Iran Executes Man for Attacking Women

Iran has executed Rastgooei Kandolaj, known as the 'Terror of Tehran', for carrying out a series of random drive-by stabbings that injured at least 59 women using an awl, a woodworking tool. The judiciary's Mizan Online reported that Kandolaj's actions, which occurred in November 2018, sowed widespread terror in the capital. Convicted of 'corruption on earth', Kandolaj's death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court after his appeals for retrial were denied. The execution comes amid a surge of capital punishments in Iran, with at least 166 executions recorded in October alone, marking the highest monthly count since 2007. Human rights organizations continue to highlight Iran's status as one of the leading executioners globally, second only to China. The method of execution often employed in Iran has been criticized for being particularly gruesome and public.