February 21-2014
An Iranian news photographer’s picture of two men about to be hanged won third place in the general news singles category of the World Press Photo contest for 2013. Amir Pourmand of the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) won the prize for this photo entitled: “Moments before the hanging.” The photo shows Ali-Reza Mafiha, 23, laying his head on the shoulder of one of his executioners while Mohammad-Ali Sarvari, 20, stands beside another executioner. The two men were sentenced to die for stabbing a man and stealing the equivalent of about $20 from him. The pair was arrested after posting a video of their attack on YouTube. Their victim did not die but the court found them guilty of mohareb or waging war on God, which carries the death penalty. This is the fourth year in a row that an Iranian photographer has been among the winners in this show.
