October 18-2013
A prisoner sentenced to death will be hanged a second time as soon as he recovers from the bungled first effort to execute him.
The 37-year-old man, identified as Ali-Reza M., was hanged in the Bojnurd prison last Wednesday for drug offences.
After 12 minutes, he was certified as dead and taken to the prison morgue.
When his family went to collect his body the following day, they noticed he was still breathing and rushed him to the hospital.
One family member told state broadcasting: “When we were told the death sentence had been carried out, we went to collect his body to prepare for a memorial service. But when we went to the coroner’s office, we found him alive again, which made his two daughters very happy.”
Once officials were told Ali-Reza had survived, they put him under armed guard at the hospital to await a second execution after he is certified to be healthy.
A Judiciary official told state broadcasting: “The verdict was the death sentence, and it will be carried out once the man gets well again.”