DHAKA: Iran has hanged up to 20 Sunni Muslim prisoners it said were involved in armed attacks.

State media said that the group was executed on Tuesday, and was responsible for killing women and children between 2009 and 2011.

Iran, which is predominantly Shia, executed at least 977 people last year, according to Amnesty International, BBC reports on Thursday (August 4).

Rights groups have criticized the latest executions, saying the trials were unfair.

The US-based group, International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, said one of the men hanged, Shahram Ahmadi, claimed that the entire case against him was built on a forced confession.

None of the men’s families were allowed to visit them before they were hanged, the organization said.

BDST: 1909 HRS, AUG 04, 2016
SAS/RR