Feb. 22
IRAN:
A Kurd who sentenced to death transferred to Oroumiyeh prison
Saman Nasim, the political prisoner who sentenced to death who was imprisoned
in Mahabad prison, has been transferred on Saturday February 17th of 2013 to
Oroumiyeh prison.
According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Saman
Nasim, a Kurd from Marivan arrested in July of 2011 and sentenced to death by
Mahabad revolutionary court.
There is no news why this political prison transferred to Oroumiyeh prison.
Saman Nasim's trial was in branch 1 of Mahabad revolutionary court and
sentenced to death on charge of enmity against god by membership in one of the
subversives Kurdish political parties.
Transferring Nasim to Oroumiyeh prison increased worries around the execution
verdict enforcement.
(source: Human Rights Activists News Agency)
JAPAN:
Execution of death-row inmates must serve as deterrent to crime
3 death-row inmates were executed Thursday. They were the 1st executions
carried out under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration, which was
launched in December.
Justice Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, who ordered the executions just 2 months
after he was appointed to his post, told a press conference after the
executions, "The spirit of the law shouldn't be disregarded." His statement
shows he attaches grave importance to the Criminal Procedure Code, which
stipulates that death sentences should be implemented within 6 months of being
finalized.
The statement also indicates his stance to carry out in a somber manner the
duties of the justice minister, who bears a heavy responsibility.
===
134 people now on death row
Under the Democratic Party of Japan-led administrations, few executions were
carried out. There was even a period of about 20 months in which there were no
executions, due to the successive appointments of justice ministers who were
critical of the death penalty. As a result, the number of inmates whose death
sentences had been finalized increased to 137, including the three most
recently executed, the largest figure in the postwar period.
Internationally, countries that have abolished or suspended capital punishment
outnumber those who maintain the system. In Japan, on the other hand, 85 % of
the public approves of the death penalty, according to an opinion poll by the
Cabinet Office.
"At the moment it's unnecessary to review the system," Tanigaki said, taking
into consideration this public sentiment.
Death sentences have been given in lay judge trials, in which ordinary citizens
participate in the trial process, and the sentences for 3 inmates under that
system have been already finalized.
Considering these circumstances, we urge justice ministers to implement the
death penalty system in a strict manner, after closely examining finalized
death sentences.
The 3 inmates whose sentences were carried out most recently include a man who
kidnapped and killed a young girl in Nara Prefecture in 2004, and a man who
killed or injured nine people near JR Arakawaoki Station on the Joban Line and
at another location, both in Ibaraki Prefecture, in 2008.
All 3 cases were contemptible, cruel crimes that horrified society. The victims
and their bereaved family members suffered grievous harm. The bereaved families
want the culprits to be harshly punished.
In the case of kidnapping and murder in Nara Prefecture, the perpetrator
abducted a 1st-grade primary school student who was on her way home from school
in order to sexually molest her. He even sent an e-mail with a picture of the
girl's dead body to her mother's cellphone. The case was extremely malicious.
===
Prevention of repeat offenses
This is the case that clarified the trend toward toughening the penalties in
murder cases so that people who commit atrocious sexual crimes will face
capital punishment even if they have only killed 1 person.
The Nara Prefecture case spurred the government to study measures to prevent
the recurrence of sexual offenses, as the perpetrator had a criminal record of
sex offenses.
The Justice Ministry now provides the National Police Agency with information
on where people with criminal records of sexual offenses involving children
live after their release from prison. Sex offenders in prison are required to
attend programs to prevent repeat offenses, in which they are taught ways to
control their emotions.
However, there is no sign of a significant decline in the number of sex
offenses. We should think again about the fact that 1 purpose of implementing
death sentences is to deter atrocious crimes.
(source: Editorial, The Yomiuri Shimbun)
CHINA:
Wu Ying appeals to Supreme Court to overturn death sentence for fraud; In a
case that has gained wide attention, family writes to Supreme Court, claiming
innocence
Wu Ying, the self-made billionaire convicted of defrauding investors in a 770
million yuan (HK$956 million) scheme, has appealed to the Supreme People's
Court to overturn her death sentence.
The appeal is the latest effort by Wu, 31, and her family in their fight for
justice.
"We are ordinary citizens but we want to fight for justice and fairness for
ourselves," said Wu's father, Wu Yongzheng. "We hope the government could make
amends for the mistake."
He told the South China Morning Post that his daughter had submitted a letter
to the Supreme Court and was awaiting a reply.
"I am not sure whether we will get a reply, but we had to try," he said.
The appeal was the latest twist to a high-profile case involving Wu Ying, once
one of the mainland's richest people.
She catapulted into the national limelight in 2009 after she was sentenced to
death by an intermediate court in Zhejiang province for illegally raising
massive funds through fraud.
Wu Ying received unprecedented support from people across the nation calling
for mercy early last year when the High Court in Zhejiang upheld the death
sentence.
Dozens of private entrepreneurs told the Post Wu Ying did not deserve to die.
Wu and her family insisted no fraud was involved in the fundraising activities
because "depositors" rushed to hand their money to her, hoping for lofty
returns.
The public uproar over the death sentence prompted Premier Wen Jiabao to step
in. Wen told the media in March last year that the Supreme Court would
carefully review the case before giving a final verdict.
Following a retrial, Wu was given a lighter punishment in May - the death
sentence was suspended for 2 years.
Under mainland laws, a suspended death penalty is usually commuted to life
imprisonment after good behaviour for 2 years.
But Wu Yongzheng maintained her daughter was innocent.
In November, the Jinhua Intermediate People's Court ruled in favour of Wu Ying
in a case that helped protect 14 properties worth about 100 million yuan.
The verdict was believed to help Wu Ying repay the money owed to depositors in
the fundraising scheme.
"We don't mean to fight against the Communist Party and the government," said
Wu Yongzheng.
"I believe in the truth, and the country, based on the rule of law, should
respect our request and give us a reply."
In Zhejiang, one of the most affluent provinces where private businesses have
flourished in the past three decades, thousands of cash-rich investors
participated in illegal "underground banking" businesses to chase higher
returns than if the money was placed with commercial banks because of low
interest rates.
(source: South China Morning Post)
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