3 executed in Iran for rape

Iran has executed three men convicted of rape. The executions were carried out on Saturday (July 19) at a prison in the northern city of Gorgan, according to a statement from the country’s judiciary, reported by French news agency AFP.

The statement said the three individuals formed an organized group and raped three women. They were swiftly arrested and later sentenced to death—the maximum punishment under Iranian law.

Local judiciary chief Heydar Asiyabi confirmed that the executions took place at dawn on Saturday in Gorgan prison. However, he did not disclose the identities of the convicted men or details of the case.

According to Amnesty International and other international human rights organizations, rape and murder are considered capital offenses in Iran. The country carries out the second-highest number of executions in the world, after China.

Executions in Iran typically take place at dawn within prison facilities. However, earlier this month, the Iranian authorities drew widespread attention after publicly executing a man convicted of rape and murder.