Oct. 9
GHANA:
Ghana at crossroads over death penalty
Ghana is willing to abolish the death penalty and progress onto a higher level
of the human rights ranking, but the nation seems to have a tough time taking a
definite decision, a human rights organisation has said.
"The government of Ghana has stretched a hand of willingness to abolish the
death penalty in Ghana to move the country onto a high level on our human
rights ladder, however, the nation appears to be at crossroads at the moment,"
Amnesty International said on Thursday.
Human rights organisations, religious bodies and civil society organisations
have been urged to come together and chart an appropriate path that would
ensure the ultimate goal of getting rid of death penalty was realised.
Many believe that the death penalty is meant for armed robbers only and argue
for the retention of the clause in Ghana's constitution because of the
increasing spate of armed robbery cases in the country, Lawrence Amesu,
director of Amnesty International (AI) Ghana, said.
A lot of people also consider the death penalty as an effective deterrent, but
Amesu said "we are all aware that this not the case".
Despite the difficulties, Ghana is progressing steadily towards abolition of
the death penalty from its statutes, saying this is the time stakeholders
needed to step up their strategic campaigns for the expunging of the clause.
Since the death penalty clause was included in Ghana's 1992 constitution, the
courts continue to sentence people to death, although no executions have been
carried out since 1993.
Since then no president has signed any death warrant, instead, they have
commuted the punishments to life sentences of life imprisonment.
Referendum
In 2011, the government set up a Constitution Review Commission (CRC) with a
mandate to consult and offer recommendations for the review of the country's
supreme laws.
The CRC recommendation, among others, was the abolition of the death penalty,
which was accepted by the government, however, as one the entrenched clauses,
the recommendation ought to go to a referendum for the people of Ghana to make
a decision. "There appears to be different views on this, thus placing Ghana at
a crossroad as to which way to go," Amesu told a workshop on the abolishing the
death penalty.
A former human rights commissioner in the West African country, Justice Emile
Short said a good number of people suggested during the CRC that the death
penalty should be abolished.
Those who opposed attempts to abolish it argued that "anyone who attempts to
overthrow the constitutional order, the bases of all of our liberties and
aspirations, must be sentenced to death," Short stated.
Others had argued that the death penalty should be retained to serve as a
deterrent to perpetrators of crimes such as murder, armed robbery and rape and
to maintain order and security against treason.
Short said people had also maintained that there is a worldwide move towards
abolishing the death penalty and Ghana should follow suit, particularly when
neighbours Togo and Benin had already led the way.
Human rights advocate, Robert Amoafo told The Africa Report that the best
alternative to death penalty is life imprisonment with productive labour.
"Punishment meted out to offenders should be progressive and reformative, but
not to dehumanise people and deny them of their fundamental human rights," he
said.
(source: Theafricareport.com)
AFGHANISTAN:
Kabul police release photo of executed Paghman rapist
Kabul police released the 1st photo of one Paghman rapists who was executed in
Pul-e-Charkhi prison on Wednesday.
The perpetrators who were hanged to death, included Azizullah, Nazar Mohammad,
Qaisullah, Samiullah and Habibullah.
A security official said Thursday that the dead bodies of the executed
individuals were handed over to their families on Thursday.
The official speaking on the condition of anonymity said that the dead body of
a senior Mafia leader who was hanged to death on the same day, was also handed
over to his family.
Former President Hamid Karzai signed off on the death penalty of five
perpetrators of Paghman gang rape incident 2 days before the transfer of power.
All 5 men were sentenced to death by primary and appellate courts in Kabul,
which was approved by the Supreme Court of Afghanistan.
***************************************
Executed Kabul rape convict's sister attempts suicide
A woman attempted to commit suicide following the execution of 5 men over gang
rape of 4 women in capital Kabul.
According to the security officials, the woman shot herself with a pistol after
her brother - Samiullah was hanged to death along with 4 others on Wednesday.
The official from Paghman district police commandment said the woman was taken
to hospital and is under the treatment in Ibn-e-Sina hospital.
Samiullah along with Azizullah, Nazar Mohammad, Qaisullah and Habibullah were
found guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping and gang rape of 4 women in Paghman
district.
The individuals were sentenced to death by the primary and appellate court and
was approved by the Supreme Court of Afghanistan.
Former President Hamid Karzai signed on the death penalty of 5 convicts along
with the senior Mafia leader Habib Istalif before leaving office.
The 4 women were returning along with their family from a wedding ceremony when
they were abducted and repeatedly raped by the group earlier in August.
(source for both: Khaama Press)
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