Iran executed a man on Wednesday for “drinking alcohol” in Mashhad Central Prison.
Hossein Habibi Shahri, the prisoner’s lawyer, reported that his client, the father of two, had been sentenced to death for “drinking alcohol for the sixth time,” and that his sentence was carried out on July 9, 2020 in Mashhad Central Prison.
“My client was arrested in 2018 or 2017,” Mr. Habibi said. He was convicted of drinking alcohol for the sixth time. Of course, there was also the issue of driving without a license and keeping alcohol. “
Davoud Shoushtari, a judiciary official had previously informed Mr. Habibi in a statement that: “According to Article 543 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, if he wishes, he can attend the execution occurring in due time.”
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Mr. Habibi said on Wednesday that the man identified as Morteza was the father of two small children.
He said: “Without doubt, this is the most difficult day of my counselling career…
I had a client who had been sentenced to death on the charge of drinking alcoholic beverages. His sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court and at dawn this morning, at the time of the call to prayer…
Personally, and in light of the existing evidence, I was hoping to receive a better sentence, but what happened in reality, was unfortunately, to the contrary.
What hurts me most is the tough approach of the Judiciary to this case, as if all the country’s problems would get resolved with the execution of my client…
Today, I could not look into the eyes of client’s children and wife. Despite endeavoring for one year, and enjoying the advice and consultation of some of the best masters in this field and my colleagues, my defense did not prove useful, and today the children of my client became orphans.
Don’t know what would happen to them and what the future would hold for them in this world of ours with all the problems…
In our last meeting, he came to me and asked enthusiastically, “what’s up, Mr. lawyer?” Encountering my silence, he whispered, “We trust in God!”
I don’t know what to say. It was very difficult! Extremely difficult!
And this morning, without saying anything, he looked at me with a thousand words in his eyes. Then, he walked away to the gallows.
A friend and colleague of mine told me, “If there is a day of reckoning, we will definitely, we will settle our claims…”
Rest in peace my dear client Morteza and forgive me if I failed to defend your right…”
Article 179 of Iran’s Penal Code provides for a mandatory death sentence following the third conviction for drinking alcohol.
Murder, adultery, rape, armed robbery, apostasy and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under the regime’s sharia law, practiced since Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution.
Rights group Amnesty International says Iran has one of the highest rates of executions in the world.
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