[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Aug. 20


TRINIDAD:

Trinidad to amend legislation to deal with death penalty


The Trinidad and Tobago government says it will seek to amend existing
legislation to make it easier to carry out the death penalty, following
the recent High Court ruling that commuted the death sentence of 52
convicted murderers to life imprisonment.

Attorney General Bridgid Annisette-George said that the ruling however
"does not affect the death penalty (imposed) from July 8, 2004".

Last weekend, Justice Nolan Bereaux ruled that the group of 49 men and 3
women be removed immediately from death row and instead spend the rest of
their lives in jail.

His ruling followed a constitutional motion filed by the convicted
murderers more than 3 years ago challenging their death sentences. The
motion covered only those persons convicted before July 7, 2004, when the
London-based Privy Council - the country's highest court - ruled that the
sentences of everyone on Death Row at that time be commuted to life
imprisonment.

The Attorney General said that at least 30 persons remain on death row
here and that the State is committed to carrying out the death penalty.

But she acknowledged that it is being restrained by the Privy Council's
Pratt and Morgan ruling, which gives a 5-year limit from the date of
conviction to carry out the death penalty.

Annisette-George said that the Patrick Manning-led government would be
seeking an amendment to Constitution Amendment Bill 2008 to deal with the
existing problem.

"While in the local courts, a lot has been done to make us Pratt and
Morgan-compliant, from our analysis of what has been happening, most of
the delay takes place between the Court of Appeal and the Privy Council,"
she said.

"Some of the legislative amendments we are looking at are to affect how
Pratt and Morgan apply to us," she said, noting that the government would
be seeking the support of the opposition to deal with the amendment.

"As emotional as it is, the government needs to be reasonable (and)
rational in the position it adopts. The government's position is [that]
the death penalty is the law. We will enforce it in accordance with the
law," she added.

Earlier, Senior Counsel Dana Seetahal - who is also an independent Senator
here - said that the High Court ruling would provide "more fodder to the
cynics and critics, who say that no murderer can or will be executed in
Trinidad and Tobago".

Seetahal, a former magistrate, said with the number of murders likely to
pass 400 this year, "one wonders how is it that the State has delayed so
long in actually commuting the sentences of these convicts".

(source: Jamaica Observer)

**************************

Trinidad and Tobago to continue executions


Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General, Bridgid Annisette-George, said that
her government remains committed to carrying out the death penalty
according to the rule of law.

Annisette-George made the comment to the Trinidad Guardian in an interview
published on Tuesday following the ruling of Justice Nolan Bereaux who
commuted the death sentence for 52 killers to life imprisonment.

The Attorney General in the interview said, "As emotional as it is, the
government needs to be reasonable, rational in the position it adopts. The
government's position is the death penalty is the law. We will enforce it
in accordance with the law."

She added that the State could not execute the killers because of a 2004
constitutional motion that was determined only last Friday. She said,
however, that "it does not affect the death penalty (imposed) from July 8,
2004. Those persons convicted of murder and sentenced to death after that
date are not covered by Justice Bereaux's decision last Friday.

The AG added that there remained about 30 convicted killers on death row.
She said that the State was constrained by the Privy Council's Pratt and
Morgan ruling, which gave a 5-year limit for convicted killers to be
executed.

The majority of the appeals, she said, that are pending came from
decisions between 2006 and 2008, and pointed out that "the state is quite
mindful of the time that is running with respect to those persons, and we
are doing our best, through our attorneys in England, to try and have
those matters listed in short order."

She stressed that new legislation would come to Parliament shortly to make
it easier to carry out the death penalty.

(source: Caribbean Net News)






TURKEY:

MHP demands return of death penalty


The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is increasing efforts to bring back
the death penalty, with 2 of its deputies preparing a bill to reintroduce
capital punishment, which was abolished when the MHP was part of a
coalition government.

MHP deputies Mehmet Serdaroglu and Behi elik, who drafted the bill, have
suggested that increased acts of terrorism have created a need for the
death penalty, which was abolished on Aug. 2, 2002.

Speaking to Todays Zaman, elik said his party is against the death penalty
but that the punishment was abolished at a time when incidents of terror
had significantly decreased.

"We need to have the death penalty in the case of terrorism, war and
widespread violence because the death penalty has a deterrent effect. The
states of the European Union have abolished the death penalty because they
do not face acts of terror like Turkey does," he said. elik added that the
Turkish public has difficulty accepting the fact that the man responsible
behind a terrorist act in Daglica remains punished only by a life
sentence, in clear reference to Abdullah calan, the jailed leader of the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

8 soldiers were captured in Daglica in southeastern Turkey on Oct. 23 of
last year during an attack by the PKK in which 12 other soldiers were
killed. calan, apprehended in 1999 when the MHP was in Parliament as part
of a coalition government, was sentenced to death, but his sentence was
commuted to life imprisonment without parole when the death penalty was
abolished in peacetime as part of a raft of reforms aimed at preparing the
country for European Union membership.

He was originally sentenced to death in June 1999 for his role in years of
separatist war against the Turkish authorities, in which more than 30,000
people were killed.

In 2002 Parliament voted through a package of reforms that included easing
restrictions on the Kurdish rights and language. The package was rushed
through parliament by pro-EU forces who wanted the legislation in place
before elections, which were held early, after the ruling three-party
coalition government -- the Democratic Left Party (DSP), the Motherland
Party (ANAP, now ANAVATAN) and the MHP -- suffered a number of
high-profile resignations. Only the MHP voted against the reforms, fearing
the Kurdish rights clauses would mean giving in to the demands of Kurdish
separatists.

At the time 419 deputies participated in the voting to abolish the death
penalty; 162 opposed and 256 supported. A squabble started when leaders of
the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the MHP, addressing
separate election rallies, exchanged remarks over who was responsible for
not executing the death penalty sentence on calan. In response to
criticism leveled in a speech from Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan, MHP
leader Devlet Baheli challenged him by saying, "Can't you afford to buy a
hanging rope?" and threw a rope toward the crowd.

The MHP plans to bring the bill to Parliament to garner support after the
summer recess ends on Oct. 1. Since it requires a constitutional
amendment, at least 110 deputies need to support the bill to submit it to
the speaker of Parliament; the MHP only has 70 deputies in Parliament.

3,000 executions

A moratorium on the death penalty had already been in place in Turkey
since 1984. In May 2004 Turkey amended its Constitution in order to remove
capital punishment in all circumstances. It ratified Protocol no. 13 to
the European Convention on Human Rights in February 2006.

Between 1923 when the Republic of Turkey was established until 1984, 712
capital punishments were approved by Parliament. However, between 1920 and
1950 when the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) was the sole political party,
more than 2,000 people were estimated to have been executed by the martial
courts, which were controversial and extra-parliamentary bodies
established to punish regime opponents.

Among countries around the world, almost all European states and Canada
have abolished capital punishment. In Latin America, most states have
completely abolished the use of capital punishment, while some, such as
Brazil, allow for capital punishment only in exceptional situations, such
as treason committed during wartime. The United States, Guatemala, most of
the Caribbean and the majority of democracies in Asia and Africa retain
it. South Africa -- considered to be the most developed African nation and
which has been a democracy since 1994 -- does not have the death penalty.

Amnesty International indicates that in 2007 the death penalty was
approved for 1,457 people in 27 countries around the world. In China, more
than 1,000 criminals are executed each year.

(source: Todays Zaman)

*******************

MHP deputy denies efforts to bring back death penalty


The Kastamonu deputy from the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, Mehmet
Serdaroglu yesterday denied claims that he has been working on a draft
bill to bring back the death penalty, which was abolished by Parliament in
2002.

It was alleged earlier that Serdaroglu signaled drafting a proposal in
favor of bringing back the death penalty during a closed debate among some
MHP members while the majority of the party's members had remained cool to
the idea.

"I wish there was a proposal. It would have been good to have one. But
there is no such thing. I have not been preparing anything. If I had a
proposal, why would I deny it? It is not an infamous crime," said
Serdaroglu. While admitting that there had been a debate on the issue a
few months ago, he said nobody has initiated any proposal to reintroduce
the death penalty since then.

Meanwhile, some sources insisted that Serdaroglu submitted a draft to
allow the death penalty in cases of crimes related to terrorism, war and
voluntary manslaughter, however, the draft was never processed by the MHP.

The death penalty in Turkey was abolished by a 3-party coalition
government led by the Democratic Left Party, or DSP, leader Blent Ecevit,
becoming a crucial symbol of European Union-oriented reforms. Coalition
partner MHP did not block the government in going ahead with the proposal
but had voted against it. Serdaroglu was among the MHP deputies who had
voted against abolishing the death penalty.

(source: Turkish Daily News)






INDONESIA:

Bali bombers' executions 'to be delayed'


3 Islamic militants on death row over the Bali bombings will not be
executed before the holy fasting month of September, Indonesia's Attorney
General says.

Attorney-General Hendarman Supandji said the formal paperwork had yet to
reach his office, handing the 3 men a slight reprieve.

The government is unlikely to execute the men during the Islamic holy
month of Ramadan for fear of a backlash in the world's largest Muslim
country.

"Until now, it hasn't reached me," Supandji told reporters.

"I was hoping it (the executions) would be before the fasting month but it
cannot.

"I have nothing to cover up. I'll be open about this."

Islamic radicals Amrozi, his brother Mukhlas and Imam Samudra have
exhausted all their legal options and were due to be executed imminently
for their roles in the 2002 Bali terrorist attacks, which killed 202
people including 88 Australians.

The comments come a day after their lawyers formally asked the government
to delay their executions while Indonesia's Constitutional Court
deliberates on the case - even though the court has no power to halt the
executions.

The convicted terrorists last week took their fight to the Constitutional
Court, where their lawyers will argue that death by firing squad is
inhumane, and therefore unconstitutional.

Attorney General spokesman B D Nainggolan said there was only a "slim
chance" the government would delay the execution because of the letter.

"The possibility is slim because the courts are the ones who have the
authority to postpone (it)," he said.

The bombers' lawyer Qadhar Faisal met with the 3 prisoners for 3 hours on
Wednesday at their jail, on Nusakambangan Island off Central Java.

"They are in good condition, they looked happy," he said, adding "they are
ready" for execution.

In a seemingly contradictory handwritten letter, released by his lawyers,
Mukhlas said it was his "goal" to die as a martyr, although he could not
approve of the execution because "killing a Muslim ...is a crime and great
sin".

"All who are involved will get God's wrath and curse and will be put in
hell forever," he wrote.

Samudra, in his own handwritten message, described his future executors as
"satanic soldiers".

Meanwhile, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said he didn't
have any specific information about when the executions would occur, but
conceded they "probably" wouldn't happen until after Ramadan.

"(But) I was wondering why those who kill over 200 people are afraid of
facing the death penalty themselves," he told reporters.

Wirajuda said Indonesia was "open" to discussing the abolition of the
death penalty, provided there was a "more adequate system of punishment"
in place, including harsher sentences.

"The death penalty is a very controversial issue," he said.

"I think if we have (a) review of the status of the death penalty, we have
to review the overall system of punishment because we don't want to see,
for example, (someone) who is involved in a serious murder...be freed
before the age of 50, or below 50 and continue to be a problem for the
society.

"The possibility of the death penalty being abolished (has to be) balanced
with a more adequate system of punishment.

"I'm open for having this...we are all quite open to discuss it."

(source: Sydney Morning Herald)






MEXICO:

Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research----Mexicans Want Death
Penalty for Some Crimes


The majority of people in Mexico think the death penalty should be
implemented to deal with specific offences, according to a poll by
Parametra. At least 60 % of respondents think capital punishment should be
applied to people convicted of rape, homicide and kidnapping.

Only 23 % of respondents think armed robbery should carry a death
sentence, while 73 % disagree.

The death penalty was officially abolished in Mexico in 2005. The Mexican
Constitution allowed capital punishment in certain circumstancessuch as
acts of treasonbut no person was executed in the country for more than 50
years.

Mexican voters chose their new president in July 2006. Official results
placed Felipe Caldern of the National Action Party (PAN) as the winner
with 36.68 % of all cast ballots. Calderna former energy secretarytook
over as Mexico's head of state in December.

Criminal activity has been a predicament in Mexico for the past few years.
According to official National Public Security office statistics, at least
8,416 kidnappings have taken place between 1994 and March 2008. Mexico
City has become infamous over the past few years for its "express
kidnappings"a form of quick hostage-taking in which victims are forced to
vacate their bank accounts from automated tellers at gunpoint.

Earlier this month, the Mexican Congress approved a series of measures
proposed by Caldern to tackle crime, including life-long sentences for
convicted kidnappers. During the debates on the proposed reforms,
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) lower house leader Emilio Gamboa
Patrn called for the implementation of death sentences for kidnapping
offences.

Armando Martnez, president of the College of Catholic Lawyers in Mexico,
voiced his group's disagreement with bringing back capital punishment,
saying, "We think the death penalty deters absolutely nobody [from
committing a crime]. The option of life in prison needs to be studied.
(...) In the U.S., crime and violence continue to be rampant, with
14-year-olds murdering their peers."

(source: Angus Reid Global Monitor)






IRAN----execution

Iran 'hangs man for murder committed as minor'


Iran has hanged a man for a murder committed at the age of 15, in
violation of an international convention on child rights, reports said on
Wednesday, as campaigners said dozens more were on death row for crimes
committed as minors.

Reza Hejazi, 20, was hanged on Tuesday in a prison in the central city of
Isfahan for stabbing a man to death in a fight in 2003, the reformist
Etemad newspaper said.

4 rapists and drug traffickers were also hanged in prison on Tuesday,
bringing to at least 172 the number of executions in Iran this year,
according to an AFP count.

(source: Agence France Presse)

****************************

More international condemnation for mullahs on violation of human rights


France as the EU's current rotary president in a statement issued on
Tuesday, again "express its deep concern" over imminent execution order of
Behnood Shojaee.

"The Presidency of the Council of the European Union reminds Iran that
juvenile death sentences are a gross breach of its international
obligations and commitments, specifically as set out in the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention of the Rights of
the Child, both clearly prohibiting the execution of minors or people who
have been convicted of a crime committed when they were minors," the
statement added.

The EU presidency calls on Iran to "comply with its international
commitments and to take the immediate measures required to grant a stay of
execution to Mr. Shojaee and all other minors facing death sentences."

While the EU countries were appealing to the clerical regime to stay the
execution of Shojaee, they hanged a 20-year-old man who was 15 at time of
the alleged crime in the central city of Isfahan on Wednesday.

He was transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for his
execution on August 18. However, when his family and attorney went to the
prison on the next day, they were told that his execution has been stayed.

"Jubilant of the news, his family and I left the prison. But only a few
hours latter I learned through the official site of Isfahan prosecutor's
office that he was hanged," said his attorney Mohammad Mostafavi in total
surprise.

According to rights groups, 114 youths face gallows for the crimes
allegedly committed when they were minors. The youngest is a 13-year-old
boy named Ahmad Nowroozi sentenced to death by the mullahs' judiciary 3
years ago in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan.

(source: National Council of Resistance of Iran - Foreign Affairs
Committee)