Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, October 25, 2019—Iranian regime authorities in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran, have amputated the hand of a man charged with theft, according to an announcement made by the public relations bureau of the local Justice Department delivered on Wednesday, October 23.
The unidentified man has reportedly confessed to 28 cases of robbery from homes, and was punished based on the regime’s so-called laws, according to a statement issued by the local Justice Department. It is worth noting that Iran’s regime is known for its method of obtaining coerced confessions from prisoners.
"The policy of Mazandaran's Justice Department is severe and indiscriminate punishment for people who disrupt public security and order”, the state-run Young Journalists Club (YJC) news agency wired citing the statement.
It is a known fact that punishment by amputation is a blatant violation of human rights and a manifestation of torture.
Amnesty International (AI) issued a statement saying, "Amputation is torture plain and simple, and administering torture is a crime under international law. As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Iran is legally obliged to forbid torture in all circumstances and without exception. Those responsible for ordering and executing such practices should know that they are liable to criminal prosecution under international law."
In another case two years ago, a so-called judge in the city of Mashhad, northeast Iran, issued a similar verdict against a robbery suspect, which he could have decided otherwise by taking into notice the hardship the convict was undergoing. The man’s hand was amputated.
Iranian regime authorities have constantly defended such horrific amputations as the best method to deter theft, and even going as far as expressing regret that it cannot be practiced in public and on a widespread basis without international condemnation, Iran Human Rights Monitor (IHRM) reported on Thursday, October 24.
Of course, the Iranian regime never mentions the fact that officials and regime insiders are involved in cases of massive embezzlement and corruption. Furthermore, there is no reference to the fact that Tehran allocates billions to propping up the Assad regime in Syria and fueling terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Houthis and extremist Iraqi militias. All these result in the Iranian people being completely deprived of basic needs.
"The level of corruption and wealth among regime leaders shows that Iran is run by something that resembles the mafia more than a government," said US Sec of State Mike Pompeo.#Iran#IRGCTerrorists pic.twitter.com/wUBURLsJPa
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) July 23, 2018
Article 201 of Iran's so-called “Islamic Penal Code,” allows the following punishments for theft:
(a) On the first occasion, amputation of the full length of four fingers of the right hand of the thief in such a manner that the thumb and palm of the hand remain.
(b) On the second occasion, amputation of [part of] the left foot…
(c) On the third occasion, life imprisonment.
(d) On the fourth occasion, the death penalty even though the theft is committed in prison.However, it is necessary to note that amputation as a legal punishment is in violation of Article 7 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits "torture or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment."
The last hand amputation verdict implemented in in Iran dates back to January 2018 when the hand of a 34-year-old man was cut off for robbery. The guillotine amputation was carried out in Mashhad Central Prison. The hand amputation verdict was issued six years earlier for this man who reportedly stole livestock and other valuables from several nearby villages.
In May of this year, reports showed 23 prisoners convicted of theft were waiting for their hand amputation sentences to be carried out in the Greater Tehran Prison.
Iranian regime authorities issued at least 215 amputation sentences between 2007 and 2017, carrying out 125 cases, according to human rights sources. At least six amputations were carried out in public, according to Iran Human Rights Monitor reports.
