Mohammed Bijeh

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Mohammed Bijeh (Persian: محمد بيژه ) (February 7, 1975 – March 16, 2005) was an Iranian serial killer. He confessed in court to raping and killing 16 young boys between March and September 2004, and was sentenced to 100 lashes followed by execution. All the boys were between 8 and 15 years old.

Nicknamed the "Tehran Desert Vampire" by the press, Bijeh and an accomplice lured young boys into the desert telling them they were hunting for animals. The actual number of victims is believed to be higher than 16. His accomplice, Ali Gholampour, (or Ali Baghi) was sentenced to 100 lashes and 15 years in prison.

[edit] Execution

On March 16, 2005, in front of a crowd of about 5,000, his shirt was removed and he was handcuffed to an iron post, where he received his lashings from different judicial officials. He fell to the ground more than once during the punishment, but did not cry out. A relative of one of the victims managed to get by security and stab Bijeh. A blue nylon rope was then put around his neck and he was hoisted about 10 meters in the air by a crane until he died. He was hanged in Pakdasht, Iran, the town near the desert area where the killings occurred.