Basic to our belief in the social contract http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_contract are the questions: can our government, will our government protect us from harm? Of course there are those who may also ask, who will protect citizens from their government?
U.S. State Department report, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/sca/136096.htm discusses the human rights record of the authoritarian country of Uzbekistan and its President, Islam Karimov, as "one of the world's worst torturers," to include execution by boiling (boiling as a weapon). http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article3943.htm This article from Information Clearing House tells of Mr. Muzafar Avazov, a 35 year old father of 4, who was burnt over 60% of his body. "Doctors who saw the man's body reported that such burns could only have been caused by immersing Avazov in boiling water."
This is personal torture, not punishment, not re-education or intimidation, nor is it political or religious - it is simple sadism and thus pre-human. The Uzbek government failed Mr. Avazov in the most elementary way.
On February 1, 2011, "Iran rejected Dutch outrage over the hanging [four days earlier] of one of it's citizens, Zahra Bahrami, a 45 year old Dutch woman. Iran claimed she was trafficking in drugs but her family said, "The charge was fabricated after she was arrested in 2009, at an anti-government protest," this from Reuters News. click here. A Dutch foreign affairs ministry spokesman called the execution, "an act committed by a barbaric regime." Not only did Iran hang a woman with duel citizenship for an unproven crime, but Iran rejected the formal Dutch complaint against them - a double atrocity.
This execution was done for several reasons: Iran intended to make an example of Ms. Bahrami, even when her guilt was in question.
Secondly, the prisoner was a woman, right there, an inferior being in the eyes of the government. This would also make it a religious crime, as well as a crime against humanity. Her execution was also done for intimidation - a power statement. "Look at us; we are powerful," but in truth, it was an act of cowardice.
"Rights groups say Iran is second only to China in the numbers of people it executes, and is first in terms of per capita executions." http://www.iranhumanrights.org/ says "Iran is on an execution binge - executing 47 individuals this year (2011)."
What about the three hikers apprehended, on charges of spying, as they ventured across the Kurdish border into Iran in 2009? As yet, they have not been executed but it remains a possibility. One of the hikers, Sarah Shourd was released on bail in Sept. 2010, after payment of $500,000. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/iran/Reports-Iran-Opens-Trial-of-US-Hikers-Accused-of-Spying-115418869.html Questions arise - should Ms. Shourd willingly go back to face trial. Is extortion Iran's motive. If she does not return, will Iran execute the two male hikers? Is this a form of sexual harassment, or a play for power in a sordid bid for propaganda? Does the government of Iran desire to be a responsible world citizen? Apparently not.
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