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Communist Vietnam's secret death penalty conveyor belt: How country trails only China and Iran for 'astonishing' number of executions

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Prisoners are dragged from their cells at 4am without warning to be given a lethal injection Vietnam's use of the death penalty has been thrust into the spotlight after a real estate tycoon was on Thursday sentenced to be executed in one of the biggest corruption cases in the country's history. Truong My Lan, a businesswoman who chaired a sprawling company that developed luxury apartments, hotels, offices and shopping malls, was arrested in 2022.

Two Sunni Baloch prisoners executed in Iran

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2 Sunni prisoners of conscience from Iran's Baloch minority were executed on Thursday morning in Zahedan Central prison, Sistan-Baluchestan province of Iran.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), 22-year old Vahid Shah Bakhsh and 23-year old Mahmoud Shah Bakhsh were taken to the gallows and hanged on 13 November 2014 on charges of 'Moharabeh [enmity against God] and acting against national security'.

Both men had been subjected to severe torture whilst being held at the Ministry of Intelligence Detention Center in Zahedan, and the details surrounding their cases are still unclear at this stage.

Vahid Shah Bakhsh (also known as Abdol Rahman, the son of Ghous Uddin) and Mahmoud Shah Bakhsh (also known as Junaid, the son of Dur Mohammad) were arrested in Zahedan in April 2012.

Vahid Shah Bakhsh had been active in criticizing the Iranian government and speaking out against the oppression faced by the Sunni Baloch minority in Iran.

He had been on school study-leave and was at home when the security forces raided his house without warning and opened fire. He was shot and severely wounded, but was taken to the Ministry of Intelligence Detention Center without receiving adequate medical treatment.

Both he and Mahmoud Shah Bakhsh were subjected to severe torture whilst in the detention of the Ministry of Intelligence.

On 8 January 2014, the men were sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Zahedan for 'Moharabeh (enmity against God) and acting against national security'.

Mahmoud Shah Bakhsh was again transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence detention center in Zahedan in early January 2014, where he was held for 3 days and physically and psychologically tortured by interrogators who tried to force him to make a filmed false 'confession'.

He refused to make a filmed 'confession' and was transferred back to Ward 1 of Zahedan prison (also known as 'the Youth Ward').

On 12 February 2014, Mahmoud Shah Bakhsh was once again transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence detention center. This time, after extensive torture, he was forced to make a filmed 'confession'.

Iranian state-run media often broadcasts 'confessions' of prisoners, which are usually obtained through torture, in an attempt to sway public opinion and justify the executions.

Source: Human Rights Activists News Agency, November 18, 2014
Location: Zahedan, Sistan Va Baluchestan, Iran
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