July 22
BRUNEI/UNITED KINGDOM:
School chief defends Brunei's death penalty for gays and says they should face
UK exile
A former chairman of governors at a school in Birmingham has defended the
Sultan of Brunei's death penalty for gay citizens.
Shahid Akmal, who was the chairman of governors at Nansen Primary School until
last week, told an undercover Mirror reporter: "It's his right and it's his
country, so why shouldn't he?"
The Mirror reports Mr Akmal defended jailing or exiling gay people and
adulterers under Sharia law as a "moral position to hold".
He said that gay people, adulterers and "fornicators" who have sex outside
marriage should face exile.
"The Koranic concept is that anyone who causes disruption in the community,
even if you put them in prison, from prison they can continue to cause
disruption as well," he said.
"So the best thing to do is to actually exile them so that the community can
remain solid and united. It's a moral position to hold."
Mr Akmal also expressed racist and sexist views.
He claimed that "white women have the least amount of morals" and that women
are "emotionally weaker" than men.
Mr Akmal appeared to defend British nationals fighting in Syria and Iraq as
"freedom fighters".
His school, Nansen primary, is among several in Birmingham to have been
criticised in a report by former counter-terrorism police officer Peter Clarke,
over fears about Islamic radicalism.
Last week, a scathing assessment by education watchdog Ofsted found that Nansen
primary's board of governors were "overly controlling".
Music had been removed from the timetable and children were "not prepared for
life in modern Britain".
Mr Akmal and Nansen primary has denied any wrongdoing.
In April, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah gave approval to a new penal code in Brunei
that calls for death by stoning for same-sex sexual activity.
A boycott campaign of the Sultan's international hotel chain, backed by several
celebrities, was launched in response.
(source: Pink News)
SINGAPORE:
Death Penalty - Resumes Executions
The Singapore Working Group on the Death Penalty Statement on executions
carried out on the 18th of July 2014.
The Singapore Working Group on the Death Penalty deeply regrets, and is gravely
disappointed at the executions of 2 individuals that took place today, 18th of
July 2014. Inmates Foong Chee Peng, 48, and Tang Hai Liang, 36, were hanged at
dawn this morning. Both men were convicted of drug trafficking.
These 2 executions brings to an end the moratorium that has been in place since
July 2011, when the government commenced an internal review of the mandatory
death penalty laws. This review took place without any public consultation nor
has it been made available for public scrutiny. Subsequently, the changes were
passed by Parliament in the exact form proposed by the government in July 2012,
despite various warnings about their potential problems.
We also wish to highlight that there is an ongoing application filed by another
drug offender before the Supreme Court, challenging the validity of section 33B
of the Misuse of Drugs Act because it violates Article 12 of our Constitution.
The hearing is fixed before the Court of Appeal on the 18th of August later
this year.
Given the fact that the constitutional challenge to the amendments could have a
potential bearing on the lawfulness of Foong and Tang's executions, it was
deeply unjust to have executed them before the constitutional challenge was
decided.
The injustice is compounded by the fact that we had written to the President
and the Minister of Home Affairs yesterday to highlight this situation and
urged for an urgent stay of execution until our courts have decided on this
constitutional challenge at the very least.
Finally, the executions are a regrettable step backwards for Singapore. The
death penalty has not been proven to be a more useful deterrent against crime
than alternative forms of punishment. Moreover, once carried out, miscarriages
of justice cannot be remedied.
We therefore reiterate our calls for the government to impose a moratorium on
all executions and move towards the abolition of capital punishment in
Singapore.
(source: Scoop News)
MALAYSIA:
Suhakam hopeful mandatory death penalty will be abolished
Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) is in favour of Malaysia joining
a list of countries which have outlawed the mandatory death penalty, especially
on drug traffickers.
Its vice-chairman, Dr Khaw Lake Tee is optimistic that officers of the
Attorney-General's Chambers who are currently undertaking a comprehensive study
on the matter, will come up with positive recommendation by year-end.
"Let's hope something positive will come out of this, since not all those
prosecuted in courts are members of drug syndicates or cartels," he noted.
During a media briefing on Malaysia's Second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at
the Suhakam headquarters here, he said the government had partially agreed on
outlawing the mandatory death sentence which was one of the recommendations
proposed by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
She said Suhakam had been working with the Malaysian Bar Council, members of
parliament, foreign ministry and other stakeholders on the need for courts
(judges) to be given discretionary powers in imposing much more appropriate
sentences, including life sentences.
UPR is a mechanism established by the UNHRC to improve human rights situation
in each of the 193 UN member states by reviewing their human rights records
every 4 1/2 years.
Although she agreed that Malaysia was one of the major drug transit points
where authorities needed to come hard on drug traffickers, she noted that it
should also be taken into consideration that a number of cases of innocent
people, including women, were lured as drug mules.
Under Malaysian law, offences related to drugs, murder and waging war against
the ruler or Yang-Di-pertuan Agong carried mandatory death sentences.
On the possibility of Malaysia voluntarily imposing a moratorium on the death
penalty, Khaw said the government did not support the idea since some countries
which previously carried out such a move had recently reintroduced its
application.
The Suhakam vice-chairman said Malaysia had accepted 150 out of 232
recommendations received from member states.
Perusing on some of the recommendations, Khaw said the Government accepted in
allocating more funds for the promotion of the rights of persons with
disabilities, particularly in the areas of employment, education and housing.
(source: Bernama)
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
UAE steps up fight against terror with tough law
A new draft law to combat terrorism is one step closer to reality after it was
approved by members of the Federal National Council on Monday.
The law will usher in new security measures to counter a sweeping range of
crimes deemed as acts of terror.The government fast-tracked the draft law which
establishes "terrorist" capital offences which result in the death of a victim
including attacks on a head of state or his family or a representative or
officer of a state; coerced recruitment of individuals into a "terrorist"
organisation; hijacking; hostage-taking; infringement of diplomatic or consular
premises in committing a "terrorist" act; use of nuclear, chemical or
biological weapons and assaulting security forces.
Convicted terrorists will face capital punishment, life imprisonment and fines
of up to Dh100 million, according to a new legislation.
The draft law defines a terrorist offence as "any action or inaction made crime
by this law and every action or inaction made crime by any other law if they
are carried out for a terrorist cause".
A terrorist intent is established by a direct or indirect terrorist result or
when an offender knows that the action or inaction leads, in its nature or
context, to terrorist results. Terrorist results include inciting fear among a
group of people, killing them, or causing them serious physical injury, or
inflicting substantial damage to property or the environment, or disrupting
security of the international community, or opposing the country, or
influencing the public authorities of the country or another country or
international organisation while discharging its duties, or receiving a
privilege from the country or another country or an international organisation,
according to the draft law.
The UAE is a signatory to 13 international treaties on terrorism.
Ali Jasem, a veteran member of the House from Umm Al Quwain, said that a
terrorism-related case shall neither expire nor the sentence imposed be dropped
by prescription.
The draft law would also authorise the Cabinet to set up lists of designated
terrorist organisations and persons.
The Cabinet would also establish counselling centres where convicted terrorists
will receive intensive religious and welfare counselling in jails in a
programme targeted against future threats posed by those holding extremist
views, according to the draft law, a copy of which was obtained by Gulf News.
Every legal person whose representatives, managers or agents commit or
contribute to the commission of any of the terrorist offences provided in the
draft law, would receive a fine ranging between Dh1 million and Dh100 million.
A committee to be named The National Committee for Combating Terrorism is
suggested to be established, and a decision towards its establishment would be
made by the Cabinet.
The draft law states that an attempt on the life of the president of the state,
the vice-president, members of the Supreme Council, crown princes, deputy
rulers or members of their families will be punishable with the death sentence.
Life or provisional imprisonment will be imposed on those convicted of
committing an attempt on the life of persons covered by international
protection.
The penalty for compelling the president of the State, the vice-president, the
prime minister, a minister, speaker and members of the FNC to take or refrain
from an action will be life imprisonment.
Taking or refraining from carrying out an action that threatens the security of
the country, its integrity or sovereignty will be a crime punishable by the
death penalty or life imprisonment. The same penalty will be imposed on those
convicted of committing or refraining from taking any such action with the
intent to overthrow the government, suspend any article of the constitution,
stop any public institution from discharging its responsibilities or harm
national unity or social peace.
For equal criminal acts, offenders with terrorist intent will receive a much
greater penalty than those without.
A person need only threaten, incite or plan any terrorist act to be prosecuted
as a terrorist and punished with the same penalty for perpetrators of these
acts, states the bill, fast-tracked by the government.
Signing up to a terrorist organisation will be punished with the death penalty,
while an attempt to join any such organisation will cost the offender a life
imprisonment, states the draft law.
Capital punishment or life imprisonment is the penalty for a person who
commissions or runs a training centre for terrorist operations.
"Whoever seeks or communicates with a foreign state, terrorist organisation or
with anyone who works for their interests, to commit any terrorist act, shall
be punished with imprisonment for life while the death penalty will be imposed
if the terrorist act has been carried out," the bill suggests.
The bill makes it a crime punishable with up to 10 years' jail for any person
who does not provide authorities with information relating to any terrorist
activity.
(source: Gulf News)
*****************
Man given death penalty by Dubai court for killing his employer----Pakistani
clerk was given death penalty in absentia for murdering and robbing his
employer
MR, a 31-year-old Pakistani clerk who killed his employer and robbed him before
fleeing the country, was awarded death penalty in absentia by the Dubai
Criminal Court of First Instance.
The court however acquitted the convict's compatriot MA, 36, technician, due to
lack of evidence.
The Dubai Prosecution had accused the 2 men of killing their employer and
stealing Dh80,000 through forged cheques in addition to Dh92,000 that they
withdrew by using his ATM card.
The prosecution charged that the 2 had planned to kill IR and prepared a knife
and plastic bags prior to committing the crime in May 2009.
The court records show that the victim died after MR stabbed him on different
parts of his body.
Then the 2 accused put the victim's body in a plastic bag and left it in a
store after stealing his wallet and 2 cheques.
MR forged the victim's signature on 2 cheques and withdrew Dh80,000. He also
used the victim's ATM card and withdrew Dh92,499.
The company's 24-year-old Pakistani transport supervisor told investigators
that he saw his employer last time at 8.30pm on May 28, 2009 when he left the
office.
"On Saturday May 30, 2009, I received a call from the clerk, MR, who told me
that he is in the office and nobody had come to office yet. After about an hour
and a half, I went to the office and as the company's owner was not there. I
asked the clerk about our employer. He told me that our employer is sick and
will not come to the office. We worked normally on that day till 8pm we all
left the office.
"Next day, I was shocked to see the clerk, MR, holding company's keys and the
employer's mobile phone. He told me that our employer had left for Pakistan to
finish some urgent matters.
"After this short talk, the clerk left the office and didn't come in the
afternoon. We suspected him because he did not answer our phone calls," the
transport supervisor told investigators.
On the following day, when the clerk did not come to office, the company's
staff became suspicious and informed the police.
"We learnt from police that the clerk, MR, is outside the country but our
employer had not left the country at all. This information refuted what the
clerk had told us about the employer travelling abroad for an urgent matter.
The employer was absent for the past 3 days," said the supervisor.
Police immediately launched the investigation.
A week later, police found the body of the employer and discovered that the 2
cheques of Dh80,000 value were collected. In addition to that money was
withdrawn from the employer's account.
Other workers made corroborative testimonies that the clerk was seen running
the company and possessing the keys and the employer's mobile phone.
A worker told investigator that he saw the clerk having the keys of the office
and the mobile phone of the employer.
"I asked the clerk if he had taken over the company and he answered me
affirmatively. He also paid the salaries to the staff. On top of that he asked
me to hand over the passport to the technician, MA, who was also paid Dh1,000
on top of his salary as he had to travel to Pakistan."
Other workers repeated similar testimonies saying that both the clerk and the
technician did not accompany them for the Friday prayer on that day their
employer went missing.
Police identified body of the victim from his fingerprints and identified the
clerk MR as prime suspect. Camera footage showed MR along with another person
withdrawing money from the victim's account.
In 2013, police extradited the technician, MA, from Pakistan. He denied killing
their employer or helping MR to commit the murder.
"While I was going to perform Friday prayer, MR and the victim asked me to
accompany them. So I went with them to a large store where the victim started
taking measurements. I was shocked when MR pulled a knife he was hiding under
his dress and stabbed our employer with while the latter was taking
measurements.
"MR then threatened to kill me if I do not help him to put the body in a big
sack that he had brought with him. He took our employer's mobile and keys
before putting the body in the sack and left it in the store.
"Next day I told MR that I want to leave the country so he paid me Dh10,000,
and gave me an air-ticket and my passport," MA told the police.
Forensic reported that the wounds on the victim's face happened after his death
which made it difficult to identify him.
It also reported that the victim sustained fatal stabs in his body and neck had
also been slit.
(source: emirates247)
_______________________________________________
DeathPenalty mailing list
DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu
http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty
Search the Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/deathpenalty@lists.washlaw.edu/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A free service of WashLaw
http://washlaw.edu
(785)670.1088
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
