Author Topic: Is this justice? (Read 2601 times)

Kie99 · **on:** March 17, 2005, 01:08:31 pm

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Taken from here
An Iranian serial killer who murdered at least 20 children has been executed in front a large crowd of spectators. Mohammad Bijeh, 24, dubbed "the Tehran desert vampire" by Iran's press, was flogged 100 times before being hanged. A brother of one of his young victims stabbed him as he was being punished. The mother of another victim was asked to put the noose around his neck. The execution took place in Pakdasht south of Tehran, near where Bijeh's year-long killing spree took place.

The killer was hoisted about 10 metres into the air by a crane and slowly throttled to death in front of the baying crowd. Hanging by a crane - a common form of execution in Iran - does not involve a swift death as the condemned prisoner's neck is not broken. The killer collapsed twice during the punishment, although he remained calm and silent throughout. Spectators, held back by barbed wire and about 100 police officers, chanted "harder, harder" as judicial officials took turns to flog Bijeh's bare back before his hanging. Bijeh was stabbed by the 17-year-old brother of victim Rahim Younessi, AFP reported, as he was being readied to be hanged. Officials then invited the mother Milad Kahani to put the blue nylon rope around his neck.

The crimes of Mohammed Bijeh and his accomplice Ali Baghi had drawn massive attention in the Iranian media. They reportedly tricked children to go with them into the desert south of Tehran by saying they were going to hunt animals. They then poisoned or knocked their victims out, sexually abused them and buried them in shallow graves. They were found guilty of the murders of between 19 and 22 people, but local people believe the toll to be higher.

vyper · **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2005, 01:20:31 pm

We can't abandon civilization in the name of civilization.

Fineus · **Reply #2 on:** March 17, 2005, 01:26:20 pm

If he wasn't killed, he should certainly be put away for life. Why should he be granted any mercy when so many others recieved none from him?

I'm not saying I enjoy the idea of him being killed - but I do feel that if murderers and rapists knew that if they were caught their lives would be over - they'd think twice before doing what they do.

aldo_14 · **Reply #3 on:** March 17, 2005, 01:32:14 pm

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Originally posted by vyper
We can't abandon civilization in the name of civilization.

Exactly...

Rand al Thor · **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2005, 01:47:17 pm

I don't think this is a question that anyone is qualified to answer. I'd never condem anyone for demanded this kind of retribution for crimes like this and the guy was clearly pure evil.

But... ah, I don't know, maybe I think the death penalty is justified in these cases. I certainly don't think there's anything worse than this type of violence and abuse against children. The only thing I think is truely wrong with this is the fact that he was effectively tortured for revenge. Something quick, more as protection against further crimes rather than an attempt to sate bloodlust.

Lets face it, either way its a lose, lose situation. The victims are still dead.

Rand al Thor · **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2005, 01:48:53 pm

And as well as that. Whose to say its civilised to keep someone locked up in a 5' by 5' cell for the rest of his life. Strikes me as pretty cruel.

Kie99 · **Reply #6 on:** March 17, 2005, 02:10:03 pm

As a deterrent
Torture + Slow Death>>>>>Instant Death

karajorma · **Reply #7 on:** March 17, 2005, 02:12:57 pm

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Originally posted by Rand al'Thor
And as well as that. Whose to say its civilised to keep someone locked up in a 5' by 5' cell for the rest of his life. Strikes me as pretty cruel.

Name a better punishment that protects the innocent but still punishes the guilty? Although giving people with life sentences the right to euthanise themselves might be fairer.

Unknown Target · **Reply #8 on:** March 17, 2005, 02:15:59 pm

No, it's not justice. I would want to do many of those things to him myself for what he did, the law should apply to all, and there should be no exceptions. Punishment that brutal is almost the same as what he did to those childen. He should've been locked up for life, but what happened to him was absolutely brutal.

EDIT: Don't get me wrong. I repeat: if I met that man alone, I would probably do much worse to him. But that is not how a society should function.

Andreas · **Reply #9 on:** March 17, 2005, 02:36:37 pm

Can't say he didn't have it coming, but no, it should have been a simple execution, no government in the world should "encourage" acts like these, hanging or bullet to the head is enough in my opinion for a capital punishment.

aldo_14 · **Reply #10 on:** March 17, 2005, 02:38:55 pm

Except the guy committed over 20 murders - and you can only execute him once. Is his life worth all 20? Because that's the penance - one life in retribution for the ending of 20.

Grey Wolf · **Reply #11 on:** March 17, 2005, 02:42:21 pm

I don't like that style of execution, but he did deserve death. Maybe something more along the lines of a firing squad, or perhaps a more traditional hanging.

MatthewPapa · **Reply #12 on:** March 17, 2005, 03:29:10 pm

Brutal execution but not undeserverd. Sexual perverts like that are frowned upon greatly in muslim society, especially a Sh'ite one.

Kie99 · **Reply #13 on:** March 17, 2005, 03:31:47 pm

He was being made an example of. I think what happened to him will act as a huge deterrent to any other "Vampires."

I personally think executions shouldn't be held, but prisons should be truly horrible places, and Murderers should be dumped there and fed through a tube for the rest of their lives. It may seem brutal/cruel but murdering bastards deserve horrible punishments, not just for revenge but for a deterrent to others.

(I have some pretty radical ideas for justice, which I would detail, if I didn't think I would be flamed to death for them.)

Rictor · **Reply #14 on:** March 17, 2005, 03:57:41 pm

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Originally posted by karajorma

Name a better punishment that protects the innocent but still punishes the guilty? Although giving people with life sentences the right to euthanise themselves might be fairer.

My vote is to be lenient for the first (serious) offence, and incriminetaly stricter for any subsequent crimes. Becuase let's face it, under the right circumstances, any of us could kill once, but it takes will to do it a second or third of fourth time. As punishment, ship 'em off to a labour camp, though of course within reason(not 22 hour a day death camps).

As for the Desert Vampire...honestly, it seems fair. They didn't have to be so brutal about it, but he more or less got what was coming.

Unknown Target · **Reply #15 on:** March 17, 2005, 04:09:40 pm

Two wrongs don't make a right. He was a horrible man, but society needs unbreakable rules to function. Punishments like those break those rules.

delta_7890 · **Reply #16 on:** March 17, 2005, 04:20:59 pm

It's a bit much, but I think he got what he deserved.

Unknown Target · **Reply #17 on:** March 17, 2005, 04:26:52 pm

Of course he did. But the fact is that the laws of society were broken in his punishment, which is in itself wrong.

aldo_14 · **Reply #18 on:** March 17, 2005, 04:27:06 pm

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Originally posted by kietotheworld
He was being made an example of. I think what happened to him will act as a huge deterrent to any other "Vampires."

I doubt it. People like that aren't rational (or indeed sane) enough to be scared off by potential punishment.

Kie99 · **Reply #19 on:** March 17, 2005, 04:49:10 pm

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Originally posted by Unknown Target
Two wrongs don't make a right. He was a horrible man, but society needs unbreakable rules to function. Punishments like those break those rules.

I assume the unbreakable rule in Iran is that No-one except people with authorization from the State is allowed to kill, if you think that law is BS, then you could say the same about putting someone in prison. i.e. False imprisonment is a crime, but we still put people in prison.

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