CRUEL METHODS OP PUNISHING PERSIAN PRISONERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2263, 15 July 1897, Page 54

CRUEL METHODS OP PUNISHING PERSIAN PRISONERS.

The Persians are most cruel in their treatment of prisoners, and capital punishment with them is simply horrible. Criminals condemned to death are either executed by the knife or are torn in two. The first method of execution occurs in the following way :—: — The criminal, loaded with chains, is taken from prison to the place of execution, where he is laid out at full length on a table. After his eyes are tied the executioner presses his thumb upon the nose of the condemned, and by forcing his head backward he artificially extends the fellow's neck. Then he takes a knife with a very sharp blade and cuts twice, to and fro, severing the principal arteries and veins. A spout of blood issues from the wound, and a few moments are sufficient to make the body bloodless and lifeless. The executioner turns to show to the Shah, or his representative, the bloody knife as a proof that he has performed his duty. Afterwards he returns to the corpse, takes it up by the feet, and drags it to the Kapou, where he cuts off the head of tha executed and fastens it on a pole 24ft high, where the skulls of executed criminals remain exhibited to the gaze of the public. After undressing the body he leaves it lying, a prey to dogs or vultures*, and only ssldom friends or relatives of the executed dare take and bury the body. The clothes he has taken from the body of his unfortunate victim he takes to the bazaar, where he sells them for a " ducheh " (about two a penny), a side income which the executioner never fails to get. A still more cruel way of executing criminals in Persia is quartering. Two strong

young trees, at a distance of SEf. or 10ft apart from each other, are selected. Strong ropes are tied to their trunks at a height of about 10ft from the ground. The feet of the condemned are tied to these ropes whils the saplings are held close together by two strong assistants of the executioner. At the moment of execution they pull the trees as closely together as possible and then let go the the rope. The trees naturally fly back with great force, and each of them bears half of the unfortunate criminal. In a few cases, where the work was not completed at firat, the operation had to be repeated.