Iran hangs two drug traffickers

TEHRAN: Iran has hanged two men convicted of drug trafficking in the southern town of Roodan in Hormozgan province, the student ISNA news agency reported on Saturday.

The report identified the men as Afghan Zaer H, 30, found guilty of smuggling two kilos of heroin, and Irania Majid S, convicted of trafficking 44 kilos of opium and 97 kilos of cannabis.

It did not say whether the executions were carried out in public or in prison.

The hangings brought to at least 52 the number of executions carried out in Iran so far this year. At least 177 people were executed in 2006, according to an Amnesty International report.

Capital offenses in the Islamic republic include murder, rape, armed robbery, apostasy, blasphemy, serious drug trafficking, repeated sodomy, adultery or prostitution, treason and espionage.