Two Iranians on death row for drinking alcohol

Monday, 25 June 2012 02:01

Two Iranians on death row for drinking alcohol

June 24 – Two Iranians are on death row for drinking alcohol, the head of judiciary in the Khorassan Razavin province in north-eastern Iran said Sunday.

“Two persons who have for the third time been convicted of consuming alcoholic drinks have been sentenced to death,” ISNA news agency quoted Hassan Shariati as saying.

“The death sentence will be effected as soon as it is confirmed by the Supreme Court,” the provincial judiciary head said.

Murder, rape, armed robbery and trafficking of drugs in quantities in excess of five kilogrammes are among crimes punishable by death in Iran.

Although consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited in Islamic Iran but there have so far no reports of death sentences for offenders but cash fines or at most flogging.

“We will not differ drinking alcohol form other legal offences and consider it as capital crime,” Shariati, a cleric, said.

Despite the strict ban on alcoholic beverages, they can be easily obtained in the black market at however high prices./-

Published in Internal