IRAN HANGS 21 DRUG SMUGGLERS

TEHRAN -Iran hanged 21 drug smugglers and other criminals yesterday
in the latest of a series of executions that has been criticized by
the European Union and Western rights groups.

The number of executions in Iran, many in public, has risen since
July with the launch of a summer crackdown on "immoral behaviour."
Police have arrested dozens of alleged murderers, rapists and drug
traffickers. At least 56 people have been hanged since mid-July.

Amnesty International said it was "appalled" at the reports of the
latest executions. Iran says it is prosecuting criminals under
shariah law and rejects criticism of its human rights record.

Seventeen drug smugglers were executed in Khorasan Razavi, eastern
Iran. Four other offenders were put to death in the southern city of
Shiraz after being convicted of banditry, smuggling and other crimes.
Murder, rape, adultery, armed robbery, apostasy and drug smuggling
are all punishable by death under shariah law, imposed after the 1979
revolution.

Amnesty, which says Iran has one of the highest rates of executions
in the world, has recorded 210 so far this year, compared with 177
for all 2006.