Feb. 18
IRAN:
Iran vows to continue execution of minors
A judge at Tehran's Appellate Court announced on Saturday that the Islamic
Republic would continue to issue death verdicts for juvenile delinquents
"without considering other available options."
"Execution sentences will be issued to minors without considering other
options," Ahmad Mozaffari told the state-run news agency ILNA.
Mozaffari made the comments after Iranian courts issued execution
sentences to a 15 year old and 16 year old, the report said.
The judge said one minor was sentenced to execution recently, despite the
fact that examination by a government-appointed physician had shown that
he was suffering from a psychiatric disorder.
State-run press have identified the 15-year-old on death row only by his
1st name Mohammad.
(source: Iran Focus)
BAHAMAS:
National leaders should oppose death penalty
Dear Sir,
I am saddened by the pronouncement by supposed leaders in our country who
gleefully express their support in public for capital punishment. Saddened
not because they have a position that runs contrary to my belief, but
rather because their utterances seem to be knee-jerk reactions and not
informed responses to the social pathos that manifests itself in violent
crimes. These simplistic reactions are characteristic of Bahamian
responses to complex issues; the end result being that the society sinks
deeper into a culture of violence.
Capital punishment is indeed a complex issue. Its judicial purpose is to
punish but its societal motivation and reality is revenge. If we regard
human life as God's most precious gift to mankind then killing, even by
the state, is an affront to God's gift.
Whenever we murder or execute we degrade human dignity. When the state
kills it is no less cruel, inhuman or degrading as the many senseless
murders that now occur on a daily basis. I believe that every human being
has the right to live peacefully and productively in our country, but when
the death penalty is imposed it robs the convicted of that fundamental
right as much as it does the innocent victim who was robbed of his right
to live.
In the past the state executed suspected criminals for all sorts of
crimes, from stealing and gambling to adultery. In all but the most
backward societies these are no longer capital crimes. Countries have
progressed and have legislated more enlightened laws, yet the Bahamas
maintains the mandatory, death sentence for murder. This is neither
progressive nor enlightening. The Bahamas has become a very unforgiving
society. It exacts a terrible toll on its poor, its disabled and the
poorly educated. These are the very persons in the society who are most
victimized by the biased economic system, self-serving parliamentarians, a
dysfunctional judicial system and ironically by violent crimes.
Yet our businessmen, religious leaders and politicians cry out "Hang em
High."
That is why it was so disappointing to read that the 2 leading politicians
in the Bahamas were politicizing the issue of capital punishment. I
believe that the prime minister used an inappropriate venue to confirm his
belief in the death penalty. Imagine the embarrassment of students and
Bahamians employed internationally to read that your prime minister
proudly advocates the death penalty.
Hubert Ingraham, not to be outdone, responded brutishly to the prime
minister's remarks by bragging that he hung 5 during his administration's
ten years in office.
This after admitting publicly in 1999 that he personally was opposed to
capital punishment and that he hoped that the Bahamas would gradually
abolish it. Now there is a disconnect between what was said and what was
actually done. To pander to the basest instincts of humans and to fan the
flames of an emotive issue is unbecoming of our elected leaders.
Is there any wonder that Amnesty International would speak so
disparagingly of Caribbean leaders in its 2002 report, State Killing in
the English Speaking Caribbean: a Legacy of Colonial Times? The Report
concluded: "Like their counterparts in the USA and elsewhere, Caribbean
politicians have found the death penalty a useful tool in appearing to be
tough on crime. In realty, the death penalty simply acts as a distraction
to the core issues or as a sound bite response for politicians when
addressing the problem of crime." State executions should not be used as a
political response to the increase in violent crime. They mask the real
reason why young men slaughter each other; and it gives the public a false
sense of security. Moreover in the long term, executions assist in the
process of dehumanizing citizens and in devaluing human life.
There are countless studies which show that there is no correlation
between state executions and a reduction of violent crime. There's
evidence to prove that the death penalty is a deterrent to violent crime;
in fact; the empirical evidence is to the contrary.
Politicians now hide behind the shallow claim that state execution is the
law of the land.
Well I say if you believe that it is a bad law then you have a duty to
repeal that law.
Slavery was once a part of our laws but it was removed from the books. The
abolition of slavery had to be forced upon 19th century Bahamian
politicians; it would be sad if the abolition of the death penalty had to
be forced upon 21st century politicians.
Yours, etc.,
Charles David Rolle
(source: Letter to the Editor, The Nassau Guardian)
GUYANA:
Does the death penalty still exist?
Dear Editor,
As a Guyanese born, living in Toronto, I have the privilege to read your
newspapers on the net, where I keep myself up to date with the happenings
in my home country.
I am sending this e-mail about the murder case of the taxi driver Seerajie
Singh who was murdered in her car. I noticed 3 young men have been
charged.
Is there a reason that the government of Guyana believes that this country
doesn't need the death penalty? I strongly suggest that this law comes
back into effect so that our community and the entire nation feel safe to
live. Getting rid of this is encouraging people to get away with their
actions and to see themselves as "heroes"!
Yours faithfully,
Ayube Manauf
Editor's note
The 3 men have been charged with murder and the preliminary inquiry will
be held after which they may be committed for trial in the high court. The
death penalty still exists in Guyana but no one has been hanged since the
year 1997 when Michael Archer and Peter Adams were hanged.
(source: Letter to the Editor, Stabroek News)
PHILIPPINES:
22 on death row get 90-day reprieve
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gave a 90-day reprieve to 22 death
convicts scheduled to be executed this month.
Among those granted a reprieve were: Jeffrey Garcia, Juan Manalo, Alfredo
Olicia, Melchor Estomaca, Alejo Miasco, and Romeo Santos; their execution
is rescheduled on May 8.
Camilo Soriano, Gerrico Vallejo, Rolando Pagdayawon, Arthur Pangilinan,
Arnold Lopez, Reynaldo Yambot, Jaime Carpo, Oscar Ibao, Warlito Ibao, and
Roche Ibao's execution is rescheduled for May 15 while Rey Apatay's
execution is moved to May 16.
Eddie Sernedilla and Rodolfo Junas are set to be executed on May 22 while
Celso Morfi, Romeo Reyes, and Danilo Alfaro on May 29.
The reprieve was contained in a 1-page letter from Justice Secretary Raul
Gonzalez to Bureau of Corrections director Vicente Vinarao.
"Transmitted to the Director, Bureau of Corrections, Muntinlupa City, for
appropriate action, the enclosed orders of the President, all dated 23
transmitted to this Department by the Executive Secretary, granting
reprieve to 22 inmates," said Gonzalez.
The accused given a reprieve were convicted for either murder or rape.
No single inmate has been executed under the Arroyo administration.
(source: Philippines Inquirer)
VIETNAM/AUSTRALIA:
Death penalty revoked for 2 Aussies in Vietnam
2 Australians on death row in Vietnam have had their death sentences
commuted to life imprisonment by the country's President.
Mai Cong Thanh and Nguyen Van Chinh were both sentenced to death last year
after being convicted of trafficking heroin.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, says the men can count
their blessings that Vietnam listened to Australia's pleas for clemency.
But Mr Downer says he doesn't know if the 2 members of the Bali 9, who
have been sentenced to death, will be as lucky.
Alexander Downer spoke to AM's Gillian Bradford.
ALEXANDER DOWNER: I'm very pleased to say that the President of Vietnam
has now agreed to commute the death penalties of an Australian citizen,
Mai Cong Thanh and also an Australian permanent resident, Nguyen Van
Chinh.
And he said that, in doing this, that it's being done on the basis of the
humane tradition and the good relationship between Vietnam and Australia.
So I'm very pleased that the representations I and the Prime Minister and
others have made have, on this occasion, borne fruit.
GILLIAN BRADFORD: Still it means the men will serve out their sentences in
Vietnam. Are you confident of any prisoner exchange program with that
country?
ALEXANDER DOWNER: We don't have, and I think it would be quite complicated
to negotiate such an arrangement with Vietnam, but that's always something
we could consider down the track.
It's not something we've, you know, we think can be done very quickly. But
I don't have a problem with a prisoner exchange arrangement with any
country.
But, you know, you have to take into account - and let me make this clear
- that these two people had committed very serious offences. In the case
of the Australian citizen, Mai Cong Thanh, he was convicted for illegally
trading in nearly 2 kilograms - over 1.5 kilograms - of heroin.
And in the case of Nguyen Van Chinh, he was convicted of trading just over
one kilogram of heroin. So, you know, these are extremely serious offences
and we've got to keep a sense of perspective about that.
GILLIAN BRADFORD: So you're saying they should count their blessings?
ALEXANDER DOWNER: Absolutely they should count their blessings. They are
extremely lucky that they will not be executed, and I think - as I've said
- those Australians who, like me, are very opposed to capital punishment,
will be very pleased that the Vietnamese Government has done what they've
done. But they are very, very lucky people, there's no question of that.
GILLIAN BRADFORD: You've managed to convince Vietnam. What prospects of
convincing Indonesia?
ALEXANDER DOWNER: Well, I.... look, I don't know, because in my time as
Foreign Minister, and after all that's quite a few years now, that's
nearly 10 years, and in President Yudhoyono's time as the President of
Indonesia there hasn't been an occasion where we've had an Australian, up
until now, sentenced to death.
But what approach the Indonesian Government and the President will take to
applications for clemency, look I really just do not know. I have no
experience of it.
GILLIAN BRADFORD: You were using up some goodwill in the relationship with
Vietnam, I mean is it a case in Indonesia that you don't want to use up
the goodwill you have with Indonesia on these 2 members of the Bali 9
sentenced to death?
ALEXANDER DOWNER: Well look, I have at one level no sympathy for the Bali
nine for what they have done, and they have been convicted by a court, and
I just think as a country we're very lucky that that heroin that they were
bringing to Australia never got to Australia and the racket was
intercepted. Let me make that clear.
But secondly, I don't support capital punishment, and so I will obviously
- if the appeals fail - make, support the application that will inevitably
be made for clemency.
Now, whether the President will exercise clemency or whether he won't,
look I just simply do not know.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer,
speaking to AM's Gillian Bradford.
(source: ABC Radio News)
