Information of penalties for sailors returning to Iran after "jumping ship" overseas; penalties for disobeying religious rules - Iran [IRN4537]

Information on penalties upon return to Iran for sailors who leave their ships without permission overseas could not be found among the sources currently available to the IRBDC.

Regarding religious rules, the Iranian government and various sources describe Iran as an Islamic Republic, [ For example, Encyclopedia of the Third World, (New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1987), section on Iran; The Europa Year Book 1989, (London: Europa Publications, 1989), section on Iran; World Defence Almanac 1989-1990, (Bonn: Mönch Publishing Group, 1990), p. 163.] with a legal system based on Islamic principles. Therefore, it may be difficult to separate religious principles from public legislation. According to various sources, [ For example, Iran: Violations of Human Rights in Iran, (London:
Amnesty International, 1987), various pages, particularly pages 42-45; A Clarification of Questions, by Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Mousavi Khomeini (Translation by J. Borujerdi; Boulder/London: Westview Press, 1984), various pages.] execution is one of the penalties practised within the Iranian legal system in different situations, including strictly religious offenses such as some cases of apostasy. For additional information on the Islamic Republic of Iran, please refer to the attached copy of Iran: Country Profile (Ottawa: IRBDC, 1989). A 1990 update on the Country Profile is not yet available at the IRBDC.