IRAN - On Oct. 23 authorities have amputated one hand of a prisoner who was charged with stealing.

Iranian authorities have amputated one hand of a prisoner who was charged with stealing. The amputation has been carried out at Sari Central Prison in northern Iran. According to the Iranian Judiciary’s website, Mizan Online, a man’s hand has been amputated at the central prison of the Iranian northern city of Sari, Mazandaran province. He was sentenced to hodud punishment (unalterable punishment prescribed by Divine law which is considered the right of God) which is amputation of four fingers of the right hand for theft. Based on Article 201 of the Iranian Islamic Penal Code, robbery is first punished by the amputation of four fingers of the thief’s right hand; for the second time, it’s punished by the amputation of the thief’s left foot, and for the third time, the defendant is sentenced to life in prison. The thief is sentenced to death for the fourth time.