Pubdate: Tue, 20 Mar 2001
Source: Irish Times, The (Ireland)
Copyright: 2001 The Irish Times
Contact:  11-15 D'Olier St, Dublin 2, Ireland
Fax: + 353 1 671 9407
Website: http://www.ireland.com/

200 WATCH AS IRAN EXECUTES 5 FOR DRUG OFFENCES

IRAN: As dawn broke over a shabby neighbourhood on the eastern edge 
of Iran's capital Tehran yesterday, executioners hanged four men and 
one woman, lifting them slowly on cranes, their legs kicking the air.

The five were convicted of drug dealing after a raid on a tangled 
warren of houses named the "island" in the Khak-e Sefid area of the 
city less than a month ago.

"May God forgive me," said Fariba Tajiani Emamqoli as a female 
executioner placed the noose over her headscarf and around her neck. 
One of the men struggled to free his tied hands in a futile attempt 
at escape.

"Allahu akbar - God is great," the crowd of some 200 onlookers 
shouted as the five cranes mounted on the back of trucks buzzed into 
action. Those at the back, including women holding toddlers and 
babies, strained to get a better look.

While public hangings are rare in Tehran, outside the capital they 
are common. The UN estimates there were 130 executions in the first 
seven months of last year.

The government estimates that there are around two million drug users 
among Iran's 63 million people. Opium has always been used in Iran, 
but officials worry that heroin is taking over as the drug of choice.

A recent increase in the price of opium, and a drop in the cost of 
heroin, has caused particular concern. Anyone caught with more than 
30 grams (about one ounce) of heroin or five kg (11 lb) of opium 
faces death.

Many Western countries have contributed to Iran's fight against 
drugs. Britain has given nearly UKP 2.75 million to a UN programme 
helping to equip Iranian security forces with night-vision goggles, 
jeeps and bullet-proof vests. Other EU nations balk at helping Iran 
send smugglers to the gallows. An Iranian judiciary official has said 
some 800 people are now on death row for drugs offences. - (Reuters)
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