Iran publicly executes man convicted of raping and killing a girl

Iran has publicly executed a man who was found guilty of raping and murdering a young girl. The execution was carried out in an open area following a request from the victim’s family and due to the strong emotional impact the case had on society, according to Iran’s judiciary.

The man had raped and killed the girl in Bukan city, located in northwestern Iran. The victim’s family remained involved throughout the legal process and had requested that the punishment be carried out in public.

Provincial judge Naser Atabati said the crime had deeply angered the public, leading to the decision to execute the sentence in a public space.

The death sentence was first issued in March and later upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court. In Iran, the death penalty is used for serious crimes such as murder and rape. Public hangings are rare and reserved for cases considered highly serious or sensitive.

According to international human rights organizations, Iran carries out the second-highest number of executions in the world, after China.