Iran hangs five criminals

TEHERAN - IRAN has hanged five men convicted of various crimes including drug smuggling and rape in a south-eastern province, a news agency reported on Monday.

The men were executed in a prison in the south-eastern province of Kerman, Iran's Students News Agency reported, without saying when the hangings took place.

Murder, adultery, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking and apostasy - the renouncing of religion, in this case Islam - are all punishable by death under Iranian Syariah law practiced since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

'Five convicted drug smugglers and bandits and a man convicted of rape were hanged in Kerman prison,' ISNA said, quoting local judicial authorities.

The sentences were carried out after confirmation by the supreme court.

Since authorities launched a clampdown on 'immoral behaviour' in July 2007, police have arrested dozens of drug addicts, smugglers, rapists and murderers.

Although Iran's human rights record is often criticised by the West, Teheran rejects claims it is violating human rights and accuses the West of double standards and hypocrisy. -- REUTERS

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