Iranian authorities have executed end of October four people convicted of selling illegal alcohol, which poisoned and killed 17 people last year. More than 190 people who consumed the dangerous drink were hospitalized.
The death sentence against the accused in the case was carried out in the Karaj Central Jail.
According to human rights organizations including Amnesty International, Iran carries out the highest number of executions per year after China.
After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Tehran banned the production and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Since then, the sale of illegal alcohol on the black market has flourished, leading to mass poisonings. The latest case, reported by Iranian media, has killed around 40 people in northern Iran in recent months.
Only Iran’s recognized Christian minorities, such as the country’s Armenian community, are allowed to produce and consume alcohol, but discreetly and only at home.
Illustrative Photo by Amanda Brady: https://www.pexels.com/photo/elegant-champagne-coupes-in-sunlit-setting-29157921/
