Shirin Ebadi: Hand amputation sentences in Iran should be abolished

The execution of hand amputation sentences in Iran is a medieval barbarity and an inhuman practice that should be abolished, Shirin Ebadi, head of the Human Rights Defenders Center and Nobel Peace Prize winner, wrote on Instagram, Report informs.

“At one time, countries like Saudi Arabia were ridiculed for this kind of punishment. However, now in practice, the Islamic Republic of Iran is a leader in cutting off the hands of criminals,” Ebadi stated.

She emphasized that the only acceptable solution to this barbaric sentence is its permanent abolition: “Anaesthetizing the convict whose hand is to be cut off cannot reduce the ugliness of the execution of this sentence.”

Hand amputation is applied according to Article 278 of the Iranian Criminal Code. This punishment is widely criticized by international organizations as it is contrary to human dignity.