing the West of double standards
and hypocrisy.
Iran shares a 900 km border with Afghanistan and is used by
well-armed gangs to smuggle drugs made from Afghan opium poppies to
the West, despite the efforts of Iranian police.
Up to two million of Iran's 70 million people are estimated to use narcotics.
