“Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and spread corruption on earth is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the hereafter is a great punishment.” (Qur’an 5:33)
“Spreading corruption on earth” is such a vague charge, it can apply to virtually anything, and the Islamic Republic of Iran applies it broadly.
“Iran executes ‘Sultan of Coins’ amid currency crisis,” BBC, November 14, 2018 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
Iran has executed a currency trader known as the “Sultan of Coins” for amassing some two tonnes of gold coins.
Vahid Mazloumin and another member of his currency trading network received the death penalty for “spreading corruption on earth”.
According to the Iranian Students’ News Agency, Mr Mazloumin and associates had hoarded the coins to manipulate prices.
Rights group Amnesty International described the executions as “horrific” and a violation of international law.
“Use of the death penalty is appalling under any circumstances,” Amnesty said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that under international law “the death penalty is absolutely forbidden for non-lethal crimes, such as financial corruption”.
Amnesty went on to say that the manner in which the trials were “fast-tracked” displayed a “brazen disregard” for due process.
Mr Mazloumin was arrested in July for operating as a speculator and accused of hoarding gold coins with the aim of later manipulating prices on the local market.
In August, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approved a judicial request to set up special courts to deal with those suspected of financial crimes.
Since then, these courts have sentenced several people to death in trials often broadcast live on state television.
The second man executed, who was also convicted of “spreading corruption”, was linked to Mr Mazloumin’s network and was reportedly involved in the sale of gold coins, according to Mizan, the official website of Iran’s judiciary….
Angemon says
Oh, please – “international law” does not apply to private citizens being judged under the laws of a sovereign nation.
Mac-101 says
Uhmm, so under Sharia Law Soros would be executed or crucified for “Spreading corruption on earth and manipulating prices on the local and national market? First good thing I’ve read about Sharia Law!
gravenimage says
With all respect, Angemon, Iran is more an Islamic hell hole than a sovereign nation.
J D S says
Agreed Graven…..Iran is in a financial crisis..So the way to fix the problem is just to start killing people???…Now it was stupid on these men’s part for manipulating and hoarding money…if in fact that’s what happened….but killing them using some stupid Islamic sanction…Well that’s just what they do.
Can people’s like this ever be infused into the civilized world?Very doubtful..unless the people can wrestle their country (countries) From the hands of those who are steeped in barbarism….Going to ever happen? VERY DOUBTFUL!
gravenimage says
Yes–I would not even assume that what he did was illegal–he just had a lot of money and attracted the greedy eye of the Islamic state.
Max says
I suspect that he was just a scapegoat, as the Iranian economy collapses due to the US sanctions and also because all the money that Obama gave them for free was spent on wars and financing terrorists, not on helping their citizens.
gravenimage says
Spot on, Max.
mgoldberg says
I spoke with an iranian who left decades ago but visits his old family there occasionally. I asked about the nation and he described it as a place where the everyone gets their piece of the cut, like in mafia movies.
The corruption extends across all forms of business and this is their muslim way.
clap says
I’m sure the ayatollahs were happy to keep the gold for themselves.
warren raymond says
Most of them are multimillionaires who have their money salted away in the Emirates. These ayatollah’s are spreading a hell of a lot more corruption in the land than a lowly gold trader. Hypocrisy, thy name is Islam.
Mac-101 says
Two tones of gold is some stash. I wonder how much that is worth? Kaddafi supposedly only had 6 tons which he was goin to use to establish the African Currency. Anyone ever hear what happened to his gold?
FYI says
The death penalty
..is visited daily upon the innocent for the “crime” of being non-muslim{“kuffar”}and is not forbidden in islam: as we have seen for 1,400 years.
Christians,Jews,Buddhists,Hindus…..
Stealing from infidels is OK by allah koran 48:20{allah sanctions theft..as long as it is from infidels}
It sounds like allah is himself the great Sultan of Coins…..for amassing STOLEN goods:-
“allah promiseth you much booty that ye will capture and hath given you this in advance,and hath withheld men’s hands from you,that it may be a token for the believers,and that he may guide you on the right path”
koran 48:20
“he may guide you on the right path”?Did allah MISS the 8th commandment{and all the other ones..}?he did didn’t he?And by giving it to the Godless islamic mobsters “in advance”,allah was giving them carte blanche to STEAL whatever they wanted.
Spreading corruption all over the earth on behalf of allah,the Great Sultan of STOLEN Wealth,has been an islamic duty for centuries.
gravenimage says
Iran executes currency trader for Qur’anic crime of “spreading corruption on earth”
………………………..
What civilized nation executes anyone for a financial crime? (That’s assuming that the victim’s actions would actually constitute a crime in the first place outside of Dar-al-Islam).
mummymovie says
Where are the Democrats to come to the defense of their buddies in the regime and their dear mullahs on this one?
Where are they to lecture us about how the Iranians have turned over a new leaf?
This must be Trump’s fault: If he wasn’t always picking on them so badly, maybe they wouldn’t do this kind of stuff! 😉
Krishna says
Islam can turn any civilized country to uncivilized 7th century desert
mortimer says
Sharia law, anyone? Who said Sharia law is harmless?
‘Spreading corruption in the land’ could entail anything at all that the mullahs don’t like, including bringing in a book that they don’t approve of or writing an article they don’t like or typing something on twitter of Facebook that they don’t approve.
Islamic law is often arbitrary and lacking in safeguards. However, Islamic rape laws almost guarantee an exoneration unless the man confesses.
Halal Bacon says
so, ah, um do they “virtually” mess you up if you get lots of bitcoin?
Aton says
Actually, we should do the same to bankers. The bankers who brought down Lehmans, ABN Amro, Northern Rock, Fannie Mae, Fortis, Royal Bank of Scotland, and many others, walked off with fat pensions and no punishment. And most of these executives caused the failure if their banks.
If we had a street in London and New York, with bankers hanging from each lamp-post, we might have some probity withing the banking sector. But we don’t, and so we are headed for yet another crash real soon. Look at the internal and external deficits, that America is holding – about 12 trillion in the external debt alone.
Anyone think that is sustainable, as the Democrats seem to think??
Aton
Mac-101 says
That’s what the British did to those who committed Fraud or even Stole a loaf of bread up to the early 1800s. They put those who had bad luck like a ship sinkin full of their cargo in Debtors Prison. Then a man’s word was worth something!
gravenimage says
Wait–Aton wants to turn the West into Iran?
Alfred vierling says
i agree. So far I thought only Mao Zedong knew how to deal with greedy banksters. During his rule none of them got rich while not hung but I dont say the gold and money was well spent or honestly distributed under Mao zedong thought.
Alain Lenferna de la Motte says
Perhaps Pope Francis would like to build a bridge of dialogue with the Ayatollah and convince him that the death penalty is unacceptable.