Iran to hang 20 criminals for rape, other offences

TEHRAN, July 10 (Reuters) Iran will hang 20 people convicted of various crimes including rape and adultery, a judiciary spokesman said today.

Following a summer crackdown on ''immoral behaviour'', police arrested dozens of drug addicts, smugglers and other criminals.

''These 20 people have been convicted and they will be hanged in coming weeks for rape, pederasty, adultery and other charges,'' Alireza Jamshidi told a weekly news conference.

In May, the European Union criticised Tehran's human rights record and expressed concern about the use of the death penalty in the Islamic state.

Amnesty International has protested to Iran over the number of executions, which it said in an April report had doubled to at least 177 people last year.

Iran says it is acting on the basis of Islamic sharia law. It accuses the West of rights violations.

Western human rights groups have called on Iran to abolish the death penalty.

REUTERS SYU PM2150