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Execution of Convicted Rapist in Iran Raises Human Rights Concerns
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian individual convicted of raping numerous women over a span of two decades has been executed in a public display, according to state media reports released on Wednesday.
The state-owned IRAN newspaper reported that Mohammad Ali Salamat was hanged after receiving confirmation of his death sentence from Iran’s Supreme Court earlier this month. The execution took place at dawn on Tuesday in a cemetery located in the western city of Hamedan.
Salamat, 43, faced accusations from around 200 women alleging that he had raped them. These offenses were said to have occurred throughout the last two decades, highlighting a grim pattern of abuse.
Reports indicate that Salamat often lured his victims by proposing marriage or suggesting a romantic relationship before proceeding to assault them. In some instances, he allegedly supplied victims with abortion pills, which are prohibited under Iranian law.
His arrest in January marked a significant moment, as it was noted that he had the highest number of rape allegations attributed to a single individual in Iran’s history. Following his arrest, a large group of people gathered at the local justice department, voicing strong demands for the death penalty.
According to U.N. experts, Iran is among the leading countries in the world for executions. The increasing frequency of these executions has drawn significant criticism from human rights organizations, which argue that the practices often lack transparency and due process.
In Iran, both rape and adultery are capital offenses. Historical cases highlight the severe penalties applied; for example, in 2005, a 24-year-old was publicly executed for the rape and murder of 20 children, while in 1997, authorities executed a man for the kidnappings, rapes, and murders of nine girls and women in Tehran. The recent execution of Salamat has intensified discussions surrounding the Iranian judicial system’s approach to sexual violence and capital punishment.
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www.yahoo.com