April 9
IRAN----executions
1 Prisoner Hanged in Northwestern Iran- 3 to be Hanged in Baluchestan; After a
break in the executions on the occasion of the Iranian new year, the executions
have resumed in Iran. 1 prisoner was hanged in Ardebil today and 3 other
prisoners are scheduled to be hanged in the Baluchestan province in the near
future.
1prisoner was hanged in the prison of Ardebil (Northwestern Iran) early Tuesday
morning April 8, reported the Iranian state media.
According to the official website of the Iranian Judiciary in Ardebil, the
prisoner who was not identified by name, was convicted of possession of 964
grams of heroin.
The official Iranian news agency IRNA reported about the scheduled execution of
3 people in the province of Sistan-Baluchestan in the near future. Quoting
Ebrahim Hamidi, head of the Judiciary in Sistan-Baluchestan province, the
report said: 3 people convicted of Moharebeh (waging war against the God) for
organizing armed groups and murdering the prosecutor of Zabol (Southeastern
Iran) will be executed soon. The exact time and place of the executions will be
announced soon, said the report.
Iran Human Rights (IHR) had previously warned against an execution wave in
Baluchestan Province following the kidnapping of 5 Iranian border guards. One
of the border guards was allegedly executed by the kidnappers.
(source: Iran Human Rights)
***************
Court prevents lawyer from accessing files of 5 Sunni prisoners
Branch 28 of the Revolutionary court in Tehran has prevented a lawyer from
accessing the files of 5 Sunni prisoners sentenced to death in Iran, under the
pretext that the cases are 'secret and confidential'.
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the
families of the prisoners had tried to appoint a leading Iranian lawyer, Mr
Ehsan Mazin, to be involved in the defense of the 5 death-row prisoners.
However, the head of Branch 28 of the Revolutionary court, Judge Mohammad
Moghisseh, had prevented the lawyer from accessing the files.
A source told the HRANA, "The judicial authorities did not consent to the
involvement of the appointed lawyer under the pretext that the files were
secret and confidential."
The 5 Sunni prisoners of conscience, Timor Naderi Zadeh, Barzan Nasrollah
Zadeh, Varya Ghaderifard, Farshid Nasseri and Kayvan Momenifard, were sentenced
to death by Judge Mohammad Moghisseh for charges including 'enmity against
God.'
In December 2013, a human rights lawyer who requested to represent the cases of
6 other Sunni prisoners sentenced to death was also prevented from accessing
their cases by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary court.
Numerous Sunni clerics, preachers and activists have been imprisoned and even
executed in Iran, often following unfair trials based on 'confessions' obtained
through torture. The Iranian regime commonly falsely accuses Sunni preachers of
'enmity against God', in an attempt to justify their imprisonment and
execution.
(source: HRA news)
SOUTH KOREA:
Stepdaughter's murder stirs outrage
Public rage is boiling over against a woman who allegedly beat her 8-year-old
stepdaughter to death with more than 250 petitions demanding hash punishment
submitted to the Daegu District Court in the last 6 months.
The 35-year-old stepmother who lives in Chilgok, North Gyeongsang Province, is
accused of kicking and punching the girl in the stomach repeatedly in August,
according to court officials. The elementary school student died from
peritonitis caused by ruptured organs 2 days after the beating.
The prosecutors' office in Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province, indicted the
stepmother, identified as Lim, for causing injury resulting in death instead of
murder and demanded 20 years in prison. The prosecution also sought a 7-year
prison term for the dead girl's father for ignoring the abuse.
The public and the media argue that Lim intended to kill the 8-year-old girl,
judging by the level of violence, and should face a murder charge. Despite the
public outrage, prosecutors decided not to change the indictment.
The court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on Friday.
Another woman from Ulsan, South Gyeongsang Province, was also indicted late
last year for beating her 8-year-old step daughter and breaking 16 ribs. The
child died at the scene of the crime. The prosecution sought the death penalty
against the woman, and the court will sentence her this Friday, as well.
The abuse by Lim was exposed by the Korean Women Lawyers Association (KWLA), a
group of female lawyers who fight against violence against children. The
association has also been involved in the "Ulsan stepmother" case.
Lim was initially indicted along with another stepdaughter, a 12-year-old
biological sister to the dead child. The girl testified that she kicked her
younger sister in the stomach when they fought over a doll.
The children's paternal aunt asked the KWLA to take the case in February, and
the sister of the dead girl decided to testify 2 days before the final hearing
in which the prosecution was going to demand a sentence. The hearing was closed
to the public.
KWLA Chairwoman Lee Myung-sook said at a press conference Wednesday that
because of inconsistency in the testimonies, her sincerity was in doubt.
However, lawyers confirmed that she is honest after interviewing teachers from
the 2 schools she went to. They had taken photos of bruises on her body and had
reported it to anti-child abuse bodies.
According to the Yonhap News Agency, the sister told the judges in the closed
hearing that Lim kicked the dead girl in the stomach 10 times in the afternoon
and punched the same area 15 times on the evening of Aug. 14.
She wrote a letter to the court, claiming that Lim forced her to testify that
she killed her sister and demanded a death sentence for the stepmother.
Various media outlets reported that the sister testified that Lim put her in a
washing machine and switched it on. The father allegedly recorded the dead
child in a critical condition with his mobile phone before she died and later
showed it to the sister.
The biological mother of the 2 children asked April 4 that the family court
divest the father of his parental rights.
(source: The Korea Times)
CHINA:
Policeman's death sentence appeal rejected
A court on Wednesday rejected the appeal of a former policeman who was given a
death sentence for shooting a pregnant woman dead in south China's Guangxi
Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The Higher People's Court of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region upheld the
verdict handed down to Hu Ping, who was sentenced to death for intentional
homicide at his first trial in February.
Guigang Intermediate People's Court heard the case publicly on Feb. 13.Hu was
also ordered to pay 73,324 yuan (12,091 U.S. dollars) in compensation to the
victim's family at the 1st trial.
A police investigation found that Hu, 34, was drunk when he shot the woman and
her husband, who ran a rice noodle restaurant, on Oct. 28 in Pingnan County.
The husband, Cai Shiyong, sustained minor injuries to his right shoulder. His
wife, Wu Ying, and their unborn child died after being shot twice by Hu.
COURT RULING
In his defense during the the appeal hearing held on April 1, Hu denied that he
shot three times as prosecutors alleged. He also argued the firearm residue on
Cai's sleeve proved he had tried to grab the gun, which caused it to discharge
accidentally.
During Wednesday's public trial, the Higher People's Court denied his arguments
as several witnesses testified that Cai had not attempted to grab the gun until
after his wife had been shot.
The court also rejected the request of Hu's lawyer's for new evaluation on Hu's
mental state when the shooting occurred. The lawyer believed Hu was too drunk
to be aware of his behavior.
An examination report by the Fifth People's Hospital of Nanning showed that Hu
was drunk but in control.
According to the court, Hu, as a policeman, first violated the regulations on
gun control by carrying a gun to a dinner party and getting drunk. Then he
committed crimes by shooting innocent people and leaving one dead and the other
injured, according to the Higher People's Court.
Hu's crime employed "exceptionally cruel methods" and caused "abominable
influence on society," said the court.
The ruling of the 1st trial was based on "clear facts" and "valid and adequate
evidence," and "the conviction was accurate and then penalty proper," it said.
It will report Hu's case to the Supreme People's Court for verification and
approval, it added.
It has not yet been decided when the Supreme People's Court will deliver the
final verdict.
(source: People's Daily)
TURKEY/EGYPT:
Turkey rallies against 528 death sentences in Egypt
Thousands gathered at squares across Turkey Wednesday to voice their
condemnation of the mass death sentences handed down by an Egyptian court
against hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members.
A number of non-governmental organizations along with youth branches of
Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party held rallies around the
country including the cities of Antalya, Kayseri, Izmir and Sakarya.
The demonstrators put up symbolic scaffolds in the main squares and carried
placards reading "Humanity is dying, world remains mute", "Oppression of Sisi,
shame of the world" and "Egypt has never changed, its dungeons are still full
of Yousef's (the Prophet who was unduly thrown into a dungeon in then Egypt)."
Messages were also read out decrying the death sentences and maintaining
Turkey's clear and firm stance against the coup regime that removed Egypt???s
first democratically elected president of Egypt last summer.
Petition campaigns for the annulment of the death penalty have also been
launched in some of the cities where the protests were held.
Meanwhile, a member of the Turkish Parliament's Human Rights Investigation
Commission, Levent Gok, submitted a petition to the head of commission calling
for an urgent meeting to discuss the mass death sentences.
In his petition, Gok asserted that the Egyptian court ruling is unjust in terms
of the trial period length and its procedures, warning that the rulings'
implementation may lead to further polarization within the Egyptian community
provoking feelings of hatred and revenge.
Later on Wednesday, Turkey's National Assembly adopted a joint declaration that
condemned the death sentences.
Signed by all political parties represented in the parliament, the declaration
urged Egypt's administration not to implement the sentences.
"The joint wish of the Turkish nation is that these sentences -- which may cast
a pall on Egypt's struggle for democracy, as well as its hopes, dreams and
future, and be remembered as a disgraceful event in the history of mankind --
will not be implemented," the declaration said.
The international community, including officials from the United Nations, EU,
the U.S. and human rights watchdogs such as Amnesty International, has also
condemned the death sentences.
All the defendants, including 397 people being tried in absentia, faced charges
of committing violence, in Minya in August 2013, following the violent
dispersal by security forces of pro-democracy sit-ins in Cairo and Giza, which
left hundreds of protesters dead.
(source: Anadolu Agency)
BANGLADESH:
1 to die, 4 get life for killing college girl
A Netrakona court yesterday sentenced a man to death and 4 others to life
imprisonment for killing a college girl in 2009.
The man, awarded death penalty, is Polash Khan, 22, son of late Mofiz Khan of
Khila village under Atpara upazila of the district.
The lifers are Nazrul, 25, son of Abdur Rashid, Kamrul, 28, son of Mofiz Khan,
Sajib, 25, and Shah Alam, 27, sons of Abdur Rouf of the same village.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Abdul Hamid fined the lifers Tk 20,000
each, in default they are to suffer 5 more years in jail.
According to the prosecution, Khadiza Akhter, 19, a first year honours student
of Eden College in Dhaka, was stabbed to death by Polash and his 4 accomplices
in front of their house at Khila village in Atpara upazila of the district on
September 1, 2009 as she refused to marry Polash.
Victim's father Mohammad Fazlul Karim filed a murder case with Atpara Police
station on the day, accusing Polash, Nazrul, Kamrul, Sajib and Alam.
Police pressed charges against the 5 on May 20, 2010. After examining the
witnesses and evidence, Judge Abdul Hamid found them guilty and pronounced the
verdict.
(source: The Daily Star)
NIGERIA:
National Conference: Delegate Seeks Death Penalty for Tax Evasion
A delegate at the ongoing National Conference, Dan Nwanyanwu has advocated for
the death penalty for tax evaders in Nigeria. While speaking at the conference
on Tuesday, Nwanyanwu of the Labour Party pointed out that most of the problems
facing Nigeria are self-inflicted. He noted that the problems occur mainly
because of Nigerians' persistent recourse to religion and ethnicity. In his
opinion, there is no love among Nigerians, yet they pretend to one another as
if everything is all right.
Nwanyanwu went on to say "between 1983 and 1985 a Nigerian was adjudged to be
the best surgeon and another Nigerian once solved a problem for NASA. Such
Nigerians will not come back to the country because they risk either being
kidnapped or killed".
He said Nigerians have chased away the best brains in the country and the
National Conference must put a stop to that. He also decried the situation
where Nigeria relies on foreign anti-corruption agencies to solve economic
crimes "it is only in Nigeria that someone will sell N2bn property without
paying a dime to government. In China tax evasion attracts death penalty. We
should implement that in this country," Nwanyanwu said.
In his contribution, Frank Nweke, a former Minister said Nigeria cannot develop
by accident. He cited examples that the countries being looked up to by Nigeria
were built by visionaries who were disciplined and continued to make progress
on the same premise. While saying that "the world is not waiting for Nigeria",
Nweke said great leaders know about the law of Karma, and that for every
action, there is a reaction.
While contributing, Chief Jim Nwobodo said religious difference is not an issue
in Nigeria. He described it as a creation of those who want to rule. While
advocating for religious tolerance among Nigerians, Nwobodo pointed out that
the late Abubakar Rimi was his best man during his wedding.
Nwobodo also expressed hope for a better Nigeria as he said he sees the hope of
tomorrow in the youth of today. He advocated for employment opportunities for
the youth and also urged delegates to replicate what the youths have done for
the country, citing the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games as an example.
Jonathan Obaje, a Nigerian living in Singapore and representative of Nigerians
in Asia at the conference made it clear that Nigeria does not have a choice but
to develop. He said in spite of not having a single mineral resource, Singapore
is highly developed. Obaje continued that though even drinking water is
imported in Singapore, the country has managed to surmount all odds and has
become a developed country.
(source: The Street Journal)
INDIA:
Bombay high court to hear German Bakery blast case from June 15
The Bombay high court from June 15 will commence the final hearing in the death
confirmation of Mirza Himayat Baig, the lone convict in Pune's 2010 German
Bakery blast case.
The high court will also hear the appeal filed by Baig against his conviction.
In addition, it will decide 3 intervention applications - 2 by witnesses and 1
by a journalist - challenging the prosecution case.
Mahmood Pracha, Baig's advocate, sought that Baig should be produced in person
so that he could take instructions (from Baig) if required.
Special public prosecutor Raja Thakare said that Baig could be produced through
video conferencing like it is being done in recent high-profile cases.
Arshad Shaikh, advocate for 2 witnesses - Shaikh Gous Khurshid Ahmed and Abdul
Rehan Ahmed Shaikh - claimed that they were coerced and tutored into making
deliberate false statements before the court with a malafide intention of
securing conviction of Baig.
The witnesses have also alleged that before they were to depose in the trial
court, they were kept separately for several days and tutored by the state Anti
Terrorism Squad (ATS) personnel as to the nature of recoveries and statements
that were relied on to convict the accused in the trial.
Journalist Ashish Khetan has also filed an intervention application praying for
a re-investigation in the case by an independent agency alleging fabrication of
evidence and tutoring of witnesses by ATS.
Mihir Desai, Khetan's advocate, said the journalist has carried out a sting
operation wherein witnesses have said that they were coerced by the ATS to give
testimony in their favour.
On February 13, 2010 a bomb exploded inside the German Bakery in Pune's
upmarket Koregaon Park area killing 17 persons, including 5 foreigners and
injuring 58 others.
On April 19, the sessions court in Pune awarded death penalty to Baig, a
resident of Beed.
As per the law, the state government has to get the death sentence confirmed
from the Bombay high court.
**********************
Pune bus rampage: Driver seeks check-up by doctor from outside Pune
Santosh Mane, the state transport bus driver who was given the death penalty
for mowing down nine people and injuring several others in an incident in 2012,
has sought to be re-examined by a psychiatrist or any doctor from outside Pune
to prove that he was in an unsound state of mind.
The 36-year-old driver's lawyer, Jagdish Mane, put this request on Tuesday to
the Bombay High Court, which is hearing a petition by the state government to
confirm the death sentence.
Mane has challenged his conviction on the ground that he was of unsound mind
and was undergoing treatment for mental illness.
The lawyer told a division bench of judges NH Patil and Anuja Prabhudessai that
Mane had been examined by doctors from the Yerawada mental facility who
certified that he was fit to undergo trial. But the doctors were never examined
as witnesses by the prosecution about the certificate they had given.
"The doctors from Pune are biased. Mane should be examined by a psychiatrist
from any other civil hospital in Maharashtra," the lawyer argued.
The judges asked the lawyer whether this issue had been raised before the trial
court. The judges also observed that if the prosecution had not examined the
doctors as witnesses, the defence could always have called them as witnesses.
"You have to make an application if you want the convict to be examined. We
will hear your application and see if a case is made out. This plea of unsound
mind can be raised during the hearing of the appeal also," judge Patil said.
The court posted the matter for further hearing on April 29.
On January 25, 2012, Mane hijacked an empty state transport bus from the
Swargate depot in Pune and drove off on the wrong side of the road, catching
oncoming traffic and people unaware.
Mane drove about 25 km, rammed into vehicles and knocked down pedestrians. The
police and some passersby chased the vehicle and managed to detain the driver.
In December 2013, the sessions court in Pune held Mane guilty and awarded the
death penalty for the crime, calling it a rarest of rare cases that demanded
the extreme punishment.
(source for both: DNAIndia.com)
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