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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: four hanged

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August 20: Two men were hanged in the prison of Isfahan (central Iran) yesterday August 19, reported the government newspaper Iran.

According to the report, the men were identified as Mansour (51) and Meysam (24), and were convicted of drug trafficking and murder, respectively.

On the same day, two others were hanged in Tehran.

August 19: Two men were hanged in Tehran’s Evin prison today, reported the Iranian state run news agency ISCA news.

The men were identified as Moharamali (30) and Mehdi (29) and both were convicted of murder according to the report.

The report also says that five others, including Behnoud Shojaee (minor offender) were scheduled to be executed this morning but their executions have been postponed.

Another news agency ISNA had earlier today reported that no one was executed today.

Iran Human Rights, along with other human rights defenders and organizations had warned about the execution of Behnoud Shojaee and 6 others yesterday.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of Iran Human Rights, said: "We regret the two executions that took place in tehran today. According to the official tolls, at least 119 people have been executed since the June 12. elections in Iran." He added "Efforts of the human rights defenders in Iran and international attention have given result and the minor offender, Behnoud Shojaee’s execution has been postponed once again."

Amiry-Moghaddam continued:"Behnoud has been close to execution at least 4 times before. Execution of Behnoud, who was a minor at the time of committing the alleged offence, is a clear violation of the international conventions that Iran has artified. We demand removal of all death sentences against more than 140 minors who are like Behnoud, on the death row in Iran today".

Source for both: Iran Human Rights, August 24, 2009
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