A convicted drug smuggler who survived a botched hanging in Iran will be executed again.
The man, known only as Alireza A, was found alive in a morgue after being hanged at a jail in the north-eastern city of Bojnord last week, the BBC reports.
After the hanging on 9 October which lasted 12 minutes, the 37-year-old’s death was confirmed by a forensic doctor and his death certificate was signed by the judge and other officials present.
Alireza was taken to a morgue and a day after, attendants realised he was still breathing, according to a report on the Iranian state broadcasting website Jam-e-Jam online.
He was transferred to hospital, where he continues to recover.
One family member told the website: "We went to the coroner's office collect his body to prepare for a memorial service. But we found him alive again, which made his two daughters very happy."
But once he is fully recovered, he will be hanged once more, the channel revealed.
“The horrific prospect of this man facing a second hanging, after having gone through the whole ordeal already once, merely underlines the cruelty and inhumanity of the death penalty,” said Philip Luther, Director of Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Programme.
“The Iranian authorities must immediately halt Alireza M’s execution and issue a moratorium on all others.”
Alireza was arrested three years ago for carrying crystal meth and sentenced to death by a revolutionary court, The Guardian revealed.
According to NCRI, at least 240 prisoners have been executed in Iran since June, including 10 women.
Figures published by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Centre say there have been 428 executions since January, though the government has only announced 260.