A court in the Iranian province of Khorasan sentenced to death two local men caught drinking alcohol for the third time, Eurasiareview.com said on Monday, citing local news agency ISNA.
The men’s names were not released. It remained unclear whether they could still appeal the sentence, which a local judge said was “in process.”
Consumption of alcohol is banned in Iran in line with Islam’s Shariah law, but is nevertheless reported to be on the rise thanks to a thriving black market, the report said.
Punishment for first- and second-time drinkers in Iran could include flogging, while being caught inebriated for the third time could result in capital punishment.
However, actual executions of drinkers in Iran are exceedingly rare. A man was sentenced to death in 2008 after being caught under the weather for the fourth time and making a ruckus, but was later acquitted.
