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

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 21



IRAN:

Iran hangs 5 for drugs offences


5 people have been hanged in public for drug trafficking offences in the
eastern Iranian city of Birjand, the semi-official Mehr news agency
reported on Sunday.

The latest executions bring to 226 the number of people hanged in the
country this year, according to an AFP count compiled from local press
reports and witnesses.

The figure is already well above that for 2006, when at least 177 people
were hanged, according to Amnesty International.

Capital offences in Iran include murder, rape, armed robbery, serious drug
trafficking and adultery.

Last week, the Iranian authorities arrested anti-death penalty activist
Emaddedin Baghi, leader of the Committee for the Defence of Prisoners'
Rights, who has received awards from Western countries for his work.

(source: AFP)






AFGHANISTAN:

Top Envoy Speaks out Against Death Penalty Following Afghan Executions


The top United Nations envoy to Afghanistan this week expressed concern at
the recent execution of 15 prisoners in the capital, Kabul  the first time
the death penalty has been used in 3 years.

"The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has been a staunch supporter of
the moratorium on executions observed in Afghanistan in recent years,"
said UNAMA chief Tom Koenigs, recalling that the UN had previously stated
its concern over the use of the death penalty.

In a statement, he acknowledged the sovereign right of the Afghan people
and their Government to decide how to carry out their own laws, but called
for Afghanistan to "continue working towards attaining highest human
rights standards and ensuring that due process of law and the rights of
all citizens are respected."

"It is my personal view that the death penalty should be abolished
worldwide," he added.

Also today, UNAMA reported that more than 353,000 Afghans have returned to
their homes so far this year  nearly 348,000 of them from Pakistan and
more than 5,000 from Iran  with the assistance of the UN High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR).

Over 16,000 Afghans returned to their home country from Pakistan and Iran
last month, UNAMAs Nazifullah Salarzai told reporters in Kabul, adding
that the pace of returns is slowing down as winter approaches.

"We're now seeing return numbers averaging 200 per day  down from a peak
of over 12,000 assisted returns per day in April," Mr. Salarzai stated.

While UNHCRs voluntary repatriation operation from Iran will continue
throughout the winter, its operation from Pakistan will take a "winter
break" at the end of October and then resume next March.

Since 2002, some 5 million Afghan refugees have returned to their
battle-scarred homeland, mostly from Pakistan and Iran, a majority aided
by UNHCR. Most of the 3 million registered Afghans remaining in
neighbouring countries have been abroad for more than 2 decades.

(source: EuropaWorld)






KYRGYZSTAN:

Kyrgyz President Touts Draft Constitution


Kyrgyzstan today held a referendum on a draft constitution the president
believes can bring stability to the government, but which the opposition
fears could strengthen authoritarian rule.

President Kurmanbek Bakiev told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service today that
lawmakers left no stone unturned in writing the new document, which
increases the role of the parliament and reduces that of the president.

"I fully believe that the [political] dispute will cease because there is
no reason for it to continue," Bakiev said. "It is written [in the
constitution] that the only source of power is the nation. We have been
overwhelmed with discussions on the constitution for the last two years.
There is no article which has been left without discussion."

Years Of Political Squabbling

Bakiev said the draft constitution aims to address the infighting that has
plagued the government since the 2005 "Tulip Revolution" by balancing
power more equally, especially between the executive and legislative
branches.

"Why shouldn't we listen to the people's opinion? The nation will adopt
the basic law in today's referendum and after that all the existing laws
will be adapted in accordance with the constitution. Then there won't be
any tensions between the government and the parliament," Bakiev said.
"There will be different responsibilities for both the government and the
parliament. Frankly speaking, parliament has had no responsibility until
now."

"There will be different responsibilities for both the government and the
parliament. Frankly speaking, parliament has had no responsibility until
now." -- President Bakiev

Under the new rules, the number of seats in parliament would increase from
the current 75 to 90.

Presidents are limited to serving 2 full terms and must refrain from any
activities in a political party or bloc during their term in office.

Other major changes include the abolition of the death penalty.

But not everyone in the opposition is satisfied with the upcoming
referendum. Emil Aliev, one of the leaders of the Ar-Namys (Dignity)
party, said the draft constitution strengthens the "authoritarian rule of
one person."

Parliamentarian Omurbek Tekebaev, leader of the Atameken (Fatherland)
Socialist Party, told RFE/RL that many irregularities took place during
today's vote.

"[A number of] local electoral commissions did not open the polling
stations in time. In brief, there were a many illegal actions," Tekebaev
said. "Of course, this does not bring trust to the referendum. The main
thing is that I voted against the [proposed] article that says that it is
possible to privatize [Kyrgyzstan's] natural resources."

Local nongovernmental organizations Interbilim and Coalition For Democracy
and Civil Society said they had witnessed cases of ballot-box stuffing
near Bishkek.

About 130 international observers and more than 10,000 local observers
were registered to monitor the vote.

Sufficient Turnout Reported

There were predictions that the referendum would fail to attract the
electorate, but as the end of the polling day approached the Central
Election Commission reported that nearly 63 % of the 2.7 million eligible
voters had turned out.

Preliminary results are expected to be announced later this evening.

In the event the referendum is approved, Prime Minister Almaz Atambaev's
government is expected to resign.

An announcement on the date of a possible early parliamentary vote is
expected as soon as next week, after the results of the referendum are
made official.

The proposed constitution mandates that parliamentary elections be held
solely on the basis of party lists.

(source: RFE)