Iran executes five for armed robberies: judiciary

Iran on Monday executed five people convicted of multiple “armed robberies and banditry which rendered roads unsafe and spread terror among people,” the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said.

The five stole livestock and building materials in several areas, including Alborz province west of Tehran, Mizan added without saying when they were arrested, tried and sentenced.

“The death sentence against the five convicts was carried out this morning,” said Mizan, quoting Alborz province chief justice Hossein Fazeli-Harikandi.

Iran executes more people per year than any other nation except China, according to human rights groups including Amnesty International.

Iran generally carries out executions by hanging.

The Norway-based Iran Human Rights group said in November that the Islamic republic had executed more than 700 people in 2023, the highest figure in eight years.

On Friday, Iran hanged four people convicted of spying for Iran’s arch foe Israel, less than two weeks after authorities had executed a man on similar charges.