Watchdog

Iran's parliament has ended the death penalty for certain drug violations, raising the thresholds that can trigger capital punishment in a move that could prevent thousands from being executed.

The long-awaited amendment to drug trafficking laws was approved on August 13 after months of debate and must still be ratified by the powerful clerical body, the Guardians Council, and the president, according to the parliament's website and the ISNA news agency.

Under the new law, which would be applied retroactively, only drug kingpins, armed dealers, and those convicted of smuggling more than 50 kilograms of opium or 2 kilograms of heroin would face the death penalty.

Lesser violations would be punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Previously, the death penalty could be invoked for smuggling 20 kilograms of opium or 30 grams of heroin.

More than 5,000 convicted smugglers currently on death row may be spared from being executed if the new law is approved.

Iran is among the world's leading executioners, and has faced criticism from human rights groups.

With reporting by AFP, AP, and ISNA

Iranian journalist Sasan Aghaei has reportedly been arrested.

The charges against Aghaei, who works for the reformist daily Etemad, are not clear.

The opposition site Kalameh reports that Aghaei was taken away by security forces on the afternoon of August 12 from Etemad's offices of in the Iranian capital.

Later, Aghaei's home was searched and he was transferred to Tehran's Evin prison, the report said.

Aghaei has been arrested several times in the past, including in the 2009 state crackdown that followed the disputed reelection of former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad.

The Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders says Iran is one of the world's five biggest prisons for media workers.

Earlier this month, the group said 10 journalists and 17 citizen journalists were currently detained in Iran.

With reporting by Kalameh and RFE/RL's Radio Farda