Iran hangs five drug traffickers
Iran has hanged five men convicted of drug trafficking, the state broadcaster website reported on Thursday, taking to 33 the number of executions in the Islamic republic in 2011.
The report said the executions were carried out in the western city of Khoramabad, but it neither identified the convicts nor did it provide any more information.
Of the 33 people executed in Iran so far in 2011, according to an AFP count based on media reports, most were drug traffickers.
At least 179 people were executed in 2010.
Along with China, Saudi Arabia and the United States, Iran has one of the highest numbers of executions each year.
Murder, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking and adultery are other crimes punishable by death in Iran.
The Islamic republic says the death penalty is essential to maintain law and order and is applied only after exhaustive judicial proceedings.
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