Oct. 11
YEMEN:
death penalty for five Yemenis over Limburg case
The attorney general in Sanaa yesterday called for the death penalty for
five Yemenis who have been tried over the issue of blowing up the
"Limburg" oil tanker in 2002; the five were sentenced by the elementary
court to 10 year imprisonment. This was expressed during the opening
session of the appeal raised by the 15 persons accused of carrying out
terrorist acts.
The representative of the Attorney General called for death penalty for
Omar Saeed Hassan Jarulla, Fawizi Yahya al-Hababi, Muhammad Saeed
al-Ammari, Fawzi al-Wajih and Ali Salem al-Madari "over taking part in an
action that resulted in killing one member of the team of the tanker."
On the other hand, Yemeni governmental sources said that Sanaa proposed a
warrant of protest to Riyadh over "practices hostile to Yemen" by
opposition Yemeni political figures in Saudi Arabia. The sources said that
memorandum included a complaint over practices by members of Beit al Hamid
Eddine ( the former royal regime) and opposition figures, most of them
carry the Saudi nationality.
(source: Arabic News)
INDIA:
Many oppose death penalty
The International Day Against The Death Penalty organized by people's
Rights Organization Manipur under the aegis of Amnesty International was
held at the conference hall of Hotel Imphal today.
Speaking at the function, Higher Education Minister Francis Ngajokpa
categorically stated that death penalty should be abolished once and for
all from the country as life is a precious gift of God and further
expressed his desire to make Manipur the first State to abolish such
inhuman Act from the country.
Lashing out at the practise of awarding death penalty to convicts, Francis
said that no individual or law has the right to take the life of any
individual.
He also stated that death penalty includes not only awarding death
sentences to convict by the Govt but also includes abortions, killings
carried out by insurgent groups etc.
MPP president O Joy while strongly condemning the practise of death
Penalty in the country stated that death penalty should be abolished and
instead other form of less intense penalty should be given so that the
person may be given a chance to mend his ways.
Questioning as to why a death penalty should be practised in the country
when every individual is given the right to live by the constitution, Prof
Gangummei urged the Govt to make an alternative arrangement so that such
inhuman penalties could be abolished from the entire country.
Yambem Laba while asserting that AFSPA imposed in the North Eastern region
was more deadly in nature than the death penalty given to convicts urged
the Central Govt to abolish death penalty from the country.
AMWJU president W Shyamjai also spoke at the function appealed to the KRA
cadres not to award death penalty to the abducted drivers.
Gen secy All Manipur Bar Association A Jiten Sr Advocate, chairman Manipur
Pollution Control Board Biren Nongthongbam Minister Higher Education
Francis Ngajokpa, Former Law Minister Prof Gangumei Kamei, president all
Manipur Working Journalists' Union Shamjai Wangkhemcha, former member,
Manipur Human Rights Commission Yambem Laba, former HoD History GP Women
College Md Riyazuddin Choudhury, Vice Chancellor MU Ng Bijoy, MPP's
president O Joy, Minister PWD Th Devendra and chairperson Manipur Human
Rights Commission WA Shishak attended the function as the presidium
members.
(source: The Sangai Express)
CANADA:
Celebrities visit Montreal to fight death penalty
French actress Catherine Deneuve and celebrity activist Bianca Jagger were
among several hundred demonstrators who took to the streets on the weekend
calling for an end to the death penalty in the United States.
Wearing dark sunglasses and a solemn expression, Ms. Deneuve was hopeful
the Canadian march would send a direct message to the United States.
Canada abolished the death penalty in 1976.
(sourceL The Globe and Mail)
INDONESIA:
Accused student may be a victim: lawyers
Lawyers for a Gold Coast student detained in Bali for allegedly smuggling
drugs from Australia are investigating the possibility that someone may
have planted a package of cannabis in her luggage.
Schapelle Leigh Corby, 27, of Tugun, was arrested at Bali airport after
customs officers said they had found a plastic package containing 4.2
kilograms of cannabis leaf and heads in her bodyboard bag on Friday.
She could face the death penalty if charged with drug trafficking, or up
to 20 years in prison and a one billion rupiah (A$150,000) fine if charged
with importing and possessing an illegal drug.
Corby is being held at police headquarters in the capital Denpasar, where
the convicted Bali bombing masterminds were held before their trials.
Sources said she has denied the allegations, and her family has stood by
her.
Corby travelled to Bali with two friends and her brother James, 17, on an
Australian Airlines flight from Brisbane that went via Sydney.
Her lawyers met with the Australian consulate-general to request help
obtaining information that could help their case.
"We are turning over every stone possible to prove that she is innocent,"
legal counsel Lily Sri Rahayu Lubis told AAP.
"Our main concern is to get the girl out as soon as possible.
"There is no bail for drug-related offences in Indonesia, the only way to
get her out is to prove she didn't do it," Mrs Lubis said.
Her legal team had contacted authorities at Brisbane and Sydney airports
regarding security measures for international luggage from the time it is
checked-in until it arrives in the next destination.
They expected to meet a representative from Australian Airlines later.
They were also enquiring about security measures at Bali airport, and
checking whether the weight record of Corby's bodyboard bag in Brisbane
matched that in Bali.
Mrs Lubis said Corby may initially be held for up to 20 days while police
complete their investigation, but could stay longer if police were granted
an extension.
Corby's father, who is suffering from cancer, has said she is innocent.
(source: The Sydney Morning Herald)
