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

[Rick Halperin]

April 21



PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY:

Against the death penalty in Palestinian occupied territories


The World Coalition Against the Death penalty calls on President Mahmoud
Abbas to declare and official moratorium on the death penalty and not to
ratify Mr Tha'er Rmailats death sentence.

On 6 April 2008, the Palestinian High Military Court in Jenin sentenced Mr
Tha'er Mahmoud Husni Rmailat to death by firing squad. Mr Rmailat, an
officer of the Palestinian Military Intelligence, was convicted for the
murder of a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces.

The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP) is concerned that Mr
Rmailat was not given the guarantees of a fair trial. In particular, his
lawyer indicated that he was given only one day notice before the hearing
when the legislation of the Palestinian Authority requires that a written
notice be sent 72 hours in advance; and that his client was denied a
psychological evaluation.

The WCADP notes with satisfaction that the Palestinian Authority has
issued a decree on 22 June 2005 requesting that all sentences pronounced
by the State Security courts, including death sentences, be retried in
civilian courts as they were considered to fall short of international
standards for fair trials and due process. It also notes that no execution
has been carried out since July 2005.

It is concerned however that death sentences continue to be pronounced in
conditions that contravene both international standards and the national
legislation.

On 18 December 2007, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a
resolution calling upon member states that maintain the death penalty to:
Respect international standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing the
protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, in particular
the minimum standards, as set out in the annex to Economic and Social
Council resolution 1984/50 of 25 May 1984; Establish a moratorium on
executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty;

In the spirit of the 2005 presidential decree, attached to the fair
administration of justice, and of the United Nations General Assembly
resolution, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty calls upon
President of the Palestinian authority Mr Mahmoud Abbas :

1) not to ratify Tha'er Rmailat's death sentence;

2) to issue a Presidential Decree declaring a moratorium on the death
penalty, pending total abolition by the Palestinian Legislative Council.

(source: Human Rights Tribune)






CHINA:

Chinas food-safety draft has death penalty for violators


China released a draft of its food-safety law that includes imposing the
death penalty as the government of the world's most populous nation seeks
to boost confidence in its products.

Companies that make and sell unsafe food or additives face fines of 10 to
20 times the profits made in non-criminal cases.

Violators may also face life in prison or the death penalty, based on
China's criminal code, the rules said.

"There will be more penalties for violations,'' said Ron Cai a partner and
Shanghai representative for Seattle-based law firm Davis Wright Tremaine
LLP. "And this will be a national law, so enforcement agencies will have
to refer to the specific law instead of having discretion to do what they
want.'' Food-safety problems sparked a drop in exports to Japan this year,
China's 3rd-biggest overseas market for food products. Contaminated
consumer exports, including pesticide-laced frozen dumplings in Japan and
tainted Heparin blood thinner in the US this year, have sparked
international furor over the safety of Chinese-made products.

The law aims to prevent and eliminate contaminated food and dangerous
additives, and reduce food-borne illness, according to a statement on the
website of China's legislature. The National People's Congress posted the
draft on its Web site late yesterday and the government is seeking
comments on the rules until May 20.

Food shipments to Japan declined 17% by volume to 471,000 tons in January
and February, with a 30 % drop in February, according to China's General
Administration of Customs. Pesticide-laced dumplings made in China
sickened at least 10 Japanese earlier this year, leading to an
investigation by both countries.

The draft law provides for specific liability in various areas such as
selling meat from sick animals for human consumption, and lays down
criteria for standards such as pesticide and heavy metal residues in food,
according to Cai. "That's good, because right now it's too scary --
everybody's worried about eating something that's not very well
supervised,'' he said. China last y*ear initiated a campaign to boost food
safety.

(source: Bloomberg News)






AFGHANISTAN:

Death penalty staying


Afghanistan is "committed" to the death penalty in accordance with Islamic
law and for national safety, President Hamid Karzai said yesterday after
calls for him to reject about 100 execution orders.

15 men were put before a firing squad in October last year in the 2nd
state execution since the 2001 fall of the Taliban government. Death
sentences for about 100 more are pending Karzai's approval.

"Where there is a clear Sharia ruling, Afghanistans government and people
- based on Islamic rulings - are committed and will do it," Karzai said at
a briefing with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

(source: 7 Days)