March 28
TAIWAN:
Lawmaker urges harsher penalties for child abuse
A Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker has proposed an amendment to
increase the punishment in cases of child abuse that lead to death.
Abusers who cause the death of a child should be subject to the death penalty
or life imprisonment, said Chiu Chih-wei, adding that the number of child abuse
cases nationwide increased from 7,800 in 2004 to more than 19,000 last year.
In the past 3 years, 35 children and teenagers have died as a result of abuse,
he said, citing statistics from the Ministry of the Interior. During that
period, there were 1,600 cases of child abuse and one death each month on
average, Chiu said.
He proposed an amendment to raise the age under which the law protects children
from 16 to 18 years and to allow sentences of 7 years to life in child abuse
cases involving serious bodily harm.
The proposed revision would also make it mandatory for offenders to receive
psychological treatment if their evaluation reports suggest the possibility of
recidivism.
Prosecutor Chang Chun-hui said the Ministry of Justice has agreed to allow
stricter penalties for such offenders and it will present opinions on the
penalties after consulting experts and reviewing relevant regulations.
People who constantly abuse children are often considered mentally ill, so the
justice ministry will support amendments to help offenders receive treatment,
Chang said.
In response, Chang Hsiu-yuan, director of the Ministry of the Interior's Child
Welfare Bureau, said the statistics showing an increasing number of child abuse
cases can be attributed to improved reporting of such cases by schools and
hospitals. An increase in the number of social workers employed by local
governments to conduct home visits has also contributed to a higher number of
cases of child abuse being reported, she said.
(source: Taipei Times)
IRAN:
Ahwazi: 5 Death Row Prisoners On Hunger Strike
5 members of Iran's Ahwazi Arab minority who have been sentenced to the death
penalty for allegedly being "terrorists", are on hunger strike in protest to
torture and other ill-treatment in jail.
Below is an article published by The Guardian:
The men, Mohammad Ali Amouri, 34, teachers Hashem Sha'bani Amouri, 32, and Hadi
Rashidi, 38, and two brothers Sayed Jaber Alboshoka, 27, and Sayed Mokhtar
Alboshoka, 25, have refused to take food since the beginning of this month
[March 2013] because of the supreme court's decision to uphold their death
sentences, Amnesty International said.
"Their hunger strike is also in protest against their torture and other
ill-treatment in Karoun prison and the prison authorities' refusal to grant
them medical treatment for various ailments, including some which may have
resulted from earlier torture or other ill-treatment," Amnesty said in an
urgent appeal issued on Tuesday [26 March 2013]. "They have not been examined
by a doctor despite their repeated requests."
They have all been found guilty of being linked to a terrorist organisation and
involvement in shootings that authorities say occurred in and around the town
of Ramshir (also known as Khalafabad) in Khuzestan province. But Amnesty has
repeatedly warned that their trials were held behind closed doors and no
evidence was made public supporting the allegations facing the convicts. Some
of the charges against them include vague national security offences such as
"enmity against God and corruption on earth", "gathering and colluding against
state security", and "spreading propaganda against the system".
Amnesty added: "In an apparent act of retaliation against the hunger strike,
prison authorities initially barred all 5 men from making or receiving phone
calls for 5 days. During a visit to the prison on 13 March [2013], the men's
families persuaded them to end their dry hunger strike but all 5 now remain on
a 'wet' hunger strike (refusing food)."
Ahwazi Arabs in Iran often face state discrimination in spheres including
education, employment politics and culture. In recent years, many members of
the community have taken to the streets in protest at the discrimination
against them. Groups advocating a separate Arab state have also been
demonstrating, but not all protesters have been separatists. Many Ahwazi Arabs
have been put to death in recent years in Iran, including Abd al-Rahman
Heidarian, Taha Heidarian and Jamshid Heidarian, who were executed in June 2012
after being sentenced to death in an unfair trial.
In February [2013], Justice for Iran, a non-profit human rights organisation,
released a thorough report studying the state persecution against the country's
Arab minority of many of its activists, in particular those belonging to the
civil group, Al-Hiwar.
The report has highlighted many individual cases of Arab activists, including
the cases of Fahimeh Esmaili Badawi, a female activist and her husband, Ali
Matourzadeh. Justice for Iran reported: "They were arrested in 2005 when
Fahimeh was eight months pregnant. She had to give birth to her baby in a
solitary confinement cell while in the presence of interrogators.
"Ali had accepted the false charge of terrorism for the sake of his wife and
newborn child. He was executed in 2006. Fahimeh was sentenced to 15 years in
prison. She is currently serving her seventh year in prison."
(source: UNPO)
INDONESIA:
Independent UN human rights expert urges Indonesia to halt executions
An independent United Nations human rights expert today urged the Indonesian
Government to restrict the use of the death penalty, following the recent
reported execution of a man convicted on drug charges.
"I deeply regret that Indonesia executed Mr. Adami Wilson despite appeals by UN
human rights experts and civil society organisations not to carry out
executions for drug-related offences," said Christof Heyns, the UN Special
Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions.
According to reports, Mr. Wilson was executed by firing squad in the capital,
Jakarta, on 14 March 2013 - the 1st execution in the country since November
2008.
After the execution, Indonesia's Attorney General announced that 20 prisoners
convicted and sentenced to death will be executed later this year, stated a
news release issued by the UN human rights office (OHCHR). Reportedly, around
130 people are believed to be on death row in Indonesia and more than 1/2 of
them have been convicted of drug-related offences.
"Such a practice is unacceptable," Mr. Heyns stressed. "Under international
law, the death penalty is regarded as an extreme form of punishment which, if
it is used at all, should only be imposed for the most serious crimes, that is,
those involving intentional killing, and only after a fair trial."
He reiterated that "any death sentence undertaken in contravention of a State's
international human rights obligations is tantamount to an arbitrary execution,
and is unlawful."
Noting that the death penalty is under review by national courts and that a
public debate on the issue is ongoing in Indonesia, Mr. Heyns said he hoped
that the Government will consider a moratorium on executions.
(source: UN News Centre)
IRAQ----executions
Iraq hangs 18 terror convicts in latest mass executions
Iraqi authorities have hanged 18 people in 2 mass executions this month, the
country's justice ministry confirmed Wednesday, defying international calls
from governments and human rights groups to declare a moratorium on all
executions.
A justice ministry official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said 18
unidentified men were hanged during 2 mass executions at undisclosed locations
in Iraq. He said 8 of the men were hanged on March 14 while the 10 remaining
convicts were hanged days later on March 17.
Details about the cases for which the men were convicted were not released,
although the judicial official said they had all been sentenced to death for
terrorism-related offenses.
Earlier this month, Al Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate claimed responsibility for a
wave of attacks on March 19 that killed at least 56 people and injured more
than 220 others. The statement from the group, posted on Islamist Internet
forums, threatened "revenge" for those executed by Iraqi authorities.
The 18 executions this month were the first confirmed this year but follow at
least 123 executions last year.
"I deeply regret that the authorities have chosen to re-start executions now,
when the Iraqi government had committed to re-examining the cases of prisoners
and detainees," said European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton,
urging the Iraqi government to introduce a moratorium on the use of the death
penalty. "Iraq is aware of the EU's unequivocal position against the death
penalty."
Iraq lists 48 crimes for which the death penalty can be imposed, including
crimes such as terrorism, kidnapping and murder, but also a number of non-fatal
offenses such as damage to public property. The United Nations (UN) believes at
least 1,200 people have been sentenced to death since 2004, but the Iraqi
government is reluctant to release official figures.
In January 2012, Human Rights Watch warned that Iraq risks falling back towards
authoritarian rule amid allegations that security forces have tortured
detainees at a secret prison, cracked down on freedom of expression and
attacked peaceful protesters as well as journalists. Executions were commonly
used by the government of Saddam Hussein.
The opposition in Iraq previously compared Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to a
dictator as he failed to appoint defense, interior, and national security
affairs ministers, giving him full control over those ministries. He appointed
Saadoun al-Dulaimi as acting defense minister in August 2011, but he retains
control over the other 2 ministries.
(source: BNO News)
SAUDI ARABIA----execution
Saudi Arabia beheads murderer then crucifies body
Saudi authorities have beheaded a Yemeni man and then crucified his body after
he was convicted of murdering a Pakistani national, the kingdom's interior
ministry says.
"The Yemeni citizen Mohammed Rashad Khairi Hussein killed a Pakistani, Pashteh
Sayed Khan, after he committed sodomy with him," a statement carried by state
news agency SPA said on Wednesday.
The Yemeni was also convicted of carrying out a series of attacks and
robberies.
The execution in the southern city of Jizan was followed by crucifixion,
implemented by the ultra-conservative country for serious crimes.
The beheading brings to 28 the number of people put to death in Saudi Arabia so
far this year.
In 2012, the kingdom executed 76 people, according to an AFP tally based on
official figures. The US-based Human Rights Watch put the number at 69.
Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable
by death under Saudi Arabia's strict version of sharia, or Islamic law.
(source: Sydney Morning Herald)
****************
Man sentenced to death for aborting 40 women
A Saudi court sentenced a man to death after he was convicted of aborting more
than 40 pregnant women and practicing magic, which is strictly banned in the
Muslim Gulf Kingdom, newspapers reported on Monday.
The unidentified man, in his 40s, was also accused of practicing sorcery to
separate couples with the aim of extorting them, they said.
Members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice,
Saudi Arabia's feared religious police, had arrested the man in the western
town of Taif, the papers said, adding that the defendant had confessed to his
crimes.
Restaurant offers free meals for 'hungry' people
A Turkish restaurant in Saudi Arabia is offering meals for hungry people round
the clock and the price is little prayers by the free eaters.
A sticker hung at the front read "our dear guest...if you are hungry and don't
have money, then we will offer you free breakfast, lunch and dinner round the
year."
The sticker added: "All you have to do is to press a button and wait
outside...the meal will reach you soon as the guest of Saraya restaurant...just
don't forget to pray for us."
Newspapers said the gesture by the Riyadh-based restaurant was welcomed by many
Saudis on social networks.
(source: emirates 247)
**********************
Saudi prosecutor urges death penalty for Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr: Media
'Saudi regime taking its last breaths' 'Reforms in KSA cosmetic, superficial'A
Saudi prosecutor has reportedly demanded the death penalty for prominent Shia
cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who was arrested last year over calls for the
release of political prisoners.
Local media reported on Wednesday that the prosecutor, whose name was not
mentioned, accused Nimr of 'aiding terrorists' and 'instigating unrest,' and
called for the execution of the Shia cleric.
Sheikh Nimr was attacked, injured and arrested by Saudi security forces en
route to his house in the Qatif region of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province on
July 8, 2012.
The cleric had called for the release of all those detained in protests against
the Saudi regime, and all the prisoners of conscience. His arrest sparked
protests in Eastern Province.
Nimr appeared in court earlier this week for the 1st time since July.
His family members said he was badly tortured in jail. Nimr's sister recently
said that prison authorities were denying her brother medical care.
According to Saudi activists, most of the detained political activists are
being held by the regime without trial or charges.
Since February 2011, demonstrators have held anti-regime protests on an almost
regular basis in Saudi Arabia, mainly in Qatif and the town of Awamiyah in
Eastern Province, primarily calling for the release of all political prisoners,
freedom of expression and assembly, and an end to widespread discrimination.
Since November 2011, when Saudi security forces killed 5 protesters and injured
many others in Eastern Province, the demonstrations have turned into protests
against the Al Saud regime.
According to Human Rights Watch, the Riyadh regime "routinely represses
expression critical of the government."
(source: Press TV)
LIBYA:
Libya pledges to free American Christian imprisoned for faith
An American and 3 fellow Christians who have been held in jail in Libya, for
more than a month for allegedly spreading the gospel will be freed, according
to Libyan officials.
The U.S. State Department confirmed the American man, who also holds Swedish
citizenship, is being held in Benghazi and has been in contact with U.S.
diplomats, but officials declined to identify him. Libyan officials have said
all four Christians, who potentially faced the death penalty on the charges,
will be freed and deported as a gesture of good will.
The 4, who include an Egyptian man and a South Korean man and a woman from
South Africa, were arrested just days before a Coptic church in Benghazi was
firebombed and a French Catholic priest narrowly escaped being shot in the
capital of Tripoli.
Their planned release is being greeted with a collective sigh of relief by
Western diplomats in Libya, who feared the quartet could be brought to trial by
the Libyan authorities on charges of threatening national security and
distributing Christian literature.
"Our worry was that if the authorities had decided to go ahead with a court
hearing, then they would have been under pressure from some hardliners to make
an example of them," a European envoy in Tripoli told FoxNews.com.
But the release of the 4 isn't easing fears about the prospects for Christians
in Libya, which is experiencing a rapid rise in Islamist sentiment. 3
communities of Roman Catholic nuns left Libya in recent weeks amid concerns for
their security because of threats from radical Islamists.
One of the departing communities -- the Congregation of the Holy Family of
Spoleto - had worked for nearly a century in the town of Derna, east of
Benghazi.
"The religious sisters felt they had to leave - they felt they were in danger,"
Father Dominique said shortly before the last congregation was due to leave
last month.
Father Dominique - a former Vatican diplomat who transferred to Tripoli's St.
Francis Cathedral as a retirement mission - insisted the situation in the
capital was easier and less threatening than Benghazi and that clergy and lay
Roman Catholic staff in the capital didn't feel under threat.
Sitting in the courtyard garden of the 19th century cathedral, he said: "You
can see that things are fine here." He acknowledged, however, that the
cathedral's staff kept a low profile and avoided wearing any clerical clothing
when leaving the compound.
But just a few days later - on March 2 - militiamen shot at a Tripoli-based
Catholic priest in an incident the Vatican said highlighted the danger for
Christians in the country.
"The situation is not good for Christians both in Tripoli and Benghazi," the
Vatican's official news agency declared.
The attack was condemned also by the Libyan Foreign Ministry as "contrary to
the laws of Islam and international law."
Although eager to play down the threats and incidents against Christians in the
country, diplomats - and Christian clerics in Libya - say what is unnerving is
the involvement of some elements of Libya's security agencies, including the
Office of Preventative Security, a branch of the Defense Ministry formed in
April 2011 after Muammar Qaddafi's ouster.
It was militiamen from that agency who arrested the 4 foreign missionaries,
claiming they had engaged a local printer to print Christian literature and had
more than 50,000 Christian books stored in a warehouse in Benghazi.
The increased tempo of incidents involving Christians also is alarming foreign
diplomats. Last autumn, the Italian cemetery in downtown Tripoli began to see
regular vandalism of tombs.
"Human bones have been scattered across the cemetery," caretaker Dalmasso Bruno
said.
Christian anxiety mounted in December, when 2 Egyptian Copts were killed in a
bomb blast at a Coptic church in in the Mediterranean town of Dafniya. St.
George's Greek Orthodox Church in Tripoli's Old City has been targeted and
icons burnt.
Then last month, nearly a hundred Copts were swept up in a series of round-ups
in Benghazi and charged with proselytizing. After intense negotiations between
Cairo and Tripoli, the Copts were released and expelled, but several claimed
they had been tortured and 1 Egyptian died in custody, triggering violent
protests in Cairo.
Hardline Islamists answered those protests with the firebombing of the Egyptian
Coptic church in Benghazi on March 14.
Despite the violence, Christians still worship at the handful of churches in
Tripoli and Benghazi. Before the revolution there were thought to be about
100,000 Christians, nearly all of them foreign workers mainly from Egypt, the
Philippines, Africa and India, but there are probably half that number now.
One of the most attended is the Coptic Orthodox St. Mark's Church on the
outskirts of Tripoli, the sister church of the one firebombed in Benghazi. The
congregation numbers a thousand at the main weekly service said Fr. Timothaus
Bishara Adly.
A hundred or so children attend religious classes at St. Mark's. Father
Timothaus said proselytizing is dangerous in Libya and that missionaries should
not engage in it - as to do so is disrespectful. "We must respect the
government," he said.
Like priests from other denominations, Father Timothaus chooses his words with
care and says that neither he nor his flock has experienced problems. But
sitting in his icon-walled office in the church, the bearded priest pointed to
a bank of closed-circuit security screens broadcasting in real time the
approaches to the gates and walls of the compound.
(source: Fox News)
INDIA:
India rape victim against death penalty
The Swiss woman who was the victim of a gang rape in India says she is against
the death penalty. She left the country with her partner yesterday.
The Swiss Embassy in New Dehli reports that the woman has written a letter to
the governor of Madhya Pradesh, expressing her desire for a speedy trial and
for justice to be done, but without the death penalty being imposed.
Indian press reports the trial of the 6 accused men is to begin on Saturday.
The couple will give evidence by video link.
The incident happened on March 14.
The 2 Swiss citizens, who were travelling across India by bike, were set upon
whilst putting up there tent.
Men tied up the man and raped his wife before stealing their belongings.
(source: World Radio)
BANGLADESH:
Sayedee appeals against death sentence
The state also appealed for highest punishment for him on charges he was
acquitted of.
Sayedee's lawyers submitted the appeal to the Supreme Court with Zainul Abedin
Tuhin shown as advocate on record.
"We have challenged the verdict on 135 grounds and sought acquittal on all the
8 charges for which he was given death penalty," Sayedee's lawyer Fariduddin
Khan told bdnews24.com.
He said the appeal and its supporting documentation runs into 6500 pages.
The 1st war crimes tribunal headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir handed down death
penalty to Delwar Hossain Sayedee on Feb 28.
Justice Kabir said that 8 of the 20 charges of crimes against humanity against
Sayedee have been proved conclusively. 2 of these charges pertained to
killings.
The tribunal ordered Sayedee to be hanged until death. The tribunal in its
order said the prosecution had successfully established the fact that Sayedee
was a Razakar leader at Pirozpur during the 1971 liberation war.
Following the appeal, ICT prosecution team coordinator MK Rahman told
bdnews24.com Sayedee had been awarded death penalty on 2 counts of murders but
no verdict was issued on the 6 other charges that were proven against him.
"Sayedee is not being given punishment even though the charges against him were
proven so convincingly...It is nothing but a loophole of the law and this is
definitely discouraging justice," he said. "We have demanded his punishment for
those 6 charges too."
He said there was sufficient evidence to prove his complicity in the 12 other
charges but he was let off on those.
He said prosecution appealed on those charges too for 'complete justice'.
Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee, now a convicted war criminal,
was sentenced to death for 2 charges of murder.
Out of 20 charges levelled against the 2-time former MP, he was acquitted in
12, including genocide. The court said that the prosecution had failed to prove
them beyond a shadow of doubt.
Sayedee was found guilty in eight charges including 2 for murder and
persecution.
These were the 8th and 10th charges. Sayedee was accused of murder of Ibrahim
Kutti, abduction and persecution in the 8th charge.
The indictment order said on May 8, 1971 around 3pm Sayedee, his accomplices
and Pakistani troops raided the house of Manik Posari of Chitholia village.
They set fire to 5 houses at Sayedee's instance.
The band of men caught Manik's brother Mafizuddin and one Ibrahim Kutti from
there. On their way back Sayedee is said to have instigated Pakistani soldiers
to kill Ibrahim Kutti.
Kutti was then shot dead and his body dumped into the river. Mafiz was taken to
an army camp and tortured.
Thereafter, Sayedee and others set fire to Hindu houses at Parerhat causing
huge devastation.
The judgement notes that Mafizuddin Poshari, caught along with Kutti and taken
to the local Razakar camp and tortured, luckily escaped from there alive. Mafiz
was deposed at the tribunal as the 7th prosecution witness.
"He (Mafiz) categorically testified that [Sayedee] as a member of Razakar
Bahini caught them at the crime site and ultimately Ibrahim was killed by Pak
Army."
The tribunal continued, "We find no reason to disbelieve evidence of [Mafiz] as
to murder of Kutti and destruction of houses of civilians on a large scale by
setting fire which constitute crimes against humanity."
Jamaat's chief defence counsel Abdur Razzaq said regarding the charge that
Kutti's wife had not accused Sayedee but other people when she filed a murder
case in 1973.
The court, however, said the related documents produced before the court by the
defence had to be proven to be authentic.
Razzaq told bdnews24.com that Sayedee could not even have been held responsible
for the case. "Let alone murder."
The other murder charge has Sayedee, Razakars and Pak Army troops raid a Hindu
community of Umedpur village on Jun 6, 1971 around 10am. They burnt 25 houses,
including Bishabali's.
At 1 stage Bishabali was tied to a coconut tree and at Sayedee's insistence
shot dead by an accomplice.
The judgement states after critical analysis of the three witness testimonies,
"It is evident that one civilian named Bishabali was caught and tortured by
Razakars, thereafter victim Bishabali was fastened to a coconut tree and he was
shot dead by a Razakar at the insistence of accused Delwar Hossain Sayedee."
The verdict states that prosecution witnesses Mahtabuddin Howladar and Altab
Hossain Howladar "have proved the occurrence of burning dwelling houses of
unarmed civilians???as well as killing of Bishabali at the insistence of the
accused as eyewitness of the occurrence."
The verdict then states, "It is well proved that the accused was involved with
the commission of murder and persecution within the purview of crimes against
humanity."
Tribunal Chairman Justice A T M Fazle Kabir reading out the last part of the
58-page summary said the judges had considered the seriousness of Sayedee's
offences.
"In consideration of the gravity and magnitude of the offences committed
particularly in [charges] 8 and 10, we unanimously hold that the accused
deserves the highest punishment as provided under Section 20.2 or ICT Act of
1973."
The tribunal then ordered that Sayedee, found guilty, "be hanged by the neck
till he is dead".
The judge then said that the tribunal was refraining from passing any separate
sentence of imprisonment for the other 6 offences although they were proven
beyond doubt as the accused was already sentenced to death.
(source: bdnews24)
NIGERIA:
Ogun Advocates Death Penalty for Corrupt Officials
The Ogun State Government has called for urgent review of the nation's Criminal
Code and Magistrate Court Laws in order to punish those found guilty of
corruption.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, while
delivering a paper yesterday titled: "Criminal Code, Magistrate Court Law of
Ogun State and the Recent Trend of Crimes: A Call for Urgent Reformation", at
the annual conference of the Magistrates' Association of Nigeria in Abeokuta,
said the review had become imperative going by the harm which it had caused the
nation.
He noted that some provisions of the statues on stealing or misappropriation of
public funds were alien to Nigeria and, therefore, should be amended to conform
with the realities on ground.
Adeoluwa said: "Nigeria penal policy is at cross roads. The starting point to
the fixing of this problem is to learn from our mistakes and endeavour to
formulate policies on the basis of our experience. In whatever way it is
formulated.
"It is important that the policy must adopt strategies or measures which may
include harmonizing our criminal laws, the removal of factors that encourage
criminal behaviour, the offer of incentives and disincentives, education,
deterrents and at the extreme end, sanctions.
"In view of the fact that the code allows greater sentencing discretion within
each offence grade, there is the need to reform the code in such a way as to
limit sentencing discretion so as to eliminate instances of disparate sentences
for similar offenders committing offences."
Speaking further, he said corruption is posing a serious danger to the
existence of the Nigerian nation today, stating that: "It was high time we
began to excommunicate or eliminate people found guilty of corruption as it is
being done in some countries like China. In the light of the danger corruption
now poses to our existence as a nation today, it is high time we began to
excommunicate or even eliminate people found guilty of corruption. After all,
in China, economic crimes attract maximum punishment. It may look extreme but I
think we can go the China way."
While nothing that plea bargaining as a mechanism for expediting the process of
justice and clearing the court's desk was constructive, Adeoluwa expressed
regret that: "Plea bargaining in itself is not destructive mechanism, but
rather a constructive one. Its essence is to expedite the process of justice
and clear the court's desks to make way for the tons of litigation flooding the
courts.
"The reality is that our recent experiments with the procedure shows that it is
billionaire offenders that have the privilege, while the common man is
sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for stealing an item worth less than N100."
(source: This Day)
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