Iran executes man for insulting Prophet Jonah

According to human rights activists, Iran has executed a 37-year-old man after he was declared guilty of heresy and insulting Prophet Jonah by a court of law.

Mohsen Amir-Aslani was arrested nine months ago for his activities which the Iranian authorities said were "heretical." His family however, contended that he was engaged in psychotherapy and conducted sessions in which he read and recited the Qur'an and provided his own interpretations of the holy book, reported The Guardian.

Aslani was hanged last week for making "Innovations in the religion" and "spreading corruption on earth" but human rights activists claimed that he was executed for his religious beliefs. He had interpreted Jonah's story in the Qur'an as a symbolic tale.

Meanwhile, Iran's judiciary, who ordered the execution, has denied that the verdict was linked to his religious beliefs and instead claimed that he had several illicit sexual relationships with a number of people who attended his sessions. It also alleged that the kind of activities he was involved in did not follow an official interpretation of the religion.