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U.S. | 'I comfort death row inmates in their final moments - the execution room is like a house of horrors'

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Reverend Jeff Hood, 40, wants to help condemned inmates 'feel human again' and vows to continue his efforts to befriend murderers in spite of death threats against his family A reverend who has made it his mission to comfort death row inmates in their final days has revealed the '"moral torture" his endeavor entails. Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood, 40, lives with his wife and five children in Little Rock, Arkansas. But away from his normal home life, he can suddenly find himself holding the shoulder of a murderer inside an execution chamber, moments away from the end of their life. 

IRAN SAYS NUMBER OF EXECUTIONS IS 'NOT HIGH'

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April 15, 2008: the number of executions in Iran is "not high", the judiciary said in response to an Amnesty International report that listed Iran as the world's second most prolific executioner in 2007.

European governments and Western rights groups have criticised Iran for an increasing number of hangings since authorities launched a clampdown on "immoral behaviour" in July. Asked to comment, judiciary spokesman Alireza Jamshidi said: "Whether Iran has had that number of executions I don't know, but the number is not high. The bulk of executions in Iran have to do with retribution ... and they can be retracted with the consent of the next of kin."

Amnesty International said in its annual report that the Iranian regime had executed at least 317 people during the year 2007.

According to Hands Off Cain, at least 355 people were executed in 2007.

Sources: Reuters, 15/04/2008
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