July 29
INDIA:
Govt not in favour of abolishing death penalty: Kiren Rijiju
Government today said in Rajya Sabha that it is "not in favour" of abolishing
the capital punishment considering the "prevailing circumstances" in the
country.
"The prevailing circumstances in which we are living does not warrant abolition
of death penalty," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said while replying
to a private member's resolution moved by D Raja (CPI) for the abolition of
capital punishment in the country.
India has its own basis of formulating laws and it has to respect the
"sentiments of the people", Rijiju added.
He said there are several provisions in the Constitution such as Articles 71,
134 and 161 for commuting of death sentence and the Supreme Court has made it
clear that it should be used in "exceptional circumstances" and as an
"unavoidable alternative".
Enumerating the remedies available regarding death sentence, he said even if
capital punishment has been awarded by a lower court and has been upheld by the
High Court, the person can approach the Supreme Court.
"Even if that fails, one can approach the Governor and the President of India,"
the minister added.
On awarding of the death sentence, he said several factors such as the
accused's socio-economic condition, health, age and sex are considered before
awarding such a sentence.
Referring to recommendation made by the Law Commission, Rijiju said it
suggested abolishing death sentence except for terrorism and for waging war.
The Minister, as well as Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, suggested to Raja to
withdraw his resolution, but he did not agree saying he has taken up the issue
as a "mission and a missionary zeal".
Raja said: "It is not a question of technicality or legality, but we should
look at it philosophically and morally. Now the time has come when India should
emphatically say no to capital punishment."
The resolution was negated by the House by voice vote.
Earlier, during the discussion on the resolution, BJP's Basavaraj Patil said
government should amend rules related to capital punishment and until then
"death penalty should be stopped".
However, he said "some kind of fear is needed and the government should do
serious thinking in this regard".
Vishambhar Prasad Nishad (SP) said rules that provide for death penalty for
"some crimes" should be changed, arguing that "many crimes are committed due to
deprivation".
(source: The Times of India)
IRAN:
52 executions in 17 days
9 prisoners were hanged on July 27, 2016, in prisons of Orumiyeh, Mashhad, Yazd
and Tehran. 6 of them were hanged together in the Central Prison of Orumiyeh.
On July 20, another 9 prisoners were executed in Gohardasht and Central prisons
of Karaj, and on July 23, 3 prisoners were executed in the Central Prison of
Rasht. Another prisoner was hanged in public in the city of Songhor (in the
western province of Kermanshah).
With 30 executions taking place from July 11 to July 17, the number of those
executed amounts to 52 in just 17 days.
Beset by numerous internal and international crises, the Iranian regime is
incapable of responding to the most basic demands of the people of Iran.
Fearing another upheaval by a restive populace, the regime resorts to wave of
executions in cities across the country.
The Iranian Resistance calls on the nation and particularly the youths of Iran
to voice their protest to the mullahs' pervasive repression.
(source: The Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran)
EUROPE/TURKEY:
PACE Should Bar Turkey From PACE If Ankara Reinstates Death Penalty
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) should bar the
Turkish delegation from participation in the organization if Ankara decides to
reinstate the death penalty following a coup attempt that took place this
month, French parliament Foreign Affairs Committee member Thierry Mariani, who
is also a member of the French delegation to PACE, told Sputnik on Friday.
On July 15, a faction in the Turkish military attempted to overthrow President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government. Following its failure, Ankara launched a
large-scale military, governmental, academic and media crackdown. Erdogan also
said the country would reinstate the capital punishment if the people demanded
this.
"The next meeting of PACE is in October, I hope that before that meeting a
position of the Turkish government will be more clear. I was shocked when I saw
a list of journalist, newspapers which are now detained or banned. If Erdogan
will push thorough a death penalty for those attempted to declare a coup, PACE
should bar the Turkish delegation from participation in the organization
immediately," Mariani, who is also heading a delegation of French lawmakers on
their 3-day visit to Crimea said.
He added that the current situation in Turkey in regard to human rights and
freedoms should be closely observed amid crackdowns and arrests.
Over 240 people were killed and more than 2,100 injured during the failed coup
attempt in Turkey, excluding the victims among the coup plotters, according to
the country's authorities. Turkey has issued decrees to shut down more than 130
media outlets and arrest warrants for 89 journalists as well as fired more than
50,000 judges, civil servants, soldiers and educators in the wake of the failed
coup.
(source: Sputnik News)
SINGAPORE:
Man posts photos of burning Singapore flag on Instagram
An Instagram user has sparked fury online by claiming to have burned a
Singapore flag and challenging authorities to give him the death penalty.
2 photos uploaded by the user show part of a Singapore flag in flames. "They
have to throw the death penalty on me if I keep doing this right?" he wrote on
one post.
In another post, he wrote: "I don't enjoy patriotism/this is an act of
treason/will something happen yet?"
The user, whose profile page is public, was lambasted for treating the national
emblem with disrespect.
Some netizens questioned the motive behind his actions while others advised him
to remove the photo to avoid getting in trouble with the law.
In one of his replies, he tells a netizen to "go back doing your slave s***".
He also tells him to "eat s*** and die".
Despite this show of defiance, the user subsequently removed the post, puzzling
netizens even further.
Many have continued to leave comments on his other Instagram posts.Under the
Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Act, it is an offence to treat the
flag with disrespect.
Those who do so could be fined up to $1,000.The rules state that the flag
should not be allowed to touch the ground. When displayed, the flag should also
be clean, undamaged and not faded.
Flags also cannot be appropriated for any commercial use, and they should not
be used as part of decoration, attire and private funeral activities.
According to the National Heritage Board, flags that have been damaged or are
worn-out should be disposed of properly, and "not left visible in dustbins".
Torn or worn-out flags should be packed into a sealed black trash bag before
disposal.
(source: asiaone.com)
*****************
Indian-origin woman, daughter charged with murder in Singapore
A 58-year-old Indian-origin woman and her 36-year-old daughter have been
charged with murdering a Burmese maid at their home here and may face death
penalty, a media report said on Friday.
Prema Naraynasamy and Gaiyathiri Murugayan were arrested on Wednesday for
allegedly murdering 24-year-old Piang Ngaih Don earlier this week, the report
said.
According to police, they received a call on Tuesday morning for assistance.
When they arrived, Piang was found dead.
A court has extended their police remand.
If they have killed the domestic help, they must be hanged without any mercy.
Both the accused will be produced in the court on Thursday. If they are
convicted of murder, the duo will face the death penalty.
Gaiyathiri, whose husband is believed to have worked in the police force, has a
minor daughter.
(source: The Times of India)
PHILIPPINES:
Contra Sona bucks bid to revive death penalty
Of the 293 House members only one, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman from the bickering
minority, was brave enough to deliver a Contra-Sona or counter-State of the
Nation Address to the one delivered by President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday.
Lagman slammed as "retrogressive measures" the proposed re-impositon of the
death penalty and the reduction of the minimum age of criminal responsibility
to 9 years old from 12.
While the House has yet to officially recognize the duly elected Minority
Leader, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, his group is nonetheless slated to unveil
the "minority agenda" on Monday.
Kabayan Rep. Harry Roque, the incoming House Deputy Minority Leader under
Suarez, will also deliver his Contra-Sona speech against extra-judicial
killings on Monday.
Lagman said although Duterte failed to mention the 2 measures in his delivered
Sona after he meandered from his prepared speech and missed reading them, those
legislative initiatives had previously been announced by him and were now
contained in priority administration House Bill 001 (reimposition of the death
penalty) and House Bill 002 (reduction of the minimum age of criminal
responsibility).
Lagman also called for a prior thorough study of the merits and demerits of a
shift to federalism, a constitutional change that appears to be the centerpiece
agenda of the new administration.
Lagman said the "anchorage of the proposed federalism is nebulous and the
projected benefits are grossly tentative."
"We must not be galvanized into frenzied approbation of the proposed federal
system - which is principally based on motherhood statements of purported
superior efficacy and unvalidated benefits," Lagman said.
However, before demurring from some of the President's policy statements and
directions, Lagman underscored the minority's qualified agreement with the
following presidential pronouncements, either in the Sona or previously
pronounced:
-- The President's commitment to fully implement the responsible parenthood
and Reproductive Health Law with adequate funding support. This should be
complemented by the immediate implementation of the mandated reproductive
health and sexuality education;
-- The outlawing of labor contractualization or what is commonly known as
"Endo" or end of contract, a scheme many employers use to avoid giving workers
permanent status;
-- The uncompromising campaign to obliterate the drug menace, arrest and
prosecute drug lords and pushers, dismantle drug syndicates and rehabilitate
drug users and dependents - but all must be within the parameters of due
process and the rule of law.
-- Giving priority to the construction and development of railway systems in
the country like the PNR South (Bicol) Line because the "carcass of the
antiquated Bicol Railways is beyond resuscitation, and a modern system must be
constructed and developed";
-- The liberation of impoverished individual farmers from the burden of
irrigation fees, which must include the condoning of their rental arrears.
Lagman said the death penalty violates human rights and should not be revived
because:
-- It is not a deterrent to the commission of heinous crimes as validated by
worldwide and empirical scientific studies;
-- What deters the commission of crimes are certainty of apprehension, speedy
prosecution and inevitable conviction once warranted;
-- The death penalty is anti-poor because the indigent and marginalized
accused cannot afford to pay top lawyers to secure their acquittal;
-- Human justice is fallible;
-- Rehabilitation, not retribution, is the thrust of modern penology;
-- Only God can forfeit life. No human authority has the power to kill even if
judicially mandated as a recompense for another lost life;
-- The death penalty exacerbates the culture of violence and emboldens the
monster in man.
Lagman also said that 'since children lack adequate discretion and discernment,
they must not be saddled with criminal culpability at the tender age of 9.'
(source: The Standard)
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