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Iranians 'execute Sunni rebels' Iran 'executes Sunni militants'
(29 minutes later)
Iran has executed some of the 14 convicted members of a Sunni rebel group, state media says. Iran has executed members of a Sunni rebel group blamed for a spate of attacks in the south-east of the country, state media says.
The semi-official Fars news agency has reported that the convicts were hanged in prison. However, there are conflicting reports as to whether all 14 of those convicted have been hanged or just some of them.
Tehran says the men are members of the Jundollah (God's Soldiers) Sunni group, which is blamed for a series of attacks across the predominantly Shia country. Tehran says the men are members of the Jundollah (God's Soldiers) Sunni group which it blames for a series of bombings and killings.
Amnesty International has appealed for a stay of execution, saying the convicts did not receive a fair trial. Amnesty International had appealed for a stay of execution.
Fars had earlier reported that the 14 would be executed in public in the city of Zahedan, including the brother of the group's leader, Abdolmalek Rigi. It said the convicts did not receive a fair trial.
But Ebrahim Hamidi, who heads the judiciary in the south-eastern Sistan-Baluchestan province, told Fars on Tuesday that the sentence for "some" of those convicted had been carried out inside a prison. The semi-official Fars news agency reported on Monday that the 14 would be executed in public in the city of Zahedan, in the south-eastern Sistan-Baluchestan province.
It said those to be hanged included the brother of the group's leader, Abdolmalek Rigi, who it described as Jundollah's second-in-command.
But Ebrahim Hamidi, who heads the judiciary in the province, told Fars on Tuesday that the sentence for "some" of those convicted had been carried out inside a prison.
He said that Rigi's brother would be executed later in the week.He said that Rigi's brother would be executed later in the week.
Iran's news agencies had said that the provincial judiciary had invited residents and families of Jundollah's victims to watch the executions. However, Iran state radio reported on Tuesday that all 14 had been executed.
It quoted Zahedan's prosecutor, Mohammad Marzieh, as saying the men were hanged for killing dozens of civilians, policemen and for bombings in the area.
Repeated attacks
Iran, which is predominantly Shia Muslim, says Jundollah is part of the Sunni Islamist al-Qaeda network.
Jundollah has claimed repeated attacks in the province, including a bombing in May in a Shia mosque in Zahedan that killed 25 people, Iranian media say.Jundollah has claimed repeated attacks in the province, including a bombing in May in a Shia mosque in Zahedan that killed 25 people, Iranian media say.
Human rights groups accuse Iran of making excessive use of the death penalty but Tehran insists it is an effective deterrent that is used only after a lengthy judicial process.Human rights groups accuse Iran of making excessive use of the death penalty but Tehran insists it is an effective deterrent that is used only after a lengthy judicial process.