Iran executes football hero’s lover

Iran on Tuesday hanged a woman convicted of murdering a love rival.

Shahla Jahed was executed at 5 am local time after the verdict was confirmed by the supreme court and the judiciary chief. She had been a ‘temporary wife’ of Nasser Mohammad Khani, a former striker for the Iranian national football team.

Her death, which took place in front of the family of the woman she was convicted of killing, was confirmed by the national news agency.

She had spent more than eight years – 3,063 days – in prison after her conviction, although human rights activists believe her confession was forced out of her.

She was convicted of stabbing to death Khani’s ‘permanent’ wife Laleh Saharkhizan in 2002. She repeatedly retracted the confession at her public trial.

In the Shiite faith – the majority religion in Iran – men and women can marry for an agreed period of time.

Afterwards, the marriage is null and void, although it can be renewed, although there is an obligation for both to look after any offspring.

Men can have up to four permanent wives, and any number of temporary wives. Women can only be married to one man at a time.

Karim Lahidji, the president of the Iranian League for Human Rights, described her as “a victim of a misogynous society.”

“Shahla Jahed has never had a fair trial in Iran and has always insisted that she is innocent,” he told The Guardian.

“We are approaching Human Rights Day on December 10 and once again Iran is executing another woman. That’s a clear signal that Iran wants to challenge the world on human rights issues.”

The London-based rights group Amnesty International had called on Iran to halt Jahed’s execution.

Khani was a prominent Iranian footballer in the 1980s and later became a coach for Tehran’s Persepolis football club.

The execution is thought to be the 146th so far this year, according to a count based on media reports. At least 270 people were executed in 2009.

The execution comes as Sakineh Ashtiani awaits her fate after being found guilty of cheating on her husband and then helping to kill him.
Source:punchng