Killing the Immoral

Iran's Supreme Court has upheld the principle that people can be killed for moral corruption:

"ran's Supreme Court this month issued a ruling that upholds the idea that people may be killed with impunity if they are deemed to be immoral. The case confirms Iranians' suspicions that some people in Iran can get away with murder: religious fundamentalists, individuals associated with shadowy 'pressure groups,' or those linked to hard-line clerics.

"The court on April 14 confirmed the acquittal of six Iranian militiamen who admitted killing five people in the southeastern city of Kerman in 2002-03. The six men justified the killings by saying the victims were 'morally corrupt' according to religious laws, accusing them of selling drugs and engaging in extramarital sex.

"The last two victims were a married couple the militiamen killed for supposedly having 'illegitimate' relations as lovers, the daily 'Etemad' reported on April 15.

"The six defendants -- all of whom admitted to the killings -- are reportedly members of the local Basij militia, a nationwide force affiliated with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps."