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Drug trafficker beheaded in Saudi Arabia
A convicted drug trafficker was put to death by the sword in Saudi Arabia's eastern city of Khobar on Sunday, the interior ministry said.
Hussein Muilu, a Saudi national, was condemned to death after being convicted of smuggling hashish into the kingdom, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.
Sunday's beheading brings to 71 the number of executions announced by Saudi Arabia this year.
Last year, a record 153 people were put to death in the ultra-conservative Arab kingdom, which applies a strict version of sharia, or Islamic law. This figure compared with 37 beheaded in 2006.
Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking can all carry the death penalty in Saudi Arabia, where executions are usually carried out in public. A convicted drug trafficker was put to death by the sword in Saudi Arabia's eastern city of Khobar on Sunday, the interior minist... more -
Judge delays execution of condemned Texas inmate
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A federal judge delayed the planned execution of an inmate Thursday pending an evaluation to determine if the inmate is able to understand why he is to be put to death.
Jeffery Wood was to have been executed Thursday evening for taking part in the 1996 robbery of a convenience store in which a clerk was fatally shot.
But U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia in San Antonio granted a request by Wood's attorneys to delay his execution so they could hire a mental health expert to pursue their arguments that he is incompetent to be executed. Texas courts had previously refused similar appeals.
Wood's "motion presents non-frivolous arguments suggesting (he) currently lacks a rational understanding of the connection between his role in his offense and the punishment imposed upon him," Garcia wrote in his order.
While Garcia wrote that the evidence was far from compelling, there were enough facts to conclude Wood had made a "substantial threshold showing of insanity." HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — A federal judge delayed the planned execution of an inmate Thursday pending an evaluation to determine if the... more -
Stop the Execution of Jeff Wood (scheduled tonight 8/21/08)
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has unanimously denied clemency for Jeff Wood, a man who killed no one. This cannot be tolerated.
Imagine being 14 years old and waiting to learn whether your father is going to live or die. Only you're not in a hospital waiting room, or anticipating dreadful news from a war zone. You are in Texas, and your father is on death row. His life is in the hands of seven people who will sit around a table and, in a deliberate manner, officially decide whether he should, indeed, be strapped to a gurney and injected with lethal chemicals, as planned. On the narrow chance that they decide to grant clemency, it is then up to the governor, a man who has signed off on more executions than any other in the country, to follow through.
This is what Paige Lynn Wood went through all day yesterday, which also happened to be her father's 34th birthday. In the end, her worst fears were realized: On Monday afternoon, the board decided, in a vote of 7-0, to execute her father, Jeff Wood. Wood is scheduled to die by lethal injection Thursday night for a murder he did not commit. It's not just that he has a strong innocence claim, or that his state-appointed council was completely incompetent during his capital trial. The fact is, Wood did not kill anyone -- and no one argues that he did. The person who committed the murder for which he is scheduled to die was already executed, six years ago.
The Crime, an Overzealous Prosecutor and a Man Named "Dr. Death"
On New Years Day 1996, 22-year-old Jeff Wood was in on a plot to rob a Texaco convenience store in Kerrville, Texas, along with a man named Daniel Reneau. The store's assistant manager was an accomplice in the robbery: He was going to help Reneau navigate the store. But things didn't go according to plan, and in the early hours of Jan. 2, Reneau shot their friend Kriss Keeran, who was working behind the counter, in the face, killing him instantly.
Wood was startled when he heard the gunshot, but he reportedly helped carry out the subsequent robbery anyway, stealing several thousand dollars. He and Reneau were arrested within 24 hours. They confessed to the crime, and Wood led police to the murder weapon.
While it remains unclear to what extent Wood was supposed to participate in the robbery, what is absolutely undisputed is that Wood had no role in Keeran's murder. According to his attorneys, he was not even aware that Reneau was carrying a gun. After all, the robbery was supposed to be an inside job. As reiterated in the clemency brief filed by Wood’s defense attorneys early this month, "Reneau -- the only person inside the store and who carried a weapon -- alone made the decision to take Keeran's life. Mr. Wood was outside the store in his brother's truck."
Months later, during the trial of Daniel Reneau, there was no ambiguity over who had killed Keeran. According to Jordan Smith of the Austin Chronicle, "the state argued that he was responsible for Keeran's murder and portrayed Wood as little more than a sap, steamrolled by the villainous Reneau."
Renaeu was sentenced to death in March 1997. He was executed in 2002. Following the execution, the Dallas Morning News reported that when "asked on death row last week to identify the shooter, Reneau had a one-word reply: 'Me.'"
Having locked in a death sentence for Reneau, it should have defied logic and legal ethics for prosecutors to change the story to make Wood the real villain. But that's what happened. "At Wood's trial," reports Smith, "prosecutors reversed their strategy, arguing that Wood deserved to die because he'd gotten Reneau to 'do his dirty work.'"
Tell Gov. Rick Perry Not to Execute Jeff Wood.
Jeff Wood's supporters are urging the governor of Texas to grant a 30-day stay of execution. Call or fax the governor today:
Phone: (512) 463-2000
Fax: (512) 463-1849
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Wood's execution is scheduled for tonight (8/21/08) so let's vote this up today with hopes and prayers for justice. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has unanimously denied clemency for Jeff Wood, a man who killed no one. This cannot be tolerate... more -
Iran to hang a boy for a murder he committed when he was 17
Mohammad Fadaei was convicted of a murder he committed when he was only seventeen years old, and the Supreme Court recently confirmed the Ghesas [roughly translated as punishment fitting the crime] order, placing Mr. Fadaei a step closer to execution. The order comes after the head of the judiciary refused to issue the death sentence against Mr. Fadaei and the case was then referred to the Supreme Court to be reviewed for eligibility for a new court session.
Mr. Fadaei has been in jail since he was seventeen years old, and during the past five years his case has gone through many ups and downs. His death sentencing was twice turned down by judiciary head Ayatullah Shahroodi’s intervention when until recently Ayatullah Shahroodi succeeded in rescinding the initial ruling. Newly appointed lawyers have submitted documents to prove that Mr. Fadaei’s original lawyer was not qualified, thus invaliding the entire original court proceedings. Although Ayatullah Shahroodi accepted the new lawyer’s claim and invalidated the initial court’s ruling, Branch 27 of the Supreme Court confirmed the death sentencing.
The Supreme Court judges argued that the sentencing has already been confirmed and there is not sufficient proof to drop the sentence against Mr. Fadaei to establish a new round of court proceedings. The confirmation of the Ghesas order by Branch 27 of the Supreme Court once again encouraged Mr. Fadaei’s lawyers to increase their efforts to win a new round of court proceedings. Mr. Fadaei’s lawyers maintain that his previous attorney was not licensed to practice law, thus invalidating the initial court proceedings and its ruling.
Mohammad Mostafaei, one of Mr. Fadaei’s lawyers, told a reporter from Etemad newspaper: “In a situation when the court’s ruling is not approved by the head of the judicial branch, the case is referred to the country’s supreme court. If the Supreme Court drops the charges, then the convict is given another chance for a new court proceeding. However, if the Supreme Court confirms the ruling, then the Ghesas order becomes final.” Mr. Mostafaei further added: “Mr. Fadaei appeared only once throughout the initial court proceedings in Branch 71 of the Criminal Court, and since his lawyer was incompetent and lacked any formal legal training, the court procedures and ruling were not contested and Mr. Fadaei’s rights were violated”.
Mr. Mostafaei added: “presently, we have three days to react to the ruling issued by the Supreme Court and cite Article 18 to demand a new court proceeding. In case our request is denied, the case will again be referred to desk of the head of judiciary for his intervention. I am confidents that the head of judiciary and legal technicians will consider our request as they have done so in the past”. Mohammad Fadaei was convicted of a murder he committed when he was only seventeen years old, and the Supreme Court recently confirmed ... more -
URGENT: THE MINOR OFFENDER REZA HEJAZI IS SCHEDULED TO BE EXECUTED TOMORROW AUGUST...
Iran Human Rights, August 18: According to reliable sources in Iran, the juvenile offender Reza Hejazi, along with 3 others are scheduled to be executed tomorrow morning August 19 in the prison of Isfahan.
Reza Hejazi is convicted of a murder he allegedly committed in 2004, when he was 15 year old.
According to Reza’s father, he has been transferred to solitary confinement today and prepared for execution tomorrow.
Reza’s attorney, Mohammad Mostafaei, has not been informed about the scheduled execution.
Reza Hejazi’s name is among the 150 other minors on the death row in Iran:
" Seyed Reza Hejazi 15 Isfahan Reza Hejazi – then aged 15 - was among a small group of people involved in a dispute with a man on 18 September 2004, which resulted in the man being fatally stabbed. Reza Hejazi was arrested and tried for murder, and on 14 November 2005 he was sentenced to Qesas (retribution) by Branch 106 of the Esfahan General Court. The sentence was approved by Branch 28 of the Supreme Court on 6 June 2006, although under Iranian law he should have been tried in a juvenile court. The case was referred for mediation between Reza Hejazi and the victim’s family, to try and arrange for the payment of diyeh, but no sum has yet been agreed. If no agreement is reached, Reza Hejazi will be executed."
Three others are scheduled to be executed in Isfahan’s prison tomorrow morning. As far as we know none of them were minors at the time of the alleged offence they are convicted of.
So far in 2008, four juvenile offenders have been executed in Iran. Iran Human Rights, August 18: According to reliable sources in Iran, the juvenile offender Reza Hejazi, along with 3 others are schedu... more -
Member Of 'Texas 7' Is Set For Execution
LIVINGSTON, Texas - Michael Rodriguez remembers the exhilaration of newfound freedom when he hid in the back of a stolen truck as he and six of his buddy convicts staged one of Texas' most notorious prison breaks.
Then he recalls seeing his photo on national TV and grasping the reality that their Hollywood-style plan to rob a Nevada casino had gone terribly awry.
He and his fellow fugitives were being hunted everywhere as the killers of a police officer, Aubrey Hawkins, at a store they robbed outside Dallas.
This week, Rodriguez, 45, is set to become the first of the six surviving members of the infamous "Texas 7" - all of them now on death row - to go to the death chamber. His execution is set for Thursday.
"I'm glad we got caught, so no one else would get hurt," Rodriguez said, discussing with a reporter for the first time his involvement in the December 2000 crime spree.
CLICK FOR MORE..... LIVINGSTON, Texas - Michael Rodriguez remembers the exhilaration of newfound freedom when he hid in the back of a stolen truck as he a... more -
Death row inmate volunteers to be executed
LIVINGSTON, Texas (AP) -- Michael Rodriguez remembers the exhilaration of newfound freedom when he hid in the back of a stolen truck as he and six of his buddy convicts staged one of Texas' most notorious prison breaks.
Then he recalls seeing his photo on national TV and grasping the reality that their Hollywood-style plan to rob a Nevada casino had gone terribly awry.
He and his fellow fugitives were being hunted everywhere as the killers of a police officer, Aubrey Hawkins, at a store they robbed outside Dallas.
This week, Rodriguez is set to become the first of the six surviving members of the infamous "Texas 7" -- all of them now on death row -- to go to the death chamber.
"I'm glad we got caught, so no one else would get hurt," Rodriguez said, discussing with a reporter for the first time his involvement in the crime spree eight years ago.
"It was so thrilling that we actually got away with it," he said of the December 2000 escape from a maximum security prison. "But after Mr. Hawkins got killed, and I saw (ABC's) Peter Jennings on the TV news with our pictures, I thought: 'Oh my God, Oh my God. Am I in trouble!"'
After some six weeks of evading an intense manhunt, the fugitives were captured in Colorado. One of the seven killed himself as authorities closed in on him.
"I'm glad it ended when it did. It would have been a mess."
Rodriguez, 45, said he welcomes this week's execution, set for Thursday. LIVINGSTON, Texas (AP) -- Michael Rodriguez remembers the exhilaration of newfound freedom when he hid in the back of a stolen truck a... more -
The high cost of the death penalty
Having noticed that, following several different articles, comments made in response expressed the ardent wish to have criminals executed rather than give them life sentences, and some saying that executing criminals costs less than keeping them in jail for life, I am posting a link to this website which explains in detail why and how capital punishment is far more expensive than life in prison. Thus, many more of your tax dollars are spent on killing criminals than on keeping them in jail for life. It also has absolutely no deterrent value whatsoever - on the contrary, it is often the ultimate and most gratifying and orgasmic payoff for many of those who want to die, as in suicide by police, and, as such, encourages many mentally sick individuals to commit crimes which will lead to their being executed precisely because that is where it will lead them.
Click on the picture to access that website.
There are also links which give 10 reasons to oppose the death penalty. One that seems not to be listed is the fact that, despite confessions, despite thorough investigations, there is still the risk of executing an innocent person, which still happens. Also, executing a criminal is an extremely cruel punishment wreaked on the innocent members of the criminal's family, especially his or her children.
As far as I am concerned, the death penalty is simply government-sponsored murder, unworthy of civilized countries and people. It actually negates all claims of being civilized. It has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with, and caters to, one of the very worst and most primitive flaws of humans, and basest of human instincts - vengeance.
Since for so many, their pocket-books and tax-dollars seem to be more important than basic human values, perhaps the financial aspect of capital punishment might convince them that it is wrong and not economic at all. For the rest, this is the least of the valid arguments against capital punishment. Having noticed that, following several different articles, comments made in response expressed the ardent wish to have criminals execu... more -
Texas executes Mexican-born killer in defiance of world court
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) -- A Mexican-born condemned prisoner was executed Tuesday night for the rape and murder of two teenage girls 15 years ago after a divided U.S. Supreme Court rejected his request for a reprieve.
"I'm sorry my actions caused you pain. I hope this brings you the closure that you seek. Never harbor hate," Jose Medellin said to those gathered to watch him die. Nine minutes later, at 9:57 p.m., he was pronounced dead.
Medellin's execution, the fifth this year in the nation's busiest capital punishment state, attracted international attention after he raised claims he wasn't allowed to consult the Mexican consulate for legal help following his arrest. State officials say he didn't ask to do so until well after he was convicted of capital murder.
Medellin, 33, was condemned for participating in the 1993 gang rape, beating and strangling of Elizabeth Pena, 16, and Jennifer Ertman, 14. He and five fellow gang members attacked the Houston girls as they were walking home on a June night, raped and tortured them for an hour, then kicked and stomped them before using a belt and shoelaces to strangle them.
Their remains were found four days later. By then, Medellin already had bragged to friends about the killings.
Pena's father, who was among the witnesses, gently tapped the glass that separated him from Medellin as he turned to leave the witness chamber after the execution.
"We feel relieved," Adolfo Pena said after leaving the prison. "Fifteen years is a long time coming."
Several dozen demonstrators, about evenly divided between favoring and opposing capital punishment, stood outside on opposite sides of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Huntsville Unit. HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) -- A Mexican-born condemned prisoner was executed Tuesday night for the rape and murder of two teenage girls 15... more -
Delay to Mexican man's execution
The execution of a Mexican prisoner in Texas has been delayed while the US Supreme Court considers whether it should go ahead.
Jose Medellin, convicted of the rape and murder of a teenage girl, was due to be given a lethal injection despite condemnation from around the world.
The International Court of Justice had ruled the execution should be stopped because it violates international law.
Texas says its courts are not bound by the rulings of the ICJ.
The ICJ ordered that the executions of all Mexican nationals should be suspended after Mexico complained that some of its nationals on death row had not been informed of their right to consular assistance during trial, a right under the Vienna Convention.
On Tuesday United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on the US to abide by the ICJ ruling.
"All decisions and orders of the International Court of Justice must be respected by states," he told a television station in Mexico City, where he is attending a world Aids conference.
"The United States should take every step to make sure the execution does not take place."
Medellin's case dates back to 1993 when two girls, Jennifer Ertman, 14, and Elizabeth Pena, 16, were raped and murdered by six gang members in Houston.
Read more... The execution of a Mexican prisoner in Texas has been delayed while the US Supreme Court considers whether it should go ahead. ... more -
Death row inmate: "I'm too fat to execute"
A death row inmate scheduled for execution says he's too fat to be put to death, claiming executioners would have trouble finding his veins and that his weight could diminish the effectiveness of one of the lethal injection drugs.
Lawyers for Richard Cooey argue in a federal lawsuit that Cooey, 5-feet-7 and 267 pounds, had poor veins when he faced execution five years ago and the problem has been worsened by weight gain.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in federal court, also says prison officials have had difficulty drawing blood from Cooey for medical procedures.
Cooey, 41, is sentenced to die for raping and murdering two young women in 1986. His execution is scheduled for October 14, 2008.
Two years ago, convicted killer Jeffrey Lundgren was put to death after a federal appeals court rejected his claim that he was at greater risk of experiencing pain and suffering because he was overweight and diabetic. A death row inmate scheduled for execution says he's too fat to be put to death, claiming executioners would have trouble finding... more -
Ohio Inmate Claims He's Too Fat to Be Executed
Lawyers for Richard Cooey argue in a federal lawsuit that Cooey had poor veins when he faced execution five years ago and that the problem has been worsened by weight gain.
Cooey, 41, was sentenced to die for raping and murdering two female University of Akron students in 1986. After a federal judge granted Cooey a last-minute reprieve in 2003, Cooey was returned to death row. In April, he lost a challenge to Ohio's lethal injection process when the U.S. Supreme Court said he had missed a deadline to file a lawsuit.
Cooey's attorneys cite a document filed by a prison nurse in 2003 that said Cooey had sparse veins and that executioners would need extra time.
"When you start the IV's come 15 minutes early," wrote the nurse who examined Cooey. "I don't have any veins."
The lawsuit, filed Friday in federal court in Columbus, also says prison officials have had difficulty drawing blood from Cooey for medical procedures. Cooey is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 267 pounds, according to the lawsuit.
Cooey's execution is scheduled for Oct. 14. He would be the first inmate put to death in Ohio since Christopher Newton was executed last year for killing a prison cellmate over their chess games.
It would also be the first execution in Ohio since the end of an unofficial national moratorium on executions that began lV injection procedure.
Since the court upheld the procedure in April, 16 inmates have been executed around the country.
Attorneys for Cooey in his latest lawsuit say a drug he is taking for migraine headaches could diminish the effectiveness of the first of three drugs Ohio uses in its execution process.
Cooey's use of the drug Topamax, a type of seizure medication, may have created a resistance to thiopental, the drug used to put inmates to sleep before two other lethal drugs are administered, Dr. Mark Heath, a physician hired by the Ohio Public Defender's Office, said in documents filed with the court.
Heath also says Cooey's weight, combined with the potential drug resistance, increases the risk he would not be properly anesthetized.
That's a real concern for Cooey, his public defender, Kelly Culshaw Schneider, said Monday.
"All of the experts agree if the first drug doesn't work, the execution is going to be excruciating," she said.
She said the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has not indicated how they would deal with Cooey's vein problems.
Prisons system spokeswoman Andrea Carson and Jim Gravelle, a spokesman for the Ohio Attorney General's Office, both said Monday they hadn't seen the lawsuit and couldn't comment.
Last year, Carson cited the obesity of Newton as one of the reasons prison officials had difficulty accessing his veins before his May 24 execution. Newton was 6 feet, 265 pounds.
Two years ago, convicted killer Jeffrey Lundgren argued unsuccessfully that he was at greater risk of experiencing pain and suffering because he was overweight and diabetic.
A federal appeals court rejected the claim by Lundgren, convicted of killing a family of five in an eastern Ohio cult killing. He was executed in October 2006.
In 1999, lawyers for Florida condemned killer Allen Davis, who weighed 350 pounds, argued the voltage in the electric chair fell short of the amount needed to kill painlessly, especially for a man the size of Allen.
During Allen's execution, blood poured from his face in what officials said was a nosebleed that happened after he died. Lawyers for Richard Cooey argue in a federal lawsuit that Cooey had poor veins when he faced execution five years ago and that the pro... more -
Another inmate's confession halts execution
Almost killed the wrong guy!!
MOBILE, Alabama (AP) -- The Alabama Supreme Court postponed executing a man after an inmate claimed in an sworn statement to defense attorneys that he committed the murder that sent the condemned man to death row.
The justices in a 5-4 vote late Wednesday stopped the execution by injection of Thomas Arthur "pending further orders of this Court."
Arthur, 66, was scheduled to die Thursday, more than 26 years after he was convicted of killing Troy Wicker Jr. of Muscle Shoals.
It was the third time Arthur received a stay on the eve of his execution.
"My reaction is we finally look forward to the opportunity to examine fully Mr. Arthur's claim of innocence by assessing witness testimony and DNA evidence," said defense attorney Suhana S. Han. "That is the right result."
State Attorney General Troy King called the stay a serious setback for the prosecution. Almost killed the wrong guy!! ... more -
Bali bombers think execution might hurt
Three militants awaiting execution for the 2002 Bali bombings plan to challenge the legality of death by firing squad.
"We're seeking an execution without pain," said the lawyer, who in the past has argued that his clients would prefer to be beheaded, which they say is more in line with Islamic teachings.
Mahendradatta, who goes by a single name, said he would file a petition next week at the Constitutional Court arguing that convicts who go before a firing squad sometimes do not die immediately, causing unnecessary suffering. Three militants awaiting execution for the 2002 Bali bombings plan to challenge the legality of death by firing squad. ... more -
Bush Ok's Execution of Army Inmate
President Bush on Monday approved the execution of an Army private, the first time in over a half-century that a president has affirmed a death sentence for a member of the U.S. military.
With his signature from the Oval Office, Bush said yes to the military's request to execute Ronald A. Gray, the White House confirmed. Gray had had been convicted in connection with a spree of four murders and eight rapes in the Fayetteville, N.C., area over eight months in the late 1980s while stationed at Fort Bragg.
Unlike in the civilian courts, a member of the U.S. armed forces cannot be executed until the president approves the death sentence. Gray has been on death row at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., since April 1988.
-Associated Press Writer Martha Waggoner in Raleigh, N.C., contributed to this report. President Bush on Monday approved the execution of an Army private, the first time in over a half-century that a president has affirme... more -
29 convicts executed in Iran
TEHRAN, Iraq (AP) -- Iranian state television's Web site says 29 people convicted of murder, drug trafficking and other criminal charges have been hanged in Tehran's Evin prison.
The Web site says the convicts included people found guilty of murder, rape, armed robbery and drug trafficking. The hangings were carried out after the death verdicts were approved by Iran's Supreme Court.
Murder, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Iran's strict Islamic regime.
The hangings bring to more than 100 the number of people executed in Iran so far this year. TEHRAN, Iraq (AP) -- Iranian state television's Web site says 29 people convicted of murder, drug trafficking and other criminal ... more -
29 convicts executed in Iran
Iranian state television's Web site says 29 people convicted of murder, drug trafficking and other criminal charges have been hanged in Tehran's Evin prison.
The 29 had their cases tried by the highest judicial authorities and were found guilty of the charges brought against them, Iran's judiciary said in a statement.
The hangings bring to more than 100 the number of people executed in Iran so far this year. Iranian state television's Web site says 29 people convicted of murder, drug trafficking and other criminal charges have been han... more -
Despite Doubts, Alabama Man Faces Execution
Thomas Arthur has been on death row since 1982. His execution is set for July 31 -- although strong doubts remain about his guilt. The governor of Alabama is refusing to allow DNA tests that may prove his innocence.
Twice already, Sherrie Stone has said farewell to her father for what she thought was the last time. Twice she told him "my goodbyes," as she puts it, in a prison in Atmore, Alabama. Twice she watched him shuffle off to his cell on death row, where he has been waiting to die for 26 years.
Twice his execution has been postponed, only hours beforehand.
Next week, Stone, 47, will go to Atmore a third and probably last time. An eight-hour drive from Florida, where she lives, to Alabama, where her father, Thomas Arthur, has been incarcerated for murder since 1982. On July 31, when he is finally to die by lethal injection, Stone will go through the farewell motions yet again. It doesn't get any easier.
Read more... Thomas Arthur has been on death row since 1982. His execution is set for July 31 -- although strong doubts remain about his guilt. The... more -
Nine Face Execution By Stoning in Iran for Adultery and Prostitution
At least eight women and one man are reported to have been sentenced to death by stoning in Iran.
The group, convicted of adultery and sex offences, could be executed at any time, lawyers defending them say.
The lawyers have called on the head of Iran's judiciary to prevent the sentences from being carried out.
The last officially reported stoning in Iran last year drew strong criticism from human rights groups and the European Union.
The eight women sentenced, whose ages range from 27 to 43, had convictions including prostitution, incest and adultery, Reuters news agency reported.
The man, a 50-year-old music teacher, was convicted of illegal sex with a student, reports said.
Moratorium imposed
Under Iran's Islamic law, stoning to death is the punishment for the crime of adultery.
In 2002 Iranian judiciary chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi imposed a moratorium on stoning, but at least three people are reported to have been executed by stoning since then.
Shadi Sadr from the Volunteer Lawyers' Network, which is representing the women, said: "We are very worried as there are at least eight women and one man with a definitive verdict which can be carried out any moment.
Under Iran's strict penal code, men convicted of adultery should be buried up to their waists and women up to their chests for stoning. The stones used should not be large enough to kill the person immediately. At least eight women and one man are reported to have been sentenced to death by stoning in Iran. ... more -
Photographer Detained After Filming Taliban Execution of Two Women in Afghanistan
Two Afghan women shot and killed by Taliban in Ghazni province, Afghanistan. Taliban fighters told Associated Press Television News that the two were executed for allegedly running a prostitution ring catering to U.S. soldiers and other foreign contractors at a U.S. base in Ghazni city. Two Afghan women shot and killed by Taliban in Ghazni province, Afghanistan. Taliban fighters told Associated Press Television News th... more
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