IRAN HANGS TWO CONVICTED OF DRUG SMUGGLING

August 19, 2008: Iran hanged two convicted of drug smuggling inside a Tehran prison, the state run news agency Quds reported. They are identified only as Gholamreza and Amin. "The two men were drug smugglers. They were hanged inside Tehran's Ghezel Hesar prison," the Iran newspaper said. It said a Tehran court sentenced one of them to life term in prison in 2007, but after he tried to smuggle narcotics into the jail, this was upgraded to the death sentence. "Police found out he was trying to smuggle heroin and opium he got from his friend when returning to the prison from the court," the daily said. (Sources: Reuters, 20/08/2008; Iran Human Rights, 19/08/2008)