IRAN: AT LEAST 41 EXECUTIONS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF 2012

The new year also began with a series of mass executions in Iran.
In the first week of 2012, there were at least 41 executions, including 37 for drug trafficking and 4 public executions.
Between 2 and 3 January, at least 25 prisoners were executed for drug-related crimes in the prisons of Semnan, Kerman, Bam and Zanjan.
On 4 January, 11 people were hanged for drug trafficking in Semnan, Kerman, Bam and Zanjan.
On 5 January, one man was hanged in the prison of Varamin for drug-related crimes.
On 5 January, three prisoners were hanged publicly in the Azadi (Liberty) Square of Kermanshah, reported the state run Iranian news agency FARS. According to this report the prisoners were identified as Alireza Ahamdi (48), Sadegh Eskandari (33) and Sasan Basami (36). They were convicted of armed robbery of a bank in August 2011.
On 7 January, a man, who was not identified by name, was hanged in public in a village near Gachsaran (western Iran) reported the state run Iranian news agency ISNA.
The man was convicted of rape, said the report.