Iranian judge tells man: 'If you’re innocent you’ll go to heaven after you're hanged'

Reza Hosseini was one of four people executed on 3 May in a northern Iran prison over drugs related charges

Reza Hosseini, 34, was among four prisoners hanged to death on 3 May (HRANA Human Rights Activists )

An Iranian judge has reportedly said to a man he sentenced to death: “If you’re innocent you’ll go to heaven after you’re hanged".

Reza Hosseini. from Koohdasht, was one of four people executed on 3 May in northern Iran over drugs related charges.

His execution followed a trial that allegedly only lasted two minutes before he was found guilty and sentenced to death at Ghezel Hesar Prison.

The 34-year-old reportedly insisted he was innocent throughout the trial to which Judge Tayerani then told him that, if this was the case, he would go to heaven after being executed, HRANA news agency reports.

In a will seen by Iran Human Rights (IHR), Hosseini insisted he was innocent and made reference to the comments made by the judge.

His wife, Azadeh Geravand, has asserted the claims, adding he had been subject to torture and prevented from seeing his family before his death.

Ms Geravand told HRANA: “The narcotics mentioned in Reza's case file were discovered by authorities in our neighbour's home whom we don't even know. The only reason why Reza was arrested is because he got into a physical altercation with the authorities in the parking lot of our residence.

"In the first 70 days of his imprisonment Reza was subjected to torture and interrogations. We were not allowed to visit him until he was transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison. But, even then, we weren't granted our first visit with him until after 11 months of imprisonment.”

“When we realized his death sentence was to be carried out, me and Reza's mother somehow managed to drive 840 kilometres to Ghezel Hesar Prison to see him for the last time. But, once we arrived, the authorities did not allow us to visit him. Instead, they hurled insults at us.

"My husband had asked the Judge, 'Why should I plead guilty if I am innocent?' And that's when the Judge responded: 'If you are innocent, then you will go to heaven after you are hanged.'"

Several hundred people are executed every year for drugs offences in Iran, according to IHR.

A report by the group found at least 639 people were hanged for drugs related charges last year.