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Communist Vietnam's secret death penalty conveyor belt: How country trails only China and Iran for 'astonishing' number of executions

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Prisoners are dragged from their cells at 4am without warning to be given a lethal injection Vietnam's use of the death penalty has been thrust into the spotlight after a real estate tycoon was on Thursday sentenced to be executed in one of the biggest corruption cases in the country's history. Truong My Lan, a businesswoman who chaired a sprawling company that developed luxury apartments, hotels, offices and shopping malls, was arrested in 2022.

Four Prisoners Executed in Northern Iran

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Iran Human Rights, December 22: Four prisoners were hanged in the prison of Rasht (northern Iranian province of Gilan).

According to the official website of the Iranian Judiciary in the province of Gilan, two prisoners were hanged in the prison of Rasht early Thursday morning December 20. The prisoners were identified as Y.D. and M. H. and were convicted of kidnapping and rape. Age of the prisoners was not mentioned in the report.

Two other prisoners identified as H. Y. and A. Sh. were hanged in the same prison on Monday December 17, reported the Judiciary. These prisoners were convicted of murder said the report.

Source: Iran Human Rights, December 22, 2013


Proved Innocent 48 Hours Before Execution - Had Been Tortured to Confess

Iran Human Rights, 22 December 2013: A death row prisoner who had confessed to a murder was proved innocent 48 hours before his scheduled execution, according to the Iranian daily “Jam-e-Jam” today.

The man who was not identified by name, had been sentenced to death convicted of murdering one of his employees six years ago.

The report said that 48 hours before the scheduled execution another person was arrested and confessed to the same murder. According to the report the man who was proved innocent said: “Six years ago when I was charged for the murder I was beaten so much that I thought if I don’t confess to the murder I will die as a result of the beating”. The man continued: “During these six years my wife divorced me, my son became drug addict and my father sold all he had to pay my lawyer”.

Iran Human Rights (IHR) has repeatedly pointed at the unfair judicial process and confession under torture which make the basis of many death sentences in Iran. With several hundred executions Iran is the country with the highest number of executions per capita.

Source: Iran Human Rights, December 22, 2013
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