June 29
JAPAN:
Slayings tied to inmate rehab limits----Recidivism lower among parolees than
full-termers lacking followup
Kyozo Isohi, who was arrested after stabbing 2 passersby to death on a busy
Osaka street June 10, reportedly told police his actions were intended to incur
the death penalty as he couldn't bring himself to commit suicide.
"I was at a loss over how to make a living, so I decided to kill myself,"
police quoted Isohi, 36, as saying. "I just couldn't go through with it,
though, so I thought that if I killed some people, I would be sentenced to
death."
As he had only been released from prison the previous month after serving time
for a narcotics felony, Isohi's case suggests authorities should start focusing
on how to reduce recidivism among convicts who are freed unconditionally and
not helped to reintegrate into society — unlike those released on parole.
At present, convicts who have served their full sentences fall beyond the scope
of any monitoring or oversight. Paroled felons, on the other hand, are placed
under the guardianship of probation officers.
According to investigators and eyewitnesses, Isohi left Niigata Prison on May
24 and visited a probation office in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, the same
day. After telling an officer that he had no home to go to, he was informed
about a local privately run rehab clinic for drug addicts.
He stayed there briefly, but left June 8. He later visited a relative in the
city of Nasushiobara, Niigata Prefecture, and told her that he felt compelled
to leave the institution as the living conditions reminded him of prison. He
also asked if she knew of any job openings.
He later told the relative that a friend had called him about a job in Osaka
and he left Nasushiobara on June 9. The following day, he fatally stabbed a man
and a woman in downtown Osaka.
In terms of timing, Isohi's case is similar to that of Tatsumi Tateyama, who is
currently on death row for raping and killing a female university student in
Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture, in October 2009.
The murder occurred a month after Tateyama, 51, was released from prison after
serving out a prior sentence, and like Isohi, he did not have a fixed address
at the time of the killing. Tateyama is appealing his conviction.
Justice Minister Makoto Taki has admitted "the (current) system doesn't readily
allow for followups on convicts who are released (unconditionally) after
serving time."
Employment appears to play a critical role in preventing recidivism: More than
70 percent of recidivist felons are unemployed, according to Justice Ministry
data.
Convicts released on parole find it relatively easier to land work than those
freed after serving full sentences, but 30 percent still end up back behind
bars within five years, according to the government's 2011 white paper on
crime.
However, the rate climbs to 53.4 % for those released unconditionally, the
white paper said.
Although about 10,000 businesses were registered with probation offices
nationwide as "associate employers" willing to hire ex-convicts as of April, a
Justice Ministry official said that while the list is steadily growing, the
recruitment rate is not, because of the tough economic climate.
In response, the government aims to institute a system that would waive
incarceration for 1st-time offenders and those convicted of drug offenses, who
instead would be placed on probation and monitored for part of their sentences.
But some feel the problem goes far deeper than the economy.
"While many are struggling to find jobs in the tough economy, I think society
is not that keen to care for those who have been released from prison," a
probation officer said. "To reduce crime, however, support is essential and I
hope the public will show some understanding."
(source: Japan Times)
INDIA:
Justice rally on July 17 for release of Sikhs on death row
Encouraged by the recent stand taken by Government of India seeking clemency
for Sarabjit Singh who is on “Death Row” in Pakistan, All India Sikh Students
Federation (AISSF) and “Sikhs For Justice” (SFJ) announced to renew its efforts
for commutation of death sentence of Professor Devenderpal Singh Bhullar and
other Sikhs who are on death row in India.
Ever since Government of India recommended execution of Professor Bhullar,
AISSF and SFJ has been canvassing for the commutation of his sentence based on
humanitarian grounds as Prof. Bhullar has been in solitary confinement for
seventeen years and is admitted in the hospital.
The Federation and SFJ announced to hold a “Justice Rally” on July 17 in front
of the Parliament of India to secure the release of Professor Bhullar and other
Sikhs who are on death row in India. The “Justice Rally” will expose stark
contradiction in India’s stand on the issue of death sentence and will demand
abandoning the double standards on “Death Penalty” and uniform treatment of the
cases of Sarabjit and Professor Bhullar.
Ironically, there are stark similarities between the cases of Sarabjit and
Professor Bhullar; both have been convicted for carrying out bomb blasts in
Pakistan and India, respectively; both cases are based on confessional
statements in police custody; both have been in custody for more than life
term; and lastly Presidents of Pakistan and India have already turned down
their clemency pleas.
“When 2 Sikhs, Prof. Bhullar and Sarabjit, are convicted of identical crime,
why Indian Government is seeking clemency for Sarabjit and recommending
execution of Prof. Bhullar”, questioned AISSF President Karnail Singh
Peermohammad. Apparently Indian Government is interested in the clemency of
Sarabjit Singh from Pakistan while completely ignoring the clemency requests
for Prof. Bhullar and many other Sikhs who are on death row in India, stated
Peermohammad.
While SM Krishna and Perneet Kaur, are vehemently appealing Pakistan to release
Sarabjit Singh on humanitarian grounds, on the other hand Indian Government has
always shown a merciless attitude in the cases of Sikhs who have been awarded
death sentence in India added Peermohammad. Since 1984 several Sikhs have been
hanged to death by the Government of India including Satwant Singh, Kehar
Singh, Harjinder Singh Jinda and Sukhdev Singh Sukha and many others including
Professor Bhullar are still facing execution.
Federation and SFJ urged SAD (Badal), SGPC, SAD (Amritsar), SAD (Panch
Pardhani), DSGMC, Damdami Taksal and other Panthic organizations to join July
17 Justice Rally to secure the release of Professor Bhullar and other Sikhs who
are facing execution in India.
(source: Punjab Newsline Network)
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
Briton on death row in Abu Dhabi is company director's son----A young Briton
who has been sentenced to death in Abu Dhabi is the son of a company director
who has worked in the Gulf since the 1980s.
Nathaniel Lees, 23, could face a firing squad after being caught in a police
surveillance operation selling 20g – less than an ounce – of cannabis to a
Syrian man.
Lees's father, Martin, is a director of GTS Training Solutions, a British
company registered in the Isle of Man and based in Abu Dhabi, where it provides
staff training to oil and gas companies.
The severity of his son's punishment has surprised many in the emirate, where
other crimes are treated with comparative lenience. This week, a man who
stabbed his wife to death had his 5-year prison term reduced to 3 years.
The Daily Telegraph managed to track down Nathaniel Lees – known as Nathan – to
the Abu Dhabi Central Prison, about an hour from the city centre.
His identity had hitherto been kept secret under local laws.
The judge in his case claimed that Lees was a hardened drug dealer who was also
selling opium and heroin, although no evidence of this appears to have been
produced in court.
Lees was born in Jeddah, where his father worked for the Saudi Yanbu
Petrochemical Company, but has lived much of his life in the United Arab
Emirates.
His mother, Abeba Gebebramlak, who is of Eritrean origin, was in court when the
death sentence was imposed.
While Lees's case file describes him as an "electrician", he seems to have had
no regular job and no education beyond secondary school.
Asked on the social networking website MySpace whether he wanted to go to
college, he replied: "LOL [laugh out loud]. Just ask if I want to goto [sic] a
4 year party instead".
Other than several shopping malls, Abu Dhabi offers few outlets for the young
and is very different from its garish neighbour, Dubai. The sale of alcohol is
tightly restricted and rigid social codes remain in force. A sign on the
Corniche, a promenade beside the Gulf, reads: "Unruly behaviour will not be
tolerated". The accompanying picture shows a man and a woman holding hands,
with a thick line drawn over them.
In the same week that Lees was sentenced, another man received a year in jail
for the offence of "consensual sex", following an encounter with an adult woman
who was not his wife.
Lees had fallen foul of the local police before his arrest – his case file
records a previous charge of possessing drugs – and he brings up the subject of
narcotics on his MySpace profile. "In the past month, have you been on drugs?"
he asks himself. "If I had access to drugs, would I be on MySpace?" is the
reply. On his first thoughts when waking up, Lees wrote: "F---, where did I put
my pipe".
His father has lived in the Gulf region continuously since 1984, aside from 2
years in Azerbaijan, where he worked for BP as training and competence
coordinator on the Shah Deniz gas project. Mr Lees declined to comment on his
son's case.
However, a relation contacted by The Daily Telegraph described Nathan as a
"very nice young man", adding: "I last saw him around 4 months ago. He has
never been in trouble or into drugs in any way as far as I am aware, but he has
had problems getting a full-time job."
Lees's sentence is likely to be commuted to life in jail. The death penalty
will automatically be reviewed by the Appeal Court, then the Supreme Court and
finally by the Court of Cassation.
In all, 19 judges will consider the punishment and if any one dissents, the
capital sentence will be quashed. Even if all agree, Abu Dhabi's ruler, Sheikh
Khalifa bin Zayed, would be able to show clemency. About a dozen people have
received capital sentences for drugs offences since 2007, but none has been
executed.
(source: The Telegraph)
******************
Kuwait Emir says no to death penalty for blasphemy
Kuwait’s Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has said no to the passing of a
bill previously voted through by parliament that would have allowed Muslims who
insult Islam to be executed and would harshly penalize Christians and other
non-Muslims in the country.
The bill had been seeking to institute the death penalty for Muslims who insult
God, the Qu’ran, or the Prophet and his wives, which was passed with last May.
It also stipulated that Christians and other non-Muslims will be given a
minimum sentence of 10 years for the same offense.
Religious tension has been heightened in the country following statements by
leaders calling for the destruction of all Churches in the country.
But the Emir, who had the power to refuse the bill, did just that. Stil, the
elected parliament can overturn his decision with a two-thirds majority vote.
Political uncertainty remains in Kuwait as a court ruling last week dissolved
the recently elected parliament and put back in place the previous parliament
more in line with the country’s Emir and ruling family.
(source: Bikya Masr)
IRAN:
Islamic government’s penal system: arresting the father, killing the daughter
Radio Zamaneh is further informed of Islamic Republic's intimidation tactics
against families of media actvists.
5 weeks ago, on Saturday May 26, 2012, the father of Yashar Khameneh contacted
his son to say that officers from the prosecutor’s office had come with an
arrest warrant. He went on to inform his son that they had all the evidence and
had heard all their conversations: “You must cooperate with them or they will
take us away.”
The officials arrested Yashar’s father for the charge of funding his son, who
is studying abroad and is linked to the “Campaign for Commemoration of Imam
al-Naghi for Shi’ites.” They alleged that Yashar Khameneh has been using the
funds forwarded by his father for the campaign’s activities; therefore, his
father was charged with funding the campaign.
Yashar Khameneh has refused to heed the security officers’ orders to steer
clear of the media and keep silent about the arrest of his father, Abbas
Khameneh. He tells Radio Zamaneh: “5 days after my father was arrested, my
mother contacted me and said that they are going to execute my father. My
sister urged me to make a video recording of myself expressing regret and
repentance. Under the circumstances, I thought I should do it. I have done
everything I could in these 5 weeks. It wasn’t easy to reveal my identity, but
now I have come to the conclusion that I have no choice but to publicize the
information.”
Incarcerating the Father for Charges against the Son
“The Campaign for Commemoration of Imam al-Naghi for Shi’ites” is an online
campaign with an expressed mission to fight superstition. The campaign uses
humorous themes that, from its early days, made it controversial inside Iran,
and these controversies reached a climax with the release of Shahin Najafi’s
song “Naghi”, which has even triggered death threats for the singer from groups
that feel sacred elements of their religious belief have been insulted.
Iranian security and judiciary officials had promised to deal with the campaign
members. The arrest of Abbas Khameneh appears to be linked to this promise.
Yashar Khameneh commented on his father’s arrest and the officials’ demands,
saying: “My father spoke in a general and implicit manner. The phones have been
tapped, and they know that I am connected with the Imam Naghi campaign. He said
they want me to give them all information about my email, blog and Facebook
passwords. I said I will delete whatever I have and never go back to it, but
this was not apparently enough for them. They took my father to Evin Prison
then, saying that I haven’t been attending classes in the past five months and
have instead used the money my father sent me for these affairs. Through my
sister, I sent them all the documents regarding my education such as report
cards, etc., but that was not effective either.”
He insists that the charges against his father are baseless and asks: “When the
campaign was launched, they kept saying it was guided by Israeli and U.S.
elements. How come they are now accusing my father of funding the campaign?”
The Khameneh family has not been told which government department is
responsible for the arrest of Abbas Khameneh, but the bets are on the Ministry
of Intelligence. They have contacted a lawyer inside Iran but have been told
that in such cases, until a trial has been set up, the lawyer’s hands are tied.
They have been allowed just one visit with him at Evin Prison, on the day after
his arrest. Since then, Abbas Khameneh has contacted his home twice, saying
that he is being put under pressure in prison, and Yashar must provide the
security forces with all the information he has access to.
Regarding the arrest of other people involved in the campaign, Yashar says:
“All the people who are active in the campaign do so under a pseudonym, but
recently some of the ones who were previously very active have disappeared, and
it is not clear if their withdrawal is voluntary or something else has
happened. Another allegation is that my father has seen some of my friends in
prison, and they have indicated that I am the director of the campaign, which
is an unfounded claim.”
We Must Not Provide Security Officials with False Evidence
Shadi Sadr, an Iranian lawyer, journalist and women’s rights activist,
commented on the case of Abbas Khameneh, saying: “Until the family and a lawyer
can have access to the file and receive adequate information, it is difficult
to comment on who is behind the arrest. Especially since we know that there are
many intelligence agencies now active in the issues concerning internet and
cyber activities. My concern with this case is that, in view of similar cases,
the intelligence branch of the Revolutionary Guards, especially the branch
dedicated to so-called cyber defence, may be involved. This so-called cyber
defence branch has a long and notorious history of abusing cyber activists and
their families and friends, such as using severe torture to extract false
confessions and disseminating them through various domestic and international
media outlets, such as Press TV. My concern is that Yashar Kahmeneh’s father is
in section 2 Alef of Evin, which is run by the Revolutionary Guards’
intelligence services. The case appears to be at the Shaheed Moghadas Court at
Evin, so it seems natural that a security agency is behind this case.”
Shadi Sadr refers to the case of Saeed Malekpour, an Iranian web developer who
was arrested on a trip back to Iran and is now on death row in Evin prison:
“Families must be aware that every single day that a prisoner is held in
solitary confinement under pressure and abuse could lead to false confessions
incriminating the prisoner. Therefore, even one extra day is too many. They
must make every effort to shorten this period. Based on those very false
confessions, they sentenced Saeed Malekpour to death, and his sentence was
later approved by the appeals court. Therefore, the families of political
prisoners must draw from these bitter experiences in the past to stop them from
getting repeated.”
Considering the fact that the investigation has not yet been completed and the
lawyer has no access to the case, what steps do you recommend to the Khameneh
family?
Shadi Sadr: The little information that we now have points to a kind of
kidnapping, and whatever charge is brought against the father of Yashar
Kahmeneh is in essence a fabricated case to continue his arrest. This kind of
kidnapping of the families of activists to pressure the human rights, cyber,
women’s rights or media activist into halting their activities has a long
history. At this stage, informing the public about the kidnapping is very
important, and human rights organizations can be instrumental in pressuring
security officials connected with the case to stop any further illegal actions.
All the steps taken in this case so far have been illegal. They are not only in
violation of human rights; they are even in violation of Islamic Republic laws.
Next, I always recommend that anyone who is in any way involved with government
security forces should get a lawyer, because the presence of a lawyer, even
when there is no access to the file or even visitation rights, can count as a
vital and informed witness. The presence of the lawyer will remind the security
officials that they cannot continue with their illegal actions.
A lawyer is the only person that can eventually communicate accurate and
reliable information to the outside world. This is exactly why human rights
lawyers were amongst the most persecuted social groups in recent years. For the
same reason, security forces tell families to refrain from contacting the media
or getting a lawyer, but families of detainees must not heed their statements,
and to stop abuse and pressure of their loved ones by the security system, they
must in fact do these 2 things.
Because they are not well informed, families often do exactly what is asked of
them by the security forces, as in the case of Yashar Khameneh, where they are
asked to record false confessions.
Families believe that these actions are for the benefit of their loved ones,
but it is not so. In legal terms, many of these actions are providing the
security officials with false evidence and they do not in any way help secure
the release of the detainee. In fact, by doing the things that are asked, the
families are helping to fabricate a case against the detainee, and then nothing
can be done to undo them. The families must understand that the security
officials are our enemies and against our loved ones, and we must not comply
with what the enemy tells us.
Mysterious Murder of a Daughter for the Political Views of the Father
This is not the first time the families of political or media activists have
been threatened and arrested.
The history of such actions by the Iranian security forces goes back to the
1980s. At various times since then, many families have been investigated and
interrogated for the political activities of their relatives inside the country
or abroad. Almost unfailingly, the families of political prisoners in Iran are
warned against taking their relative’s case to the media, with a threat that
such actions would make the situation worse.
While parents are often arrested and interrogated about the activities of their
children, it’s also true that children are sometimes persecuted for their
parents’ political partialities. In the latest example, Mohammadbagher
Bagherian Nejadian Fard, a former Iranian MP, lost his daughter last year under
mysterious circumstances that have been attributed to security officials. He
believes that his daughter was sacrificed by the state for his reformist
political views.
Bagherian Nejadian Fard has told the International Campaign for Human Rights in
Iran: “In recent years, I’ve been attending the weekly meetings of the Defence
of Political Prisoners Centre and expressing my views freely. After the
Kahrizak crimes, I said at one of the weekly meetings that if the authorities
decide to commit suicide over these crimes, they must not be reproached.”
In the past year, he has written many letters to the Iranian judiciary as well
as the Supreme Leader about his daughter’s case, but security officials have
threatened him that if he continues with his statements, the lives of his other
children could be at stake.
Fatemeh Bagherian Nejadian Fard, a 28-year-old student in her final year of
engineering at Iran’s Science and Technology University, left home on 28 July,
2011 and her dead body was found a day later in the mountains of Shahr-e Rey.
Her family was threatened against holding a funeral service or trying to follow
up on her case.
Her father has commented on his daughter’s death, saying: “They first told us
she died of natural causes, then they said she had taken rice pills that had
caused her death. But I am certain that security forces killed her, although I
do not know why and how. It could be because of my reformist political views or
because my daughter was involved in the post-elections events. On several
occasions, I have been threatened to keep silent about my daughter’s case;
isn’t this a sign?”
The body of Fatemeh Bagherian was found on July 29 and, according to her
father: “The coroner first said her death was from natural causes, but we could
not be convinced of this, and I wrote many letters to the authorities. Our home
is in the north of Tehran, and Fatemeh was found on a mountain in the south of
Tehran, Bibi Shahrbanu Mountain, where it is quite secluded. It is not possible
to get from the north of the city to this place without a car. Fatemeh was not
into mountain climbing and hiking and on that day, she was not even wearing
running shoes or sneakers. 1 or 2 months after the incident, I was still
writing letters and I went to the prosecutor’s office, and they said after new
investigations they have found that my daughter had taken rice pills and died.
But we believe that this is a pure lie. If there is any rice pill, then they
must have forced it down her throat.”
Fatemeh’s father told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that
his daughter’s body showed signs of beatings with bruises on her legs, arms and
face.
Mohammadbagher Bagherian does not have a lawyer following up on his daughter’s
case; he believes that getting a lawyer in the current system is useless. In an
official letter, 22 MPs urged the judiciary to investigate the death of their
colleague’s daughter. Mohammad Bagherian Nejadianfard has called on human
rights activists and groups and the UN special rapporteur Ahmad Shaheed to
follow up on his daughter’s case.
Threats against the Larger Family of Media Activists
One of the major groups whose families are being threatened by security
officials is media activists. Pressure on the families of media activists as a
blatant violation of human rights, pressure over media activists and
restriction of free speech can be investigated in Iran.
Families of several Iranians collaborating with Radio Farda were recently
interrogated in Iran. Arman Mostofi, the director of Radio Farda, reported that
about a year ago, Iranian security forces summoned families and even distant
relatives of Radio Farda employees for interrogation.
These interrogations took different forms and were accompanied by various
threats or promises. In some cases, families were told to convince their kin to
stop working for Prague-based Radio Farda and to return to Iran with promises
that, if they did so, they would be given certain opportunities.
Earlier, a member of the Persian BBC staff was involved in a similar case. The
Revolutionary Guards Corps security officials had interrogated the BBC employee
over the internet, while the employee’s sister was under arrest and being
pressured to make a televised confession. The BBC employee was told that if he
refused to respond to the questions, the sister would not be released. The
sister was finally released after a 40-minute interrogation.
In addition, the families of BBC employees in Iran have been persecuted in
various forms, ranging from summonses and interrogations to the confiscation of
passports.
A report published last year by Reporters Without Borders indicates that in the
past seven years, the press rights groups has documented 50 cases in which
journalists’ family members in Iran were intimidated or arrested. The report
adds that more than 200 journalists and bloggers were forced to flee Iran after
the severe crackdown on protesters that followed the controversial presidential
elections of 2009, which gave Mahmoud Ahmadinejad another term. These
journalists have begun collaborating with independent media abroad, and that
has triggered more persecution of their families in Iran.
These actions are taking place even though there is no legal validity to
arresting an individual for offences committed by others, and it is only done
in order to fabricate a file and advance the policy of intimidation and
threats.
(source: Radio Zamaneh)
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