[Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Dec. 17


IRAQ:

Strained Iraqi criminal court orders death penalty for Libyan admitting al
Qaeda ties


US military sources in Iraq announced Saturday that earlier this month the
Central Criminal Court of Iraq sentenced 16 security detainees accused of
terrorism law breaches, illegal weapons possession and border breaches to
punishments ranging from death to a year's imprisonment. The heaviest
punishment was imposed on a Libyan accused of being a member of al Qaeda
in Iraq, who was sentenced to death by hanging as provided under Iraqi
law. Most of the other condemned defendants sentenced between December 1
and December 7 were Iraqis, not including 2 Syrians and 2 Saudis accused
of passport violations, illegal possession of special category weapons and
failure to renew resident identification.

The CCCI has held 1,767 trials of insurgents since being re-organizing in
2004, leading to the conviction of 1,521 individuals with sentences
ranging up to death. Earlier this year the US State Department noted in
its annual human rights report on Iraq was process in the Iraqi court was
regularly delayed, and that the time between arrest and arraignment often
exceeded 30 days, despite a 24-hour requirement set by local law. The New
York Times found in a major investigation of its own published Sunday that
although the CCCI has acquitted over half of the defendants brought to it
by US and Iraqi forces, defendants have little practical opportunity to
present evidence and witnesses, and the court is seriously constrained by
both the pressure of its caseload and ongoing dangers to its personnel.

(source: Jurist)