[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Aug. 23



IRAQ:

Former Iraqi minister gets death sentence for killing


Iraq's former culture minister has been sentenced to death by hanging for
involvement in the killing of a politician's sons, a court spokesman said.

A Baghdad court found former minister Asaad Al Hashemi responsible in
absentia for the 2005 deaths of the 2 sons of politician Mithal Al Alusi.

A spokesman for Iraq's High Judicial Council said on Friday that Al
Hashemi did not attend court proceedings despite being issued a subpoena
in the official newspaper.

Al Hashemi, who was a member of the Accordance Front, is believed to have
fled Iraq or gone into hiding.

A politician in the Accordance bloc said the move against Al Hashemi was
unfair. "He should have been given the chance to defend himself," said
Abdul Kareem Al Samarrai.

(source: Gulf News)






NIGERIA:

Nigerian Islamic body passes death sentence on man with 80 wives


A foremost Islamic organisation in Nigeria has passed a death sentence
(fatwa) on a Muslim, Muhammadu Bello Masaba, for marrying 80 wives
contrary to the Islamic religion, the private Guardian newspaper reported
Friday.

The paper said the Jamatu Nasril Islam (JNI) passed the sentence on
Masaba, who hails from Bida in central Niger State, in a statement it
issued from its secretariat in the northern city of Kaduna.

JNI said Masaba remained condemned to death, in accordance with the
Islamic Sharia law, unless he 'repents' within 4 days and selects only 4
wives from the 80.

Analysts expressed doubt that the sentence can be carried out, especially
since it was issued by an Islamic organisation rather than a Sharia court.

However, they did not rule out the fact that overzealous faithful may take
the law into their own hands by going after Masaba.

Though the strict version of the Sharia is practiced in several states in
the predominantly-Muslim northern Nigeria, Masaba has not been dragged
before a Sharia court.

Already, civil rights organisations in the north have condemned the
sentence.

''The decision stands condemned, This is a society where we have emirs
that marry more than 4 wives, including uncountable concubines,'' said
Chairman of Socialists Front Shehu Sani.

''The same applies to our other leaders here. Why victimise Masaba by
passing fatwa on him. We will not accept it,'' the Guardian quoted him as
saying.

(source: Afrique en ligne)