Say Anything Blog

I knew that Sharia, the barbaric code that Islamists use as a reason to behave the way they do, allows the amputation of a hand but I didn’t know that if they think what you did was bad enough, they will also cut off a foot:

Five convicted criminals in southeastern Iran have received the seldom-used form of punishment of amputation.

The amputation sentences were carried out in Zahedan, the capital of Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan Province. The five men were found guilty of armed robbery, hostage taking, and firing at police, though officially they were convicted of “acting against God” and “corruption upon this Earth.”

Amputation as a punishment is legal in Iran, but there have been no reports of it being used for several years. It is unknown if the meting out of such a punishment now is a new trend or if this was an isolated incident in only one region of the country.

With doctors watching, the convicted men’s right hands and left feet were amputated. Traditionally, the right hand is amputated for a first serious offense and the left foot for a second serious offense. The right hand-left foot amputation is referred to as “cross amputation.”

The Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) reported the amputations on January 6, though it is not clear when the sentences were carried out or if the amputations were done in prison or in public.

I’m curious how any human being can justify this type of soulless, grisly, nightmarish form of punishing anyone. We have an ongoing debate raging here in the U.S. as to whether injecting someone with a drug that will quietly stop their heartbeat and respiration is a form of cruel and unusual punishment.

Personally, I think that shows the difference in the humanity of the two cultures.

Oh, and here’s another little tidbit about justice in Iran:

Iranian media report that 16 people have been hanged so far in 2008. In 2007, more than 290 convicts were executed, many in public.

Sixteen people hanged so far. Today is January 8th. It’s gonna be a long year for the people in Iran who have to live under the thumbs of the mullahs.

A salute to Little Green Footballs for this charming item.