Convicted thief’s hand cut off in Iran

TEHRAN - A hand of a convicted thief was cut off in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashad, Fars news agency reported Tuesday.

The amputation took place Monday inside Mashad prison in front of other convicted thieves, the report said.

The unidentified thief had been convicted several times and his amputation was done as a deterrent, local prison officials told Fars.

According to Islamic law, amputation is the punishment for those convicted of repeated thefts.

Iran’s judiciary said that amputations would continue in order to protect lives and property and serve as a lesson for other thieves.

Last month, a man’s hand was cut off for repeated thefts, including stealing chocolate from a shop in the capital Tehran.