Region | Iran
EU condemns Iran on death penalty
The European Union criticised Iran on Friday for a spate of executions in the country and urged an immediate stop on executions and a moratorium on the death penalty.
- Agencies
- Published: 18:09 July 18, 2008
Brussels: The European Union criticised Iran on Friday for a spate of executions in the country and urged an immediate stop on executions and a moratorium on the death penalty.
At least 10 Iranians were publicly executed last week alone, according to media reports.
"The Iranian authorities have doubled the number of executions from 2006 to 2007, without achieving anything but a worsening crime rate," it said.
There were also concerns about an Iranian bill which may extend the range of offences carrying the death penalty to include the creation of websites deemed disturbing.
"The bill makes a disproportionate link between the acts committed and the penalty imposed and sets out to brutally restrict the exercise of freedom of expression," the EU said in a statement.
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