Iran Execution Condemned By Us, Amnesty International

The U.S. State Department condemned the execution in Tehran of an Iranian woman who defended herself against a sexual assault.



"There were serious concerns with the fairness of the trial and the circumstances surrounding this case, including reports of confessions made under severe duress," said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki in a statement. 



The 26-year old Reyhaneh Jabbari was hanged in a Tehran prison on Saturday morning, despite protests from international human rights organizations and campaigns on social media platforms launched to halt the execution. 



Human rights group Amnesty International called the execution of Jabari as "deeply disappointing in the extreme."



Psaki also noted that Iranian authorities proceeded with the execution despite pleas from Iranian human rights activists and an international outcry over this case.



"We join our voice with those who call on Iran to respect the fair trial guarantees afforded to its people under Iran's own laws and its international obligations," she said. 



U.S. officials have paid close attention to Iran's human rights record, and have regularly expressed concerns about Iranian human right policies. 



www.aa.com.tr/en - Washington DC