[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

April 6


BRAZIL:

Brazil survey: Support for death penalty drops


Support for the death penalty in Brazil has dropped from a year ago, as a
wave of violent crime subsided, according to a poll published Sunday.

The Datafolha polling institute found 47 % of Brazilians support
instituting the death penalty, down from 55 % a year ago when support for
capital punishment reached a 14-year high.

The death penalty has not exist in Brazil since 1855.

The survey, published by the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S. Paulo,
interviewed more than 4,000 people across Brazil last month. The margin of
error was 2 % points.

It showed Brazilians almost evenly divided over the issues, with 46 %
opposition to the death penalty and 7 % undecided or indifferent.

(source: Associated Press)






ETHIOPIA:

Court passes death and life sentence over 4 criminals


The federal high court of Ethiopia this week passed a death sentence and
life imprisonment on 4 criminals who has been organized on armed robbers
and murder.

The Second Criminal Court found all the 4 defendants, guilty of killing
and robbery.

Accordingly, the court sentenced Dawit Diriba to death While Mikael
Mezgebe,Hailemariam Kidanewold and Birhanu Kibret to life in prison.

Police sources, said that the 1st defendant has a record of repeated
robbery and murder in the capital Addis Ababa at different times.

He has also escaped from jail where he had been serving life sentence,
killed 2 persons and wounded 1 in collaboration with the other 2 criminals
and robbed money and other materials in the capital city

The gangsters also attempted to kill a colonel who was heading a police
team tracking down them, it was learnt.

(source: Sudan Tribune)