[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Nov. 15



IRAQ:

Supreme Court Won't Stop U.S. Citizen From Facing Iraqi Death Sentence


The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a motion to halt the transfer of a U.S.
citizen who is sentenced to death in Iraq for his part in a 2005
kidnapping.

Mohammad Munaf was denied a temporary injunction against being sent to
Iraq where he claims his conviction in October in an Iraqi trial violated
his due process, where under U.S. law, he is entitled to provide for his
own defense and present evidence.

However, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has an injunction in place
against his immediate transfer to Iraq.

According to Jurist, Munaf was initially arrested in Romania on charges of
allegedly kidnapping and detaining 3 Romanian journalists for 55 days in
Iraq. Munaf has been in the custody of the Multi-National Force - Iraq
since last year. In October the U.S. District Court for the District of
Columbia denied an emergency motion to prevent the U.S. military from
surrendering Munaf to Iraqi officials to face the death penalty, saying
the court lacked jurisdiction to hear Munaf's appeal because he is "in the
custody of a multinational entity and not the United States."

(source: All Headline News)