At a press conference to outline "The achievements of the Islamic Revolution and Iran's foreign policy" at the Iranian embassy in Madrid yesterday, ambassador Seyed Davoud Salehi (photo) stated "our laws establish that we amputate a hand of those who steal. It is not accepted in the West, but local customs must be respected."

He went on to say that it is necessary to accept certain laws "in order to preserve the health of society," and that "traditions, religion and the economic development of a country" must all be taken into account "in the field of human rights."

Mr Salehi also revealed that trained medical staff are always present when amputations are performed "in order to prevent the onset of gangrene."

According to Amnesty International, more executions are carried out in Iran each year than in any other country with the sole exception of China.

So far this year in Iran, twenty prisoners have been put to death and at least five convicted thieves have lost hands.

Last Wednesday it emerged that a 22 year old man has been sentenced to death for repeated alcohol abuse following a fourth binge-drinking arrest.

Furthermore, it has been confirmed that prominent anti-death sentence activist, Emadoldin Baghi, remains in custody since his arrest last October.