[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Nov. 6



INDIA:

Katara case: Delhi government seeks death penalty for Vikas


The city government today filed a petition in the Delhi High Court seeking
capital punishment for convict Vikas Yadav in the Nitish Katara case.

The government move comes at a time when the court is still to decide
whether the NCT government should be a necessary party in appeals filed by
the convicts.

In June this year Vikas, son of Uttar Pradesh politician D P Yadav, and
his cousin Vishal were awarded life sentence for killing Katara, son of an
IAS officer and a MBA graduate. The 2 convicts killed Katara as they were
against their sister Bharti's intimacy with him.

On their appeals, presently pending, the High Court has sought explanation
from them as to why the Delhi government should not be a necessary party.

Seeking death penalty for the brutal murder committed by Vikas, in the
appeal filed through standing counsel Mukta Gupta, the Delhi government
said the trial judge has failed to appreciate the evidence that Vikas was
involved in several criminal cases.

Citing Jessica Lall murder case, it was stated that Vikas was on bail in
this case when he along with Pehlwan had committed the murder of Katara
and there was no chance of their being reformed or rehabilitated.

On the issue of destruction of evidence by the convicts soon after killing
the victim, the Delhi government stated that there is a probability that
the convicts would continue to commit such offences causing a threat to
the society.

Meanwhile, a similar appeal has been filed by Neelam Katara, mother of the
victim, seeking death penalty for the Yadav brothers who had kidnapped
Katara on the night of February 16, 2002 from a marriage party in
Ghaziabad and killed him.

All appeals, filed by the convicts and counter appeals are slated for
hearing on November 17.

(source: The Hindu)






PAKISTAN:

Pakistan sets death penalty for "cyber terrorism"


Causing death through "cyber terrorism" will be punishable by death in
Pakistan, according to a decree issued by President Asif Ali Zardari on
Thursday.

The Prevention of Electronic Crimes law will be applicable to anyone who
commits a crime detrimental to national security through the use of a
computer or any other electronic device, the government said in the
ordinance.

"Whoever commits the offence of cyber terrorism and causes death of any
person shall be punishable with death or imprisonment for life," according
to a copy of the ordinance, published by the state-run APP news agency.

The law will apply to Pakistanis and foreigners whether living in Pakistan
or abroad.

The ordinance described cyber terrorism as accessing of a computer network
or electronic system by someone who then "knowingly engages in or attempts
to engage in a terroristic act".

The ordinance listed several definitions of a "terroristic act" including
stealing or copying, or attempting to steal or copy, classified
information necessary to manufacture any form of chemical, biological or
nuclear weapon.

Nuclear-armed Pakistan is a front-line state in the U.S.-led campaign
against militancy and security forces are fighting al Qaeda and Taliban
militants, most of whom are based in the northwest, near the Afghan
border.

The ordinance also set out punishments for other offences including
illegal electronic entry into systems of any sensitive installations,
electronic fraud, electronic forgery, system damage, unauthorised access
to codes and misuse of encryption.

Punishments for those crimes ranged from three to 10 years in prison.

(source: Reuters)