Iranian sentenced to death, two jailed five years for drug charges

22 Al Houthi rebels and 6 more drug dealers to stand trial
By Nasser Arrabyee/26/12/2009

An Iranian man was sentenced to death and two other Iranians were sentenced to five years in prison each after being convicted of bringing drugs from Iran to Yemen.

Chaired by Judge Redhwan Al Namer, the Yemeni State Security Court passed Saturday the death sentence to Mumtaz Sultan Amiri, and the five-year terms to Iman Khan Dust Mohammed, and Abdul Wahed Mohammed Ishaq.

The court acquitted seven other Iranians of the drug charges.

The 10 Iranian men were put on trial in February this year for charges of bringing and trading drugs.

They were arrested in December 2008, in the coasts of Hudhrmout east of Yemen with 1 ton and 60 km of drugs hidden in their boat.

Meanwhile, the prosecution of the same court received Saturday files of 6 drug traders from Sa'ada who were dealing with Al Houthi rebels.

The prosecution also received on the same day files of 15 Al Houthi field leaders who were arrested in Sa'ada for charges of carrying out sabotage acts and resisting the authorities.

Seven more rebels led by Sultan Turki Kharasan were handed to the prosecution on Saturday for charges of cooperating with Al Houthi rebels in Al Jawf province. The seven men were arrested on December 20th, in Al Jawf. The Ministry of Interior said in a statement Saturday, the 22 rebels and 6 drug dealers were transferred from Saa'da and Al Jawf to the central prison of Sana'a on Saturday.