June 11
THAILAND:
Amnesty Int'l urges Thailand to stop using emergency decree in far South
Amnesty International has called on the Thai government to lift the emergency
decree in the Deep South in hopes to decrease violence in the region while also
urging Thailand to take care of refugees.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday met with Secretary-General of
Amnesty International Salil Shetty at Government House. She told Mr Shetty that
Thailand was already cooperating with the United Nations in providing
humanitarian assistance for refugees.
As for the problem of southern unrest, the premier said the government's peace
talks with insurgent groups had just started and she hoped that they would be
able to return peace to the region.
The Amnesty International chief also asked the Thai government to revise laws
related to human rights, such as the Computer Crime Act, so that Thai people
would have more freedom of expression.
Mr Shetty praised Thailand for limiting the use of shackles on inmates and
called on the country to officially cancel death penalty.
(source: National News Bureau of Thailand)
PAKISTAN:
Justice served
A Karachi Anti-Terrorism Court hearing the Shahzeb Khan Murder Case has handed
death penalty to the principal accused, Shahrukh Jatoi and Nawab Siraj Talpur,
and life terms to their 2 accomplices. Shahrukh was also sentenced to rigorous
imprisonment for three years for possessing weapons without license, and
another accomplice to one year additional imprisonment for assaulting
20-year-old Shahzeb's sister. The verdict has been widely welcomed since it had
become a test case for the justice system. These convicted murders, spoiled
brats from wealthy, politically influential families, had almost gotten away
with murder, but for the suo motu notice taken by the Chief Justice of Pakistan
and the media attention that stayed focused on every aspect of the case. Still,
arrogance of power seemed to possess the main culprit, Shahrukh Jatoi, that the
system would bail him out at some point. As soon as the judge finished reading
the verdict, the young man started clapping as if to say, 'I will still get
away' as the case moves on to the courts of appeal, and also flashed a victory
sign while being escorted to an armoured police van.
From start to finish the case is a classic illustration of how the system
protects the rich and the powerful. Even though the murdered young man's father
was a senior police officer and an uncle of MNA belonging to the ruling PPP,
the police would not register a proper First Information Report until the
uncle, backed by the MQM leader Altaf Hussain, went to the concerned police
station along with a large number of political supporters. Then Jatoi managed
to flee to Dubai and the concerned officials insisted they had no record of his
exit from the country. The police officer in charge of the case did not conduct
proper investigation. The ATC judge has now given him show cause notice saying
"he is liable for action for the defective investigation." A medical report
fallaciously declared Jatoi as under age so that as a juvenile he could escape
due punishment. Meanwhile, the murdered boy's family remained under threats and
pressure to accept blood money, and successive prosecuting officers subjected
to similar pressure, preventing them from pursuing the case properly with the
result that the position changed hands about 5 times. If still justice has
triumphed it calls for celebration though death sentence by itself does not.
It is not the end of the story yet. As expected, the defence counsel has
already said an appeal against the ATC verdict is to be filed in the Sindh High
Court. It is imperative that the new government brings all those to account who
played a role in aiding and abetting the criminals and obstruction of justice.
While the investigating officer has to answer for not doing his duty, those
responsible for facilitating the principal murderer's unrecorded escape to
Dubai must also be held to account in a transparent manner. This is needed not
to ensure that the four individuals are punished for their crime, but to
establish supremacy of the rule of law under which all people are equal.
(source: Business Recorder)
**************
Karachi Man gets death penalty for killing sister
A man was awarded death penalty by a court on Monday for killing his sister in
2006.
District and Sessions Judge (West) Shahnawaz Tariq while announcing the verdict
observed that Azam Khan, a resident of Saeedabad, had killed his younger sister
using a sharp-edged-knife on May 30, 2006.
Khan had actually tried to kill his mother following a quarrel, but when his
sister interfered, he used the weapon on her.
He stabbed his sister, who died on the spot, whereas Khan also injured his
mother with the knife. She was shifted to a hospital where she recovered.
A case was registered against him at the Saeedabad police station.
Besides the capital punishment, Khan will also spend 10 years in prison for
trying to kill his mother.
The court imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on Khan.
The act of killing one's own sister is called sororicide and often for honour.
There are many examples of sororicide in adolescents, even pre-adolescents,
where physical aggression can get out of hand and lead to the death of one of
them, particularly when a potent weapon is available or one is significantly
older than the other and misjudges his or her own strength.
(source: The Pakistan News)
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO/GLOBAL:
Abolitionists hold conference in Spain
Only for the most extreme cases. That's part of Government's continuing stance
on the death penalty, which remains on T&T law books and which currently
applies to 30 persons on death row - including one female. Speaking on the eve
of this week's international Anti-Death Penalty Congress in Spain, where the
global abolitionist movement will caucus, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said,
"This is an emotional political issue with powerful arguments on both sides.
"There may be doubt whether it is a potent and effective deterrent, but it is
difficult to argue with victims who rest their case on the principle of
retribution. In the final analysis, it is a matter that should be decided by
the people."
Global focus will fall on the issue of the death penalty in the Caribbean when
the fifth annual Anti-Death Penalty Congress takes place in Madrid, Spain, from
tomorrow to Saturday. The event has been organised annually since 2001 by the
Ensemble Contre la Peine du Mort (Together Against the Death Penalty) and the
World Coalition Against the Death Penalty. It is being held this year on
invitation of the Spanish government with support from the French, Norwegian
and Swiss governments. The summit, expected to be attended by 1,500 people from
90 countries, unites members of international civil society, politicians and
legal experts to heighten the global lobby for the abolition of the death
penalty.
Part of the gathering involves 200 participants from countries such as T&T and
others regionally,, which still retain the death penalty. Amnesty International
estimates 13 of the 58 states that retain the death penalty are in the
English-speaking Caribbean. Apart from special focus on the Arab and African
regions in this year's programme, the conference???s first day activities
feature a session on the death penalty in the Caribbean region. Feature
speakers include T&T's Leela Ramdeen, who will present a paper representing the
Greater Caribbean for Life group. This involves 7 people from T&T, Belize,
Guatemala, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and St Vincent & the Grenadines.
While deeply sympathising with the victims of violent crime, the group doesn't
believe the death penalty makes societies safer. Members, however, believe
abolition of the death penalty in T&T and the Caribbean will require a
multi-faceted approach that addresses issues including improving the criminal
justice and administration of justice systems, tackling crime and violence,
addressing victims' rights, enhancing education systems 1' and changing the
minds of people. As for T&T's positon on the death penalty issue, Ramlogan told
the T&T Guardian: "There is no doubt the death penalty can be a deterrent, as
it has an effect on the psyche of the criminal, but I'm aware that there's a
raging academic debate on this issue. "Victims and supporters argue it has
nothing to do with the concept of deterrence, because it has to do with
retribution and the enforcement of the law. Abolitionists argue that it is
cruel and inhumane, is not an effective deterrent and 'an eye for an eye'
leaves the whole world blind."
Ramlogan added, "As the duly-elected government, we're sworn to uphold and
enforce the laws of this land and therefore duty bound to facilitate and
advance its implementation as long as it remains on the books." On the status
of the Government's moves to try and implement the law regarding hangings
following its 2012 plan for legislation to categorise murders, Ramlogan said:
"The Government did introduce a bill to categorise murders and introduce some
measure of flexibility and discretion so that the death penalty would not be
automatically imposed in every case. We were influenced in this regard by the
American jurisprudence which distinguishes murders according to the particular
facts and circumstances in which the murder occurred (hence, for example,
murder in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree). "Unfortunately, this bill was not
passed because the Opposition voted against it. The Government, however, has no
difficulty with the proposition that the death penalty should be discretionary.
We are, however, equally committed and duty-bound to implement the law as it
presently stands."
On whether the matter would be taken further, the AG said soon after the
debate, he wrote Opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley several letters "in the hope
that we can have some meaningful dialogue on this issue." "Unfortunately, there
was no response. The Opposition has managed to maintain the contradictory
position that it supports the death penalty but cannot support or propose any
legislation to facilitate its implementation," Ramlogan said. Since some
quarters believe T&T, like other regional states, may soon have to take the
death penalty off its books, where does T&T stand in this scenario? Ramlogan
said, "I believe the overwhelming majority of the population favours the
retention of the death penalty. The murder rate is high and there are many who
believe in the principles of retention and deterrence. "The Government is in
favour of categorising murders so that the death penalty can be reserved for
the most extreme cases with the most brutal of heinous murders. The Opposition
objected to this and we were forced to remove it from the proposed amendment to
the Constitution. This, however, remains the Government's position."
Considering the 37 % reduction in serious crime (from 2012 to 2013 figures),
asked whether Government still sees the death penalty as absolutely necessary,
Ramlogan said, "The death penalty does not apply to most serious crimes. It
does, however, apply to murder and the murder rate is still high even though it
is on the decline." With some polls on T&T showing a large part of the
population favouring hanging, the AG was asked whether this can be expected
before the end of the term. "We cannot implement the death penalty without an
amendment to the Constitution. This requires a special majority in Parliament
for which Opposition support is necessary," he said. "In Jamaica the opposition
recently joined forces with the government to vote to amend the Jamaica
constitution to facilitate the implementation of the death penalty. We can only
live in hope." With the situation in limbo, the AG added, "The death penalty,
part of our law, is what we inherited from our colonial masters. The Privy
Council has ruled this is a valid part of T&T's binding laws. "Both the
Opposition and People's Partnership have publicly declared their commitment to
the implementation of the death penalty in response to the overwhelming public
support and demand for it." The AG added, "There is no universal consensus on
the morality or correctness of the death penalty. It forms part of the laws and
is in fact implemented in many countries, including certain states in the USA,
Singapore and China."
Opposition PNM says....
Opposition PNM deputy leader Marlene McDonald said the party stands by its
position in favour of the death penalty, but also maintains its position
against Government's recent legislation on it. PNM Senator Fitzgerald Hinds
added, "The death penalty issue is to me more of an intellectual exercise more
than emotional." He said matters were often overturned at Privy Council level
since that jurisdiction had abolished the death penalty. "They engage arguments
in a rigorous exercise so it becomes a matter of their legal wit against that
of Caribbean attorneys," he added.
"So we have to be very intellectual in our approach on this. When the
Government came with the last piece of legislation we examined it thoroughly
and found where the Privy Council would have walked right over the stipulations
of the bill." Hinds added, "We must now await what new measures Government will
present, then see whether that can meet Privy Council resistance."
THE MADRID MANDATE
CONGRESS TOPICS: include abolition and alternative sentences in the world,
juveniles and the death penalty in the world, drug trafficking and the death
penalty, legal representation in capital cases globally, the Middle East, Iran,
African and Asian regions and the death penalty, terrorism and abolition, the
state of abolition in the USA, Europe and future strategies, death penalty and
torture, abolitionist strategies.
POLITICAL FIGURES EXPECTED: President of Benin, Foreign Affairs Ministers of
Spain, France, Swiss Confederation, Norway, Mauritania, deputy prime ministers
of Luxembourg and Belgium, UN high commissioner for human rights, the general
secretary of the Council of Europe, president of the Commission of Human Rights
of the Iraq Parliament, president of the International Commission Against the
Death Penalty, and the former French Justice minister, who authored the French
law that abolished France's death penalty.
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATES: Northern Ireland peace activist Mairead Maguire,
former Iranian judge and women's/human rights activist, Shirin Ebadi, former
East Timor president Jose Ramos Horta.
TESTIMONIES FROM: former death row prisoners of Iran, Spain, Morocco, Uganda,
Taiwan, parents, spouses of death row prisoners and the former death row warden
of the US state of Virginia.
(source: The Guardian)
********************
FIDH will participate in the 5th World Congress against the Death Penalty
FIDH and 12 of its member organisations from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran,
Japan, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, Marocco, Botswana, Senegal and Spain
will participate in the 5th World Congress Against the Death Penalty (WCADP)
that will take place in Madrid from 12 to 15 June 2013. The WCADP is organized
by Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort (Together Against the Death Penalty - ECPM)
and in partnership with the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, to which
FIDH is a member of the Steering Committee since its creation in 2002.
In conformity with its consistent policy against the application of the death
penalty under any circumstances, FIDH has contributed to the organisation of
this important event and calls for a strong and coordinated action against the
use of the death penalty.
Gathering political actors, legal experts and representatives of the civil
society from across the world aiming at discussing and elaborating national and
international strategies for the universal abolition of death penalty, the
WCADP constitutes a major step towards the strenghtening of the global
abolitionist movement.
"On the occasion of the 5th World Congress, FIDH and its member organisations
reiterate their call for the universal abolition of this inhuman practice in
accordance with international human rights standards. The World Congress should
send out a clear message worldwide: that universal abolition is essential for a
world where progress and justice must prevail", declared Karim Lahidji, FIDH
President.
FIDH is largely engaged for the abolition of the death penalty through
investigative missions, advocacy, training and publication of reports. During
the last months, FIDH organized 2 investigative missions on North Korea and in
the United States.
In Madrid, FIDH will be represented by Florence Bellivier, FIDH Chargee de
mission on the Death Penalty and President of the World Coalition against the
Death Penalty, Mabassa Fall, FIDH Representative at the African Union, Amina
Bouyach, FIDH Secretary General, and representatives of 12 of its member
organisations from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Pakistan, Taiwan,
Thailand, USA, Marocco, Bostwana, Senegal and Spain. FIDH representantives will
in particular intervene on the use of death penalty in the Middle East and
North Africa Region, on the relations between death penalty and terrorism, on
the definition of the death penalty as torture and on the strengthening of
regional mechanisms against death penalty in Africa.
As of today, 140 States are abolitionist in law and practice. 58 States remain
retentionists, and a recent resumption of executions took place in a number of
countries, notably in Gambia, India, Japan, Pakistan and Taiwan. China, Iran,
Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the USA are the five biggest executioners in the world.
(source: FIDH.org)
*************
Former death row inmates fight capital punishment
12 years after leaving death row in Florida, Joaquin Martinez still cannot
abide traditional lightbulbs.
"At the time we still had the electric chair and just like in the movies, the
bulbs flickered and went out when they executed someone," said Martinez, who is
visiting Madrid to join the 5th World Congress against the Death Penalty.
"I don't have any normal lightbulbs at home, just halogens," he said.
His hair impeccably brushed back, the well-dressed 41-year-old Spaniard was
arrested in 1996 in Florida on suspicion of double murder before being found
not guilty by the US justice system and freed in 2001.
"I still dream sometimes that I am a prisoner. I wake up with a shudder," he
said in a presentation event ahead of the June 12-15 congress, organised by the
French lobby group Ensemble Contre La Peine de Mort (Together Against the Death
Penalty).
Organisers say they expect 1,500 people from 90 countries, including
high-profile politicians such as French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, to
gather for the congress.
The debate will be punctuated by testimony from people who were once condemned
to death or the relatives of those now living on death row.
Another Spaniard, 40-year-old Pablo Ibar, has now spent 19 years under lock and
key in the same Florida death row that Joaquin Martinez left behind.
Arrested in 1994 for triple murder, Ibar was condemned to death in 2000. Ever
since, his relatives have proclaimed his innocence.
Once a month, his 68-year-old father Candido Ibar, who lives in the United
States, drives for 7 hours for a visit, sometimes of less than 3 hours, held in
a room where death row inmates gather around about 50 tables to talk with those
close to them.
"He is the one who encourages me," Candido Ibar said in an interview with AFP,
with a wry look in his tired eyes. "I think he sees me, already old. He knows
how I feel and that gives him the strength to encourage me. He tells me: 'Don't
worry'."
As much a sportsman as his father, who played the Basque handball game pelota,
Pablo Ibar keeps in shape and pores over legal files to better follow his case
while waiting to hear if the US justice system will grant him a new trial.
His alleged accomplice was found not guilty and freed at the end of last year,
his family say. "Who are we to decide to take away someone's life?" asked
Candido Ibar.
"Especially when there have been several cases where the condemned have ended
up being found innocent." One of the goals of the congress, held every three
years since 2001, is to abolish the death penalty worldwide.
"We are not here to point a finger but more to convince countries to get rid of
this cruel, inhuman and degrading penalty," said the head of French lobby group
organising the meeting, Raphael Chenuil-Hazan.
"20 or 30 years ago, 2/3 of countries were anti-abolition and practised the
death penalty. Today that situation has reversed," he added.
But the 58 countries that still carry out the death penalty, of which 25 do so
regularly, "are obviously the hardest to convince," Chenuil-Hazan said.
Ahmed Haou, 54, condemned to death in Morocco in 1984 and pardoned in 1999, can
testify to the anguish of death row. "Every moment I thought they were going to
execute me: it is an absolute horror," he recalled in Madrid.
Today he sees a "glimmer of hope", however, noting a de facto moratorium in
place since 1993 in Morocco where about 100 prisoners have been sentenced to
death.
(source: New Straits Times)
CZECH REPUBLIC:
Catholic poet Rotrekl dies aged 92
Zdenek Rotrekl, Czech significant Catholic-oriented poet, writer and literary
historian who was severely persecuted by the communist regime, died on Sunday
at the age of 92, the Brno-seated Atlantis publisher's house has told CTK.
Rotrekl was one of the most distinguished personalities of the Catholic stream
in Czech poetry of the latter half of the 20th century.
He spent 13 years in communist prisons and was banned as author for 40 years.
In 1995, the then president Vaclav Havel bestowed a high state decoration, the
T.G. Masaryk Order, on Rotrekl for his merits.
Rotrekl's funeral will take place in Brno's St Thomas Church at 11:00 on June
15.
Born in Brno in 1920, Rotrekl issued his first volume of poems at the age of
20.
After World War Two, he started to study history, history of art and Sanskrit
at Brno's Faculty of Arts. However, after the communist coup in February 1948,
he was expelled from the university over his democratic stands.
In 1949 he was sentenced to death in a show trial. Later the death penalty was
changed to life imprisonment.
He finally spent 13 years in prison. After he was released he worked as a blue
collar.
In the late 1960s, a period of political thawing, Rotrekl completed his
university studies and became a reporter of the Obroda (Renewal) magazine.
In the 1970s and 1980s, when communist hardliners resumed power, Rotrekl was
ousted from the public life again.
He published 3 books of poetry before 1948. Then he continued writing, but
forty years elapsed before another his book was officially published in
Czechoslovakia. During the communist period (1948-89), he published his works
only within the samizdat underground structure, and also abroad.
Experts describe Rotrekl's poetry as spiritual, developing from metaphysical
longings to brightness stemming from his faith for which he paid dear in his
life.
Rotrekl won some prestigious prizes for his works and his contribution to Czech
literature.
(source: Prague Monitor)
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