March 29
ZIMBABWE:
Why Did So Many People Vote "NO"
One question that has done the rounds after the epic approval of the new
Zimbabwe constitution is why over 200 000 people voted "NO"? In our set up,
there are no post-election opinion polls conducted to find out the voting
patterns.
Be as it may, I wanted to find out from a small number of voters I interviewed
as to what made them vote "Yes" or "No". As for the "Yes" vote, quite a number
cited the fact that the clause on the land acquisition was a central issue.
This clause, according to them, emphasised the taking of land which is now
vested in the State.
What this means is that land shall remain the property of the State to be
allocated for use to individuals or companies as the State so wishes. In other
words, like the British say, their land is Crown land under the sovereign. Ours
is State land.
The "No" votes were cast for a very interesting reason. Some said that the
Draft Constitution gave too much power to women. They cited the example of a
clause which abolishes the death penalty for women. I am sure the death penalty
cannot apply to men only. In reality, the death sentences have not been carried
out for many years.
Another bone of contention with some men, who either voted "No" or did not
vote, was the increase of women Members of Parliament. Under the Draft
Constitution, 60 women shall become MPs chosen by proportional representation
calculated from votes cast in 210 constituencies for each political party. Not
only that, there could be more women MPs if parties fielded women candidates in
the constituencies or even if more women made it into the Senate.
If ever there was a progressive to women's emancipation, this constitution must
be applauded. The devil is always in the details which will confirm the
realities of giving more say in politics to women. But this can only come to
fruition if there is more money to implement the provisions of the
constitution. There could be more reasons, than those I have cited, which made
some people to opt for a "No" vote. There could be those who were against the
land reform programe or who perceived that more power could have been vested in
the president. With the advent of so many women legislators, can we expect the
next Parliament to be more progressive in the laws debated and acted upon?
History tells us that, in some countries, where women were dominant, women's
rights laws were enacted. Several countries come to mind, that had women
leaders of government, to mention just a few, there was Britain's prime
minister, Margaret Thatcher, who negotiated the Lancaster House constitution,
that we have replaced with the new Zimbabwean Draft Constitution, set to become
law soon.
Another woman leader was, former prime minister, Indira Gandhi of India.
Although her legacy was characterised by her fight against the Sikh militants
that finally gunned her down, it is known that she did a lot to uplift the
status of women in that conservative society.
Although it was the prerogative of each individual to vote according to their
conscience, it is still quite interesting to know the concerns of those that
voted "No". It is not going to change anything but when the laws are made in
Parliament, they could still make their representations on those issues that
concern them most.
Another aspect that may calm many voters who may not have understood the
implications of the new constitution is that they will still have a chance of
having everything explained to them by their representatives in Parliament or
when the actual campaigning for the general election is underway. Many men are
bitter about the maintenance rulings in the courts already.
They think that the laws favour women to claim a lot of their money to such an
extent that they fail to have an alternative life with a new spouse or just to
get on in life. These concerns weighed heavily on those who voted "No" thinking
that the new constitution has removed male dominance in the scheme of things in
the country. 2 young male adults, who are professionals, admitted that, they
did not go to vote because they were convinced that women were given an upper
hand by the new constitution.
One would have thought that, since they were recently married, they were still
in love to be afraid of the power of their respective spouses. The conservative
nature of men is their genes. Male dominance still runs deep in the veins of
some men.
On the whole, the new draft constitution goes on to address most of the issues
that should put to rest all the talk about dictatorship, which are spewed daily
in some sections of the Press. This confirms the slogan that has always been on
the lips of our Comrades in Arms- that is power has been transferred to the
people.
There have been judgments in favour of women in our courts which must be
regarded as progressive. For example, women can register the births of their
babies, women can obtain passports for their children without the father having
to sign the passport forms, and women can inherit their parents' estate even if
they are married.
There are those who voted in the negative from being influenced by
organisations that see nothing good coming from their own country. Unless
something is approved by the Western countries, then it is no good at all. To
cite that there was no time to study the constitution after four years of the
debate was in the public domain, was just misleading the public.
If anyone did not support the Draft constitution for a lack of time to read the
document, then it was unfortunate indeed. It was not the intention of the whole
system to deny anyone the right to go through the document. Now, a chance will
be coming shortly for the members of various parties to choose candidates to
represent them in various constituencies. That must be done peacefully like
what happened in the referendum.
(source: All Africa News)
SAUDI ARABIA:
Saudi Arabia beheads murderer... and then CRUCIFIES his body
Saudi authorities have beheaded a murderer and crucified his body after he
killed and raped a Pakistani national.
The kingdom's interior ministry announced the execution, stating that the man
had murdered and sodomised another male. Both actions are punishable by death.
'The Yemeni citizen Mohammed Rashad Khairi Hussain killed a Pakistani, Pashteh
Sayed Khan, after he committed sodomy with him,' said a statement carried by
state news agency SPA.
Hussain was also convicted of robbery and carrying out a series of attacks.
The execution, in the southern city of Jizan, was followed by crucifixion, a
punishment used by the ultra-conservative country for serious crimes.
Saudi Arabia have been criticised in the international community for their
harsh punishments, including executions by beheading and firing squad.
There have been 28 people beheaded in Saudi Arabia this year.
In 2012, they executed 76 people, according to an AFP tally based on official
figures, while the US-based Human Rights Watch put the number at 69.
The oil-rich kingdom follows a strict implementation of Islamic law, or
Shariah, under which people convicted of murder, rape or armed robbery can be
executed, usually by sword.
The announcement comes after Amnesty International released the final words of
a man sentenced to death by firing squad.
He was allegedly forced to confess after the authorities threatened to torture
his mother.
7 juveniles were arrested and convicted for armed robbery and sentenced to
death in the Southern city of Abha after their appeals to the king were
rejected.
One of the robbers was interviewed by the human rights charity before his
death.
He said: 'I have 9 hours left until I die. We found this out through friends
and relatives who saw the market square being prepared for the execution.
'There are now 7 spots in the square for 7 people to be shot. It's going to be
in public, in the market, in the city of Abha.
'We don't know what we are supposed to have done wrong.
'We were forced to make confessions. We were mistreated by the investigators -
they took our clothes and it was winter. They tortured us by suspending us from
chains on the wall.
'They also used psychological torture such as threatening they would bring in
our mothers and torture them in front of us.
'I didn't kill anyone - we were tried for robbery and we were forced to
confess. I hope the execution will be stopped.
'I wish for it to be stopped and for a fair trial and for a reinvestigation.
The trial was totally unjust.'
One of the men told The Associated Press last month he was only 15 when he was
arrested as part of a ring that stole jewelry in 2004 and 2005.It was also
reported that they had no access to lawyers.
The south has been marginalized and suffered discrimination by the powerful
central Saudi region where the capital, Riyadh, and holy shrines of Mecca and
Medina are located.
It was reported on March 13 that the execution went ahead despite appeals from
human rights charities.
There was also an international outcry, including from human rights groups,
after a Sri Lankan maid, Rizana Nafeek, was beheaded in public by sword last
month.
Miss Nafeek was sentenced to death aged 17 in 2007 after her Saudi employer
accused her of strangling his 4-month-old baby 2 years earlier after a dispute
with the child's mother.
A government spokesman said Riyadh: 'deplores the statements made... about the
execution of a Sri Lankan maid who had plotted and killed an infant by
suffocating him to death 1 week after she arrived in the kingdom.'
The case soured the kingdom's diplomatic relations with Sri Lanka, which on
Thursday recalled its ambassador to Saudi Arabia in protest.
The UN's main human rights body on Friday expressed 'deep dismay' at the
beheading, while the European Union said it had asked Saudi authorities to
commute the death penalty.
Riyadh, however, rejected the statements as 'external interference' in its
domestic affairs.
The spokesman said: Saudi Arabia 'respects... all rules and laws and protects
the rights of its people and residents, and completely rejects any intervention
in its affairs and judicial verdicts, whatever the excuse.'
(source: Malaysia-Chronicle)
INDIA:
Law students deliberate on death penalty; Topic that has witnessed mixed
reactions, set the tone for the debate
When death penalty has triggered a nation-wide debate eliciting mixed opinions,
how can a law college think of an academic debate bereft of the topic?
Students drawn from different colleges on Thursday tabled their opinions,
rather vociferously at a State-level debate competition on 'Death penalty'
organised by SBRR Mahajana Law College in the city.
Ranjitha a student favoured death penalty as capital punishment is a
continuation of the system that was in existence during the erstwhile princely
rule. She highlighted the often forgotten section of society during such
debates -- the innocent dependents of the victims. While the people speak for
or voice their opinions against the convicts of heinous crimes facing death
penalty, the plight of sufferers is least remembered. Dhanalakshmi, another
student began with a Kannada adage; 'Dayave dharmada moolavaiah' (Mercy is the
root of religion). However, it doesn't mean a man or a woman who commits a
homicide in the rarest of a rare case could walk out scot-free.
Giving an account of cases where capital punishment is awarded, Dhanalakshmi
said barring convictions in the cases of section 302 (murder) of IPC,
Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) and Drugs and Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS), death penalty was not awarded in other
cases.Till now, only 53 capital punishments are executed.
Referring to the recent hanging of Mumbai attack convict Abdul Kasab and
Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, Dhanalakshmi questioned whether they
should have been spared?
She mooted a similar question on the ongoing debate on executing death penalty
for four aides of forest brigand Veerappan currently lodged in Hindalga jail in
Belgaum. Some of the students denounced death penalty basing their views on
emotions.
Psychologist M S Umapathy stressed on conducting extensive research on the
implications of death penalty. He said that it was time to study whether
capital punishment had checked increasing crime rate or not.
Later participating in the valedictory of the competition, vice-chancellor of
National Law School of India University Prof R Venkata Rao said "Indian Talent
(IT)" was in much demand across the globe. He advised the students to develop
passion and compassion. The students should take a leaf out of their own
experiences, rather than trying to find a role model in others.
Director of the college Prof C K N Raja, principal R B Rajashekar, chairman of
Mahajana Education Society (MES) R Vasudevamurthy and others were present.
(source: Deccan Herald)
BANGLADESH:
SC gets 4 more judges
The acting president yesterday appointed four judges to the Appellate Division
of Supreme Court apparently allowing the chief justice to constitute a separate
bench to dispose of the appeals against the verdicts in crimes against humanity
cases.
The appointees are High Court judges Mohammad Anwarul Haque, Justice Siddiqur
Rahman Miah, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique and Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury
Manik.
With this recruitment, the number of judges in the Appellate Division,
including the chief justice, stands at 10.
Officials at the law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry told The Daily
Star that acting president Abdul Hamid had appointed the judges in consultation
with Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain.
They said the chief justice could now constitute a separate bench to deal with
the appeals filed against the verdicts delivered by the international crimes
tribunals.
A gazette notification regarding the appointments would be issued on Sunday,
said the officials, adding that the oath of the judges might be held on the
same day.
On March 10, the SC had fixed March 31 to begin hearing the appeals filed by
the government and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah against a verdict
of the Tribunal-2.
The government on March 3 filed an appeal against the verdict that had awarded
Mollah life term on February 5. In the appeal, the government sought death
penalty for Mollah for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation
War.
On March 4, Mollah filed an appeal with the apex court seeking acquittal on the
charges against him.
Yesterday, the government and Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee filed
separate petitions with the SC.
A month ago, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 had awarded Sayedee death
penalty on 2 out of 8 charges proved against him.
The government, through its petition, sought capital punishment for Sayedee on
6 other charges, while the defendant sought acquittal on all the charges.
(source: The Daily Star)
***************************
Be patient with war crimes trials: PM
"We started the trials after 35 years. Many have grown impatient. We need to be
patient. Nothing can be achieved in 1 day," she said.
Her call comes amid discontent in Shahbagh's Ganajagaran Mancha, which is
demonstrating for nearly 2 months for death penalty for all convicted war
criminals and a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami for perpetrating atrocities during the
War of Independence.
The spokesperson for the Mancha, Imran H Sarker at a rally on Mar 26 criticised
the government for making no move to ban the Jamaat-e-Islami. A section of the
demonstrators have started a fast-unto-death from Tuesday night to press for
the demand.
The Prime Minister on Thursday again assured the people that her government was
sincere about finishing the trials "which have become tough after 42 years".
The Awami League government will execute the verdicts delivered so far, she
said.
Until now, the war crimes tribunals have given verdicts in 3 cases, 2 of which
awarded death sentence to Jamaat number two Delwar Hossain Sayedee and former
leader Abul Kalam Azad, who is still on the run. The 3rd verdict gave life
sentence to Abdul Quader Molla.
This led Jamaat, the key ally of main opposition BNP, to unleash violent
attacks across the country in the last few months in retaliation. Sixty-7
people died and numerous got injured in the attacks while shops, businesses,
vehicles, temples and households of Hindus were vandalised, ransacked and
torched.
Hasina said, "We are going through a transition when the anti-independence
quarter is trying to destabilise the country."
Pointing at the alliance of the BNP and Jamaat, she said that it was 'natural'
for the main opposition party to side with the anti-independence quarter.
"She [Khaleda Zia] does not believe in independence. It's not surprising that
she will try to protect the war criminals."
Hasina, also the ruling Awami League President, took the opportunity to again
criticise the BNP Chairperson for her remarks involving the army.
"She made a call upon the army. She can do that. Those who form [a political]
party using the army can do this," Hasina said.
The Prime Minister did not spare President and BNP founder Gen Ziaur Rahman for
stopping the trials of the war criminals in the post-independence period.
She recounted how the movement led by Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam for trying
the suspected war criminals had begun 2 decades ago.
"We started the movement in 1992. The movement was carried out by several
organisations including the Ghatok-Dalal Nirmul Committee at the time. But I
wanted everyone to join the movement. I went to Sufia Kamal, and Baby Maudud
was always with me."
"Sufia Fupu (aunt) said, 'I can't do this anymore. Go to Jahanara Imam.' We had
several meetings with her [Jahanara Imam] at Sufia aunt's house."
She continued, "The 1st programme was held at the Shaheed Minar. I was there.
We had gone through a very hard time then. We were not allowed to hold the
People's Court. Dhaka Metropolitan unit of Awami League made all the
preparations. They decided too how the stage will be erected on a truck. All
documents were printed on the computer in my house at Minto Road (the residence
of the opposition leader)."
Hasina expressed happiness at hearing 'Joy Bangla', the slogan people used
during the Liberation War, on the lips of the young generation. "I feel very
happy that this spirit is back among all. The Joy Bangla slogan has returned."
The Prime Minister was speaking at the Bazlur Rahman Smriti Padak-2012
distribution ceremony for reporting on Liberation War affairs. The programme
was organised by the Liberation War Museum at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in
Dhaka in the afternoon.
She urged the journalists to make constructive criticism and pointed out the
wrongs and errors of the government. "But nothing should be written which could
strengthen the hands of the anti-independence quarters, so that no undemocratic
power can rise again."
Hasina mentioned the time during the last military-backed caretaker
government's tenure. "Many high-level people of the media and civil society had
backed the military-backed government. They were told that they would be
brought to power. It was said that we did nothing. What did they do in those 2
years? Were they [those from the media] allowed to write independently during
the caretaker government's term?"
She remembered late journalist Bazlur Rahman. "Bazlur Rahman was indifferent
when the Minus Two formula was in force. He did not bow down to injustice."
"Bazlu Bhai criticised my acts, he also praised my good works in the same way."
The Prime Minister mentioned Bazlur Rahman's active role in all movements
against the Pakistani military rulers in the 60s for democracy and autonomy.
She also recalled his contribution as the General Secretary of Afro-Asia Public
Solidarity Council soon after independence, saying he had played a significant
role in winning recognition of the Middle East countries for Bangladesh.
Remembering the time of his death, she said, "I got the news of his demise when
I was in prison in 2008. I could not even convey my solace to his wife, Awami
League Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury, which still pains me."
Hasina later handed over the awards to Sharifuzzaman Pintu of Prathom Alo and
Rafat Minhaj of ATN News for their report on the Liberation War affairs.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddiqui presided over the
function which was also addressed by Trustees of the Liberation War Museum Dr
Sarwar Ali and Ziauddin Tariq Ali.
(source: bdnews24)
SLOVAKIA:
Slovak court changes WWII criminal's death penalty to life imprisonment
A Slovak court has commuted a death sentence imposed on a Hungarian World War
Two criminal to life imprisonment although he remains under house arrest in his
native country, the prosecution said on Thursday, March 27, according to RIA
Novosti.
Laszlo Csatary, 98, was found guilty in absentia in 1948 of whipping or
torturing Jews and helping to deport them to the Auschwitz death camp when he
served as police commander in the eastern Slovak city of Kosice.
He was sentenced to death and lived on the run for decades until Hungarian
authorities detained him and put him under house arrest in Budapest in July
last year. He has denied any guilt.
The sentence was changed to be in line with modern Slovak law. Czechoslovakia
abolished the death penalty in 1990, 3 years before its division into Slovakia
and the Czech Republic, Kosice prosecutor's office spokesman Milan Filicko
said.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center said last year it had provided Hungary with
evidence that Csatary helped to organize the deportation of around 16,000 Jews
to Auschwitz in Poland.
The transports came from Kosice, the eastern Slovak capital which became part
of Hungary in 1938 and was returned to Czechoslovakia after the end of the war.
According to a Czechoslovak court ruling from June 8, 1948, Csatary was found
guilty of deportations to Nazi death camps, and unlawfully whipping, torturing
or killing people in 1944.
(source: panarmenian.net)
UGANDA:
Activists ask MPs to abolish death penalty
Human Rights activists have urged MPs to expedite the passing of a law
abolishing the death penalty because it does not lead to reform or deterrence
of crime.
Livingstone Sewanyana, the executive director of the Foundation for Human
Rights Initiative, said the death penalty is a cruel, inhuman and degrading. He
made the remarks during a conference for MPs on penal code reform at Speke
Resort Munyonyo, on Wednesday.
Serere Woman MP Alice Alaso made a presentation on her Private Members Bill, in
which she seeks to restrict the penalty to the "most serious of crimes."
The law in its current form contains several provisions that prescribe
mandatory death penalties.
"The death penalty should be excluded in cases of political and economic crimes
like economic sabotage, treason and espionage," Alaso said, adding that it
should, however, be retained for most serious crimes like murder, rape and
aggravated defilement.
She was supported by other MPs like Medard Sseggona.
Baroness Nuala O'Loan, a Member of the Upper House of Lords in UK said death
penalty is neither correctional nor does it stop crime.
"Most often the people convicted of the death penalty are the poor, the
minority and the vulnerable. It is difficult to create criminal justice systems
which don't make mistakes," she said.
(source: New Vision)
BANGLADESH:
SC gets 4 more judges
The acting president yesterday appointed four judges to the Appellate Division
of Supreme Court apparently allowing the chief justice to constitute a separate
bench to dispose of the appeals against the verdicts in crimes against humanity
cases.
The appointees are High Court judges Mohammad Anwarul Haque, Justice Siddiqur
Rahman Miah, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique and Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury
Manik.
With this recruitment, the number of judges in the Appellate Division,
including the chief justice, stands at 10.
Officials at the law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry told The Daily
Star that acting president Abdul Hamid had appointed the judges in consultation
with Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain.
They said the chief justice could now constitute a separate bench to deal with
the appeals filed against the verdicts delivered by the international crimes
tribunals.
A gazette notification regarding the appointments would be issued on Sunday,
said the officials, adding that the oath of the judges might be held on the
same day.
On March 10, the SC had fixed March 31 to begin hearing the appeals filed by
the government and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah against a verdict
of the Tribunal-2.
The government on March 3 filed an appeal against the verdict that had awarded
Mollah life term on February 5. In the appeal, the government sought death
penalty for Mollah for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation
War.
On March 4, Mollah filed an appeal with the apex court seeking acquittal on the
charges against him.
Yesterday, the government and Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee filed
separate petitions with the SC.
A month ago, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 had awarded Sayedee death
penalty on 2 out of 8 charges proved against him.
The government, through its petition, sought capital punishment for Sayedee on
6 other charges, while the defendant sought acquittal on all the charges.
(source: The Daily Star)
***************************
Be patient with war crimes trials: PM
"We started the trials after 35 years. Many have grown impatient. We need to be
patient. Nothing can be achieved in 1 day," she said.
Her call comes amid discontent in Shahbagh's Ganajagaran Mancha, which is
demonstrating for nearly 2 months for death penalty for all convicted war
criminals and a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami for perpetrating atrocities during the
War of Independence.
The spokesperson for the Mancha, Imran H Sarker at a rally on Mar 26 criticised
the government for making no move to ban the Jamaat-e-Islami. A section of the
demonstrators have started a fast-unto-death from Tuesday night to press for
the demand.
The Prime Minister on Thursday again assured the people that her government was
sincere about finishing the trials "which have become tough after 42 years".
The Awami League government will execute the verdicts delivered so far, she
said.
Until now, the war crimes tribunals have given verdicts in 3 cases, 2 of which
awarded death sentence to Jamaat number two Delwar Hossain Sayedee and former
leader Abul Kalam Azad, who is still on the run. The 3rd verdict gave life
sentence to Abdul Quader Molla.
This led Jamaat, the key ally of main opposition BNP, to unleash violent
attacks across the country in the last few months in retaliation. Sixty-7
people died and numerous got injured in the attacks while shops, businesses,
vehicles, temples and households of Hindus were vandalised, ransacked and
torched.
Hasina said, "We are going through a transition when the anti-independence
quarter is trying to destabilise the country."
Pointing at the alliance of the BNP and Jamaat, she said that it was 'natural'
for the main opposition party to side with the anti-independence quarter.
"She [Khaleda Zia] does not believe in independence. It's not surprising that
she will try to protect the war criminals."
Hasina, also the ruling Awami League President, took the opportunity to again
criticise the BNP Chairperson for her remarks involving the army.
"She made a call upon the army. She can do that. Those who form [a political]
party using the army can do this," Hasina said.
The Prime Minister did not spare President and BNP founder Gen Ziaur Rahman for
stopping the trials of the war criminals in the post-independence period.
She recounted how the movement led by Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam for trying
the suspected war criminals had begun 2 decades ago.
"We started the movement in 1992. The movement was carried out by several
organisations including the Ghatok-Dalal Nirmul Committee at the time. But I
wanted everyone to join the movement. I went to Sufia Kamal, and Baby Maudud
was always with me."
"Sufia Fupu (aunt) said, 'I can't do this anymore. Go to Jahanara Imam.' We had
several meetings with her [Jahanara Imam] at Sufia aunt's house."
She continued, "The 1st programme was held at the Shaheed Minar. I was there.
We had gone through a very hard time then. We were not allowed to hold the
People's Court. Dhaka Metropolitan unit of Awami League made all the
preparations. They decided too how the stage will be erected on a truck. All
documents were printed on the computer in my house at Minto Road (the residence
of the opposition leader)."
Hasina expressed happiness at hearing 'Joy Bangla', the slogan people used
during the Liberation War, on the lips of the young generation. "I feel very
happy that this spirit is back among all. The Joy Bangla slogan has returned."
The Prime Minister was speaking at the Bazlur Rahman Smriti Padak-2012
distribution ceremony for reporting on Liberation War affairs. The programme
was organised by the Liberation War Museum at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in
Dhaka in the afternoon.
She urged the journalists to make constructive criticism and pointed out the
wrongs and errors of the government. "But nothing should be written which could
strengthen the hands of the anti-independence quarters, so that no undemocratic
power can rise again."
Hasina mentioned the time during the last military-backed caretaker
government's tenure. "Many high-level people of the media and civil society had
backed the military-backed government. They were told that they would be
brought to power. It was said that we did nothing. What did they do in those 2
years? Were they [those from the media] allowed to write independently during
the caretaker government's term?"
She remembered late journalist Bazlur Rahman. "Bazlur Rahman was indifferent
when the Minus Two formula was in force. He did not bow down to injustice."
"Bazlu Bhai criticised my acts, he also praised my good works in the same way."
The Prime Minister mentioned Bazlur Rahman's active role in all movements
against the Pakistani military rulers in the 60s for democracy and autonomy.
She also recalled his contribution as the General Secretary of Afro-Asia Public
Solidarity Council soon after independence, saying he had played a significant
role in winning recognition of the Middle East countries for Bangladesh.
Remembering the time of his death, she said, "I got the news of his demise when
I was in prison in 2008. I could not even convey my solace to his wife, Awami
League Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury, which still pains me."
Hasina later handed over the awards to Sharifuzzaman Pintu of Prathom Alo and
Rafat Minhaj of ATN News for their report on the Liberation War affairs.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddiqui presided over the
function which was also addressed by Trustees of the Liberation War Museum Dr
Sarwar Ali and Ziauddin Tariq Ali.
(source: bdnews24)
SLOVAKIA:
Slovak court changes WWII criminal's death penalty to life imprisonment
A Slovak court has commuted a death sentence imposed on a Hungarian World War
Two criminal to life imprisonment although he remains under house arrest in his
native country, the prosecution said on Thursday, March 27, according to RIA
Novosti.
Laszlo Csatary, 98, was found guilty in absentia in 1948 of whipping or
torturing Jews and helping to deport them to the Auschwitz death camp when he
served as police commander in the eastern Slovak city of Kosice.
He was sentenced to death and lived on the run for decades until Hungarian
authorities detained him and put him under house arrest in Budapest in July
last year. He has denied any guilt.
The sentence was changed to be in line with modern Slovak law. Czechoslovakia
abolished the death penalty in 1990, 3 years before its division into Slovakia
and the Czech Republic, Kosice prosecutor's office spokesman Milan Filicko
said.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center said last year it had provided Hungary with
evidence that Csatary helped to organize the deportation of around 16,000 Jews
to Auschwitz in Poland.
The transports came from Kosice, the eastern Slovak capital which became part
of Hungary in 1938 and was returned to Czechoslovakia after the end of the war.
According to a Czechoslovak court ruling from June 8, 1948, Csatary was found
guilty of deportations to Nazi death camps, and unlawfully whipping, torturing
or killing people in 1944.
(source: panarmenian.net)
UGANDA:
Activists ask MPs to abolish death penalty
Human Rights activists have urged MPs to expedite the passing of a law
abolishing the death penalty because it does not lead to reform or deterrence
of crime.
Livingstone Sewanyana, the executive director of the Foundation for Human
Rights Initiative, said the death penalty is a cruel, inhuman and degrading. He
made the remarks during a conference for MPs on penal code reform at Speke
Resort Munyonyo, on Wednesday.
Serere Woman MP Alice Alaso made a presentation on her Private Members Bill, in
which she seeks to restrict the penalty to the "most serious of crimes."
The law in its current form contains several provisions that prescribe
mandatory death penalties.
"The death penalty should be excluded in cases of political and economic crimes
like economic sabotage, treason and espionage," Alaso said, adding that it
should, however, be retained for most serious crimes like murder, rape and
aggravated defilement.
She was supported by other MPs like Medard Sseggona.
Baroness Nuala O'Loan, a Member of the Upper House of Lords in UK said death
penalty is neither correctional nor does it stop crime.
"Most often the people convicted of the death penalty are the poor, the
minority and the vulnerable. It is difficult to create criminal justice systems
which don't make mistakes," she said.
(source: New Vision)
NIGERIA:
The Senate President, David Mark wants death penalty for oil thieves
The Senate President, David Mark, on Wednesday, said that the Senate would not
hesitate to endorse death penalty for illegal bunkering and oil theft in the
country.
Mark gave the assurance while inaugurating the Senate Joint Committee on the
Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in Abuja.
The committee comprises the Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Gas,
Petroleum (Downstream) and Petroleum (Upstream)
The Chairman of the committee is Sen. Dahiru Umaru while Sen. Emmanuel Paulker
(Petroleum- Upstream), is to serve as Co-chairman.
Mark decried the increasing level of theft of Nigeria's oil resources, saying
the law should provide for severe sanctions to serve as deterrent.
"We are having a bad name internationally because of the rate of oil theft in
the country; oil theft deserves capital punishment," he said. "The law must
have a huge punishment on those that steal our oil to serve as a deterrent to
other people who plan to participate in the illegal act. If it's the public
wish I will endorse a death penalty for oil thieves if it will stop oil theft
and bunkering. It's an unusual situation, so it deserves an unusual remedy and
drastic punishment."
Mark said that contrary to suspicions by some Nigerians, the PIB would engender
transparency and growth in the petroleum industry.
He said the bill was designed to ensure that operations in the Nigerian oil
industry conformed to international best practises as obtainable in other major
petroleum producing countries.
"Nigerians are patriotic enough to know that what we are doing is in the best
interest of all Nigerians," he said. "The bill, as it stands today, is to
ensure a win-win situation for all the parties involved. This bill must show
transparency in the oil industry so that investors will come and get returns on
their investment."
Dahiru in his response, pledged that the joint committee would conduct its
assignment in the interest of Nigerians.
He called on Nigerians with expertise in the operations of the petroleum
industry to forward relevant ideas to the committee to further enrich the bill.
The joint committee is expected to submit its report within 6 weeks from the
date of its first sitting.
(source: spychana.com)
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