TEHRAN, July 13: Iranian authorities on Saturday carried out a public execution of a man convicted of raping and murdering a young girl, according to the judiciary.

The victim's family, from the northwestern city of Bukan, participated in the legal process and formally requested that the execution be conducted publicly, the judiciary’s official news outlet, Mizan Online, reported.

"The case received special attention due to the emotional impact it had on the public," said Naser Atabati, the provincial chief justice, as quoted by Mizan.

The man was sentenced to death in March, and the verdict was later upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court.

Atabati stated that the public execution was carried out "at the request of the victim’s family and local citizens, given the strong emotional response the case provoked in society."

While public executions—usually by hanging—are not routine in Iran, they are carried out in cases considered particularly severe.

Under Iranian law, crimes such as murder and rape are punishable by death. Iran remains the world’s second-highest executioner after China, according to human rights organizations including Amnesty International.