Authorities in Iran have executed three men convicted of rape in the northern city of Gorgan, the country’s judiciary confirmed on Saturday.
The trio, whose identities were not disclosed, were hanged in the early hours within the premises of a prison in Gorgan, the capital of Golestan province.
Local judiciary chief, Heydar Asiabi, who confirmed the development, said the convicts were part of a gang that was swiftly apprehended following complaints lodged by three women.
“The death sentences of three men convicted of rape were carried out this morning in the prison of the northern city of Gorgan,” Asiabi was quoted as saying by Mizan Online, the official news website of the Iranian judiciary.
He added that the gang was quickly arrested after the rape incidents were reported, but did not provide additional details on the victims or circumstances surrounding the assaults.
Under Iranian law, rape and murder are capital offences punishable by death. The Islamic Republic is ranked as the world’s second-highest executioner after China, according to rights organisations, including Amnesty International.
While most executions in Iran are conducted by hanging at dawn within prison facilities, there have been instances of public executions. Earlier this month, a man found guilty of raping and killing a young girl was hanged in public in the country’s northwest—a case that drew widespread outrage.
International human rights groups continue to criticise Iran’s use of the death penalty, particularly amid concerns over due process and the increasing number of executions for offences that are not deemed capital crimes under international law.
