LONDON (BNO NEWS)–Amnesty International on Thursday said that nearly 500 people have been executed so far this year for alleged drug violations in Iran. This is a sharp increase of the number of executions in the past years.
Rights group based in London said in a recent report that those who at least 488 have been executed for alleged Drug Offenses so far in 2011, rising nearly three times the figures 2009, when the execution of at least 166 underway for similar offences. In total, the Organization recorded several-600 execution reported by official sources and not this year, with official drug Offenses accounted for 81 per cent of the total.
“To try to contain their big drug problem, the authorities have been carrying out a series of kills Iran surprising proportions, when there is no evidence that drug smuggling and preventing the execution more effective than prison,” said Amnesty International Interim Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director Ann Harrison.
“The drug offense go a long way towards accounting for the steep increase of execution we have seen in the last 18 months. Finally abolished the death sentence Iran has to be for all crimes, but stopped the practice of executing drug offenders, the infringing international law, as a first step would be to cut the number of overall significantly, “Harrison added.
Iran authorities officially recognized 253 execution at 2010, 172 were for drug Offenses-almost 68 percent of the total. However, Amnesty International received reports that can be believed about 300 more executions, the vast majority are believed to be for drugs offences.