Iran amputates hands of three convicted thieves

Court gavel. [Courtesy]

Iranian authorities have amputated the hands of three convicted thieves, the judiciary said Thursday, a relatively rare sentence generally reserved for repeat offenders.

"The sentence of hand amputation for three professional thieves with a history of multiple thefts was carried out in West Azerbaijan province," in Iran's northwest, the judiciary's Mizan Online website said.

The report gave few details, but said the convicts were arrested several years ago and "had more than 40 private plaintiffs across four provinces".

Mizan said the amputations had been carried out after Iran's top court upheld the sentences against the trio, and after they had not cooperated with "many" attempts to negotiate the return of the stolen items -- mostly gold jewelry -- which would have allowed them "to benefit from legal leniency and repentance".

The sharia-based penal code introduced in Iran after the Islamic revolution of 1979 provides for amputation as a punishment for certain offences, although human rights groups have condemned its use as "cruel" and "inhumane".

Last month authorities amputated the hands of two men who had been repeatedly convicted of theft.