Iran Human Rights, October 15: A prisoner was found to be alive 24 hours after being hanged and declared dead.
According to the official website of the Iranian State Broadcasting Jam-e-Jam Online, a 37 year old man identified as "Alireza M." was executed by hanging on October 9, convicted of possession of 1 kg of crystal (a synthetic narcotic drug) in the prison of Bojnord (northeastern Iran).
According to the report, "the prisoner was very scared when he was walking towards the gallows". After the execution by hanging, which lasted for 12 minutes, the forensic doctor confirmed his death, the death certificate was signed by the judge and other officials present and his body was transferred to the cold room.
The day after (October 10., World day against the death penalty) when the cold room staff wanted to take the body out they realized that the man is still breathing. He was transferred to the hospital and his condition is satisfactory according to the report.
A family member told the reporters that they were preparing for the funeral and came to prison to get the body when they heard that the man had survived the execution. "We couldn’t believe that he is alive again and man’s two daughters are the happiest of all right now" said the family member.
The report then asks what will happen to the man who survived the execution? Mohammad Erfan, a judge in the administrative Court says: "The man has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court and his death sentence will be carried out once the medical staff confirm that his health condition is good enough".
Iran Human Rights (IHR) urges the international community to react. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR says: "We ask the international community to do what they can to save the prisoner’s life. Mr. Alireza M. has once been through the torture and dehumanizing process of being executed and the world must not let it happen again".
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