Iran Executes 4 Over Fatal Alcohol Poisoning

Iran Executes 4 for Tainted Booze

This execution is part of a larger trend in Iran, which has the second-highest number of executions...

Iran's alcohol ban leads to deadly black market sales. Learn about the recent poisoning incident that claimed 40 lives and the ensuing arrests.

Iranian authorities executed four individuals found guilty of selling tainted homemade alcohol that caused 17 deaths and hospitalized over 190 others in Alborz province, west of Tehran. The defendants were sentenced to death in September 2023 and were put to death at Karaj central prison on Wednesday, October 23.

This execution is part of a larger trend in Iran, which has the second-highest number of executions annually, after China, according to human rights organizations like Amnesty International. In fact, Iran has executed at least 173 people convicted of drug-related offenses this year, nearly three times more than last year. These executions often follow systematically unfair trials, with detainees denied due process rights, including access to legal representation.

The international community has condemned Iran's use of the death penalty, citing violations of international law and the right to life. Human Rights Watch has expressed concern over the surge in executions, which appears to be driven by a dramatic increase in drug-related executions. Amnesty International has also highlighted the disproportionate impact of executions on marginalized communities, including the Baluchi ethnic minority.

Iran enforced a nationwide ban on alcohol production and consumption following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. However, this prohibition has led to a thriving black market, where illicit alcohol sales have skyrocketed.

The clandestine nature of this trade often results in contaminated beverages, with toxic methanol sometimes replacing or mixing with ethanol, causing widespread poisonings. Recently, Iranian media reported a tragic incident in northern Iran, where approximately 40 people lost their lives due to tainted alcohol.

In response to the incident, Iranian authorities have arrested five individuals suspected of involvement in the poisonings. According to Mizan's report, four of these detainees face capital charges.

Despite the strict alcohol ban, Iran's recognized Christian minority communities, such as the Armenians, are exempt and allowed to produce and consume alcohol for personal use. However, this exception is often exercised discreetly, away from public scrutiny, to avoid offending Islamic sensitivities.