Iran Executions: 29 in a Single Day

The Associated Press reported Sunday, July 27, that Iran, according to state run television, executed 29 prisoners by hanging at Evin Prison (north of Tehran) for various crimes, including drug trafficking and murder, bringing the total number of executions to at least 150 this year. The Rome-based human rights group, Hands Off Cain, stated last week that Iran is only second to China for the number of state-sanctioned executions it carries out. The group's records indicate that China executed as many as 5000 prisoners in 2007, accounting for over 84% of the world's executions. Iran was a distant second, recording 355 executions. Hands Off Cain insists, however, that the actual number is probably higher in Iran because that nation does not publish an official report of the number of executions it carries out.

The Foreign Affairs Committee website reported that 30 prisoners were scheduled to be hung. No explanation has been given for the discrepancy of numbers. As near as can be determined, all news agencies, including the state run television of Iran, are reporting 29 executions. The government is being accused of executing political prisoners among the criminals being terminated.

Iran Executions Compared To The World

International human rights activist groups accuse Iran of over-use of its death penalty. Iranian government officials maintain that the death penalty is a criminal deterrent and is only used after all other judicial and legal processes have been completely exhausted. The international groups disagree, of course, rebutting the deterrent argument by pointing out the continuing executions.

Hands Off Cain, which advocates abolitioning the death penalty worldwide, also reports that in Saudi Arabia, the number of executions were up four-fold. Saudi Arabia executed at least 166 people in 2007. In all, the number of executions around the world totaled 5851, compared to 5635 in 2006. The top ranking 14 nations are all in Asia.

According to the report, the United States was the only nation in the Western Hemisphere to record an execution. Belarus, like the United States, is the only exception in Europe (but it must be pointed out that Europe is a death penalty-free area whereas the Americas are not).

Iran Executions Compared With The United States

In the United States, like many other nations, the death penalty is a polarizing issue. Since 1976, according to Clarkprosecutor.org, there have been 1108 executions in the U. S (as of July 1, 2008). Texas leads all the other states by a considerable margin, with 406 (37%). To date, 34 states have held executions since 1976.

A Gallup Poll conducted in October, 2007, and posted on the same website, shows that 69% of Americans favor the death penalty, while only 27% oppose it.

Texas added another to its total after the last update on the abovementioned site (July 1, 2008). On July 10, the state executed Carlton Turner, a man convicted of slaying his adoptive parents. The execution took place a year after the U. S. Supreme Court blocked the process while considering the question of whether lethal injection, the method by which Turner was to be put to death, was to be considered cruel and inhuman punishment.

According to DeathPenaltyInfo.org, there were 36 executions in the United States in 2007.

According to Clarkprosecutor.org, the last hanging in the United States occurred in 1996 in Delaware.

Sources:

Ali Akbar Dareini, "Iran hangs 29 people," Associated Press

"Iran: Excecution of political prisoners as thugs," NCR-Iran.org

"Hands Off Cain Presents 2008 Annual Report," Nessunotocchicaino.it

"U.S. Executions Since 1976," Clarkprosecutor.org

Michael Graczyk, Associated Press, "Previously blocked execution goes forward in Texas," Salon.com

DeathPenaltyInfo.org