[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

March 18



GUATEMALA:

Public Support for the Death Penalty


One might see a contradiction in Guatemala in regards to attitudes towards
the death penalty. On one hand, Guatemalans are heavily devoted and
participate in religious festivities of the Catholic and Protestant
churches during holy week, which is the time for the faithful to
commemorate the execution of Jesus Christ. However, with the same devotion
and passion, most Guatemalans strongly support the death penalty. First,
it was announced that death penalty will not be applied to the criminals
(there are more than 40 waiting in line), and the international community
supported this decision, while several ordinary citizens were really
upset. Then the President said that the decree was unconstitutional, and
that the law had to be enforced.

Bloggers have divided opinions, some in favor, some against it. But sadly,
in all of them you can read the lack of credibility in the system and the
loss of hope. Such contradictions are clearly exposed by El Toronteco on
his post Overdue Pride, where he argues:

During my quarter of a century growing up in Guatemala the death penalty
was a non-issue. It existed, it was enforced every now and then, it was
even broadcast on the news at noon. I learned compassion, thought, through
the eyes of my Ta Luz who served somewhat as our nanny and to whom I am in
debt for who I am almost as much as my parents. Her reaction to anyone
being incarcerated or taking in by police, or worse, anyone who was in
death row was Pobrecito ("poor little guy"). Compassion for a criminal is
something that is not often seen, particularly in Guatemala where the sole
mention of the "Human Rights" in relation to common criminals provokes the
outcry of the general public as a way of letting people get away with
their wrongdoings. Now that I think about it to put it in black and white
pixels Human Rights have so many different meanings in Guatemala. On one
side we have the issue of the genocide of those who were fighting against
the government (blowing up the extremely necessary and scarce
infrastructure of the country, I must say to echo my "maternal" point of
view); those who are seen by the international community as criminals
against humanity, the masterminds and executors of the massacres during
the civil war and even after the peace accords of 1996. And then we have
the Human Rights of the common criminal (or even the organized one) which
are completely disregarded by the common public. Linchamientos
("lynching") was (is?) a usual way of the people of taking the law into
their own hands, as democratic as an open town hall. Out of frustration,
the general public chased the criminal (be it someone who was stealing a
pair of sunglasses or someone being suspected or trying to kidnap a baby),
beat him/her up almost to death, until "the authorities" arrive. Is in
this context that Human Rights are looked down by Guatemalans, not in the
context of the massacres".

As blogger Miguel Arriaga said on his post Pena de Muerte en Guatemala
[es]:

Mi postura es totalmente a favor de la pena de muerte, y tengo entre
otras, dos razones que considero vlidas. La primera, es que debe hacerse
cumplir la ley, si la ley dice 5 aos que se den 5 aos, si 10 pues que se
den 10, y si la ley dice pena de muerte se debe aplicar; porque de
antemano se sabe cuales delitos se castigan con la pena de muerte y el
delincuente lo sabe, y si aun sabiendolo delinquio, pues que se le de la
pena mxima.

My position is totally in favor of death penalty, and I have, at least 2
valid reasons. First, you should enforce the law, if the penalty is 5
years, then you should apply it, if it is 10 years, then you should give
them 10 years, if the penalty is death, you should do so, because one
knows in advance which crimes are punishable by death and if the criminal
commits the crime regardless, then they should be punished with death
penalty.

On the other side is Luca, who argues on Que pena con la Muerte! [es]:

Por supuesto que hay tipos a los que dan ganas de matar, y mejor si es
lenta y cruelmente. Conozco a unos cuantos que mereceran bailar
eternamente en la horca. Tambin s que las crceles de Guatemala son
escuelas del crimen, y que nosotros pagamos la comida de los presos,
etctera, etctera. Pero de eso a pensar que la pena de muerte es
justificada en una cultura hay mucha diferencia. Tiene un ser humano
derecho a quitarle la vida a otro.

Of course there are people that you wish you could kill, and is better if
the death is slow and painful. I know some that deserve to be hung
forever. I also know that prisons in Guatemala are schools for criminals
and that we have to pay taxes so prisoners will have food, etc. However,
from that to justify death penalty in a culture, there is a huge
difference. Has a human the right to kill another human being?

Death Penalty is supported by some Protestant churches, as explained by El
Blog de Chapu [es]:

Me referir con todo respeto a la actitud tomada por la Alianza Evanglica,
ellos dicen que: "Dios nos cre a imagen y semejanza y, por lo tanto, el
que alguien destruya su propia imagen y semejanza merece el mximo castigo
posible. No hay duda de que Dios es no slo el Creador del hombre, sino
creador de la pena de muerte". El pastor general de la Fraternidad
Cristiana dijo que: "el hombre es una creacin divina y cuando alguien
atenta contra esa creacin, se merece y se gana el derramamiento de su
propia sangre". Recuerda que cuando crucificaron a Jesucristo, haba otros
condenados a muerte, cuya sentencia fue ejecutada.

I will respectfully refer to the attitude adopted by the Evangelical
Alliance, they say: "God created man in his image, so, if someone destroys
the image of God, he has to be punished with the highest penalty. There is
no doubt, God is not only the Creator of man, but also the creator of
death penalty". The leader of Christian Fraternity said that "Human beings
are a divine creation, so when someone acts against such creation, he
deserves that his own blood to run". He argues that when Christ was
executed, there were also other people that were executed.

On his post: Deshojando la Margarita Blogger Hablando de Guatemala [es]
said:

Estados Unidos nos da un ejemplo, ellos no la han abolido y en varios
estados aun sigue siendo la pena mxima. Entonces porque aqu no? lvaro
Colom tiene dos opciones ser Nern o Ser Pilatos las dos opciones son
difciles pero hay que analizar la situacin detenidamente y hacer lo que la
sociedad demanda, lo que la mayora demanda. As funciona la democracia. Y
las victimas que pensaran? Acaso no es correcto hacerles justicia? La ley
del Talin acaso?

The United States provides us an example, they have not abolished capital
punishment, and in several States it is still the highest penalty. Then,
why not here? Alvaro Colom can either be Nern or (Pontius) Pilate, which
are the hardest roles, but the situation has to be examined carefully and
what the majority of society has to be done. That is a democracy. What
about the victims? Is it not fair to rule in favor and for justice for
them? Lex Talionis, then?

The streets in Guatemala are covered by flowers and images of Christ
during Holy Week. You can see flower vendors, candle vendors,, people in
the streets at night, whole neighborhoods making the arrangements for the
festivities. In Guatemala, with public support and an ambigious response
of the Head of State, the death penalty is still in effect and a couple of
criminals will be executed in the next weeks. The discussion took place
just before the holidays.

(source: Global Voice Online)






IRAQ:

Iraq wants to execute Saddam aides together


The Iraqi government said on Tuesday it wanted to execute together three
former aides of Saddam Hussein, including "Chemical Ali," who face the
gallows for a genocidal campaign against Kurds.

Ali Hassan al-Majid, widely known as Chemical Ali, was sentenced to death
last June for genocide, along with former defence minister Sultan Hashim
al-Tai and Hussein Rashid al-Tikriti, once armed forces deputy chief of
operations.

The 3 were convicted of overseeing a brutal military campaign known as
Anfal against Kurdish villagers in 1988 that left 180,000 people dead, and
of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

"The Iraqi cabinet calls for the three Saddam aides to be executed
together at one time in order to implement the sentence issued by the
court against them," a cabinet statement said.

The executions have been delayed by legal wranglings.

On February 29, Iraq's 3-member presidency endorsed the execution of
Majid, but gave no information about the fate of the other 2 men.

Under Iraqi law the 3 men should have been executed by October 4 last
year, 30 days after the sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court.

But Iraq decided to postpone them until after the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan, because of the outcry over Saddam's hanging during another Muslim
holiday in December 2006.

The hangings were further put off because President Jalal Talabani and his
Sunni deputy, Tareq al-Hashemi, refused to sign the three execution
orders.

The 3 men are in the custody of the US military, which has refused to hand
them over to the Iraqi authorities unless the legal hitches are resolved.

A source close to the Iraqi High Tribunal, which sentenced the 3, said the
executions were delayed because the US authorities were under pressure
from Hashemi.

"Hashemi is the obstacle in the executions," he said, adding that the
Sunni leader and the US authorities believe the 3 executions could trigger
fresh chaos in the country.

"We don't understand how it can trigger chaos. None of them is like
Saddam."

He said Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was determined to carry out the
hangings.

"The prime minister just wants to implement the sentences as per law.

He said the legal advisors of the government said it no longer had to
adhere to the 30 days period.

"That deadline was only for the 1st time. We have already passed that
deadline," he added.

Meanwhile, Talabani has opposed the execution of Sultan Hashim, saying he
had once provoked the former regime official to revolt against Saddam.

(source: Agence France Presse)






BOTSWANA:

Killers Must Hang - Chief


Batlokwa deputy chief, Michael Gaborone, says that anyone who commits
murder must hang. "

Whether it is a minister, an official or an ordinary man. If it is found
that they had planned to kill another person, they should be killed," he
said. He asserted that even if he is to call Batlokwa to the main Kgotla
this morning and raise the death penalty issue, they would all endorse it.
"It is straightforward, killers must be killed, no compromise," he said.

Gaborone was adamant that the rights of people who kill with intention are
not more important than the rights of the people they have killed.
"Everybody must know that the murdered were people who also deserved
rights, whose parents wanted them to be alive, and who got the right to
live from God," he stressed. He said that Botswana should maintain the
death penalty to deter would-be killers. He cited neighbouring South
Africa where there is no death penalty and now innocent people are unable
to enjoy their independence because criminals are holding them at ransom.
"Even the most advanced democracy - the United States of America - is
still maintaining the death penalty," he said.

He said that keeping a murder convict in jail for the rest of his life is
costly to the taxpayer and in any case prisons are congested.

However, Pastor Biggie Butale of the End Time Ministries believes that the
death penalty is cruel and not a solution to murders. He is of the view
that giving a person a chance to live and repent is the right way to go.
But he believes child molesters deserve the death penalty. "If I had my
way, these are the people who should be hanged," he said. He disagreed
with people who say that death penalty is a deterrent to crime. He added
that a person's life is important and therefore expenses should not be
mentioned as one of the elements for favouring the death penalty. "Motho
ga a latlhwe, le fa a ka tswa a le seganana jang," he said. He added that
he would be happy if the death penalty is abolished.

Meanwhile opposition parties, the Botswana National Front (BNF) and
Botswana Congress Party, still do not have a stand on the death penalty.
Spokesperson for BCP Dumelang Saleshando said that they allow members to
go with their conscience. He said even if his party wins the 2009 general
elections, the matter would be decided by the majority.

Spokesman for BNF, Moeti Mohwasa, said that the party membership is
divided over the issue. Others feel the death penalty is barbaric while
some say it is a deterrent.

Women's rights activist, Ntombi Setshwaelo said that their organisation
has not taken a position on the matter since they have been focusing more
on gender issues.

Street vendor Tlhalefang (not his real name) said that he supports the
death penalty because it hurts to meet a person who has caused you pain by
killing your relative, sibling, or parents.

(source: All Africa News)






IRAN:

WOMAN WITH DEATH SENTENCE RELEASED WITH SON


Mokarrameh Ebrahimi, the woman who was sentenced to stoning to death for
adultery and at the centre of an international battle after last July her
lover was stoned to death, has been released. The woman, who has been in
prison for 11 years, has left the prison of Qavzin in the north-west of
the Islamic Republic, together with her 4-year-old son born from her
relation with Jafar Kiani. The release was ordered by the judicial
commission for amnesty, the woman's lawyer Shadi Sadr reported,
underlining that it is a "rare decision" of mercy for Iran. Mokarrameh has
returned to her family and "still can't believe that she's been pardoned"
her lawyer explained. Stoning in theory is still in vigour for adultery in
Iran, though a moratorium was decided in 2002. The stoning of Kiani,
despite the moratorium, has caused widespread indignation and in January
Amnesty launched an appeal for Mokarrameh and 8 more women and 2 men
sentenced to be stoned to death.

(source: Agenzia Giornalistica Italia)






INDIA:

India seeks clemency for death row convict Sarabjit Singh


India has appealed to Pakistan to treat with clemency the case of Sarabjit
Singh, who is facing death sentence in Pakistan for carrying out
explosions, a minister told the parliament here Tuesday.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Lok Sabha that India
had not received formal intimation from Pakistan, but media reports said
black warrant had been issued and the sentence would be carried on April
one.

He said India had come to know from media reports that his mercy petition
had been turned down by the President of Pakistan and Indian High
Commission in Islamabad had sought details from the Government about the
case.

Mukherjee said the Supreme Court of Pakistan, in a judgement on August 18,
2005 had upheld the death sentence to Sarabjit Singh for causing
explosions at various places in Pakistan.

The minister said consular access to Sarabjit Singh was provided by
Pakistan on August 30, 2005 and thereafter his national status was
confirmed.

A review petition against the death sentence was also filed in the Supreme
Court of Pakistan, but it was dismissed in March 2006. A mercy petition
was thereafter filed with the President of Pakistan which now, according
to news reports, had been turned down.

Throughout this period, Mukherjee said the Indian government had continued
to urge Pakistan to take a sympathetic and humanitarian view of the case.

Mukherjee said when he visited Pakistan in January last year, both
governments had put in place certain institutional arrangements, including
a new agreement on consular access and a joint judicial committee.

A delegation of family members of missing Indian defence personnel was
also able to visit Pakistan last year.

"It is in this context and in the same spirit that we appeal to the
Government of Pakistan to treat Sarabjit Singh's case with clemency on
humanitarian grounds," the minister said.

(source: APP)






PAKISTAN:

Pakistani militant appeals death sentence


A Pakistani al Qaeda-linked militant, sentenced to death this month over a
2006 suicide attack that killed a U.S. diplomat, appealed on Tuesday
against his sentence, his lawyer said.

An anti-terrorism court convicted Anwar-ul-Haq for involvement in a bomb
attack near the U.S. consulate in Karachi in March 2006 that killed U.S.
diplomat David Foy and 3 other people on the eve of a visit to Pakistan by
U.S. President George W. Bush. The bomber was also killed.<>P> "We have
filed an appeal in the Sindh High Court against the death sentence," said
lawyer Mohammad Farooq. Karachi is the capital of Sindh province.

The appeal was filed on the grounds that there were "material
contradictions" in witnesses' statements that led to the conviction, he
said.

"The most important thing is that the 2 witnesses which they produced, our
contention is that they were planted witnesses," he said.

At the time of his arrest, police said Haq was a trained militant with
links to al Qaeda and had fought against U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Police said the blast, which wounded 49 people, was aimed at disrupting
Bush's visit to Pakistan. The U.S. president went ahead with his trip to
the capital, Islamabad, as scheduled.

Bomb attacks on foreigners have been rare in Pakistan in recent years, but
on Saturday a Turkish woman was killed and 5 Americans were among 11
people wounded in a blast at an Islamabad restaurant popular with
foreigners.

An Interior Ministry spokesman told a briefing on Tuesday "reasonable
progress" was being made in the investigation into the attack.

He declined to elaborate but said "in all probability" the bomb had been
thrown over a wall into the restaurant's back garden dining area.

(source: Reuters)