Iranian woman executed for murder

Iranian woman Reyhaneh Jabbari has been executed inside a prison near the capital Tehran after she was convicted of murdering a man in a controversial criminal case seven years ago.

Reyhaneh was hanged in the early hours of Saturday after being found guilty of killing Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi in July 2007.

The 26-year-old woman said she had stabbed the man to death to defend herself against attempted rape, but her claims were rejected based on further investigations and crime scene evidence.

Jabbari’s execution was halted earlier this month in order to give her lawyer more time to convince the victim’s family to pardon her.

Under Islamic law, a convicted murderer is put to death if the victim’s family demands execution.

ASH/NN/HRB