Concerns in Iran grow over fate of death convicts’ families

Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 25

By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:

An Iranian human rights activist has expressed concerns over the fate of the families of executed convicts.

"The government in its previous economic development plan did not consider any aid to support those families," Iranian human rights lawyer, Shirin Ebadi, told Trend.

In addition to the execution of the fathers of families, their property is also being confiscated in the case of drug-related crimes, she added.

"Now, imagine someone is executed due to the crime he has committed. He has a family and their home is seized, as well. What will happen to his family," the human rights lawyer questioned.

Saying that the level of drug trafficking in Iran is very high and the government has considered execution as the simplest solution to the issue, she added that Iran ranks second in the number of execution in the world after China.

Meanwhile, Iranian vice-president for women and family affairs has expressed concerns over the issue saying the entire male population of a village in the country's Sistan-Baluchestan Province has been executed due to involvement in drug-related crimes.

Despite the efforts made by Iranian law enforcement forces to stop it, drug trafficking still remains as a serious issue in the country.

An Iranian anti-drugs official earlier said that drug abuse annually inflicts a damage of 450 trillion rials (about $14.9 billion on Feb. 20) to Iran's economy.

According to media reports, Iranians annually abuse about 450 tons of opium, which is equal to 42 percent of total opium consumed in the world.

Iranian officials say that the fight against drugs annually costs the country about $1 billion, while about two percent of Iranians abuse drugs.