Iran's parliament began procedures to amend a law which...

Iran's parliament began procedures to amend a law which allows a murderer to escape punishment if he proves the killing was justified under the Sharia laws of Islam, a parliamentary source said. Article 295 of Iran's law on Islamic punishment acquits a murderer who convinces the courts he was certain that his deed was in keeping with Islamic eye-for-an-eye laws or the victim liable to the death sentence under Sharia, AFP reported.
"Over the past few years, many murders have been committed by people who wanted to justify their act with this law," said parliament member Akbar Alami, an advocate of scrapping the article.
"In a country with the rule of law, such crimes should not be allowed," he said, quoted by state radio.
If the pro-reform parliament adopts the proposed change, it will be subject to approval by the Guardians' Council, a conservative body which ensures any proposed legislation abides by the constitution and Islamic law.