Jan. 10
JAPAN:
Former Aum cultist publishes memoir on gas attacks, cult leader
The sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system on March 20, 1995 killed 13 and
left more than 6,000 people injured.
A former executive of the Aum Shinrikyo cult who helped manufacture the sarin
gas that killed 13 people and sickened more than 6,000 on the Tokyo subway
system in 1995 has published a memoir.
In it, Tomomasa Nakagawa, 54, a former medical doctor and now death-row inmate,
reveals the method used by the cult to manufacture the deadly nerve gas and
also discusses former Aum leader Shoko Asahara, whom he cared for.
"He was a criminal before (being regarded as) a religious leader in that he
transformed a religious organization into a criminal enterprise," Nakagawa
noted about Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto.
Matsumoto, 61, is also on death row.
Nakagawa published the memoir in the November issue of Gendai Kagaku (Chemistry
Today), urged by Anthony Tu, professor emeritus at Colorado State University
and an authority of toxicology.
Tu, who wrote a book on the subway attacks and also a 1994 sarin attack in
Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, that killed 8 people and sickened about 600, has
interviewed Nakagawa many times.
The cultist, whose death sentence was finalized in 2011, was involved in both
sarin atrocities and also the abduction and murders of anti-Aum lawyer Tsutsumi
Sakamoto and his family members in 1989.
At the beginning of the memoir, whose main theme was "Why was (Aum) able to
manufacture sarin?" Nakagawa apologizes to victims of the series of crimes
committed by Aum cultists.
As for Asahara's skill as a leader of yoga and meditation sessions, Nakagawa
writes, "His capability was extremely high."
"There were no people who joined Aum to commit murders. Including me, those who
put absolute trust in Asahara in the fields of yoga and meditation became
involved in the (fatal) incidents," Nakagawa recalls.
He also reveals the chemical formulas he says were used to manufacture the
sarin, which the cult began producing in around 1992.
In January 1995, the media reported that police suspected Aum was behind the
sarin attack in Matsumoto. The gas was sprayed in a residential area in June
the previous year.
Aum members hurriedly disposed of several hundreds of tons of sarin and other
chemical substances to prevent police from finding the stockpile, Nakagawa
writes in the memoir.
"All of us were poisoned by sarin (while doing that). I was just about able to
stand," he recalls.
The sarin attacks on the Tokyo subway system were carried out on March 20,
1995.
Nakagawa was one of the cultists who manufactured it, utilizing chemicals that
were not disposed of in the January clearing out.
Nakagawa said in court that Yoshihiro Inoue, 47, also a former Aum executive
and a death-row inmate, was responsible for storing the chemicals.
However, in a court ruling on a different former executive of Aum, it was
stated keeping the chemicals was Nakagawa's job.
"Whatever the reason, terrorism is always intolerable," the memoir reads.
It concludes with, "The background (of the act) of joining dangerous religious
or terrorist organizations and the background (of the act) of carrying out
terror acts after joining those organizations should be distinguished."
Minoru Kariya, 56, the eldest son of Kiyoshi, a notary public who was also
abducted and killed by Aum in 1995 at the age of 68, said that many bereaved
families still have questions after listening to the remarks made by various
Aum members in court.
"If former executives of Aum release their memoirs, it could help clarify the
facts (of the series of crimes committed by the organization)," said Kariya,
who has repeatedly interviewed Inoue and Nakagawa.
(source: Asahi Shimbun)
BAHRAIN:
Bahrain uses torture evidence to sentence 3 more to death
Bahrain's highest court has Monday upheld the death sentences of 3 men, despite
allegations that they were tortured into making false confessions. Their
executions are now imminent.
Abbas al-Samea, Sami Mushaima, and Ali al-Singace were originally sentenced to
death in February 2015.
All 3 were tortured into signing false 'confessions' that were used against
them in court.
Mr Mushaima was forced to sign documents despite being illiterate. He is a
relative of a prominent opposition politician, but has never been involved in
activism.
Mr al-Samea was admitted to hospital for surgery as a result of his
interrogation. He is a PE teacher and aspiring photojournalist who had taken
pictures at a protest.
The 3 men's death sentences were overturned in October 2016 after a court ruled
that their initial sentences were "misjudgements."
However, in December 2016, the appeals court reinstated their death sentences.
Human rights organization Reprieve wrote to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa
May asking her to raise the issue of police torture and the death penalty ahead
of her meeting in Bahrain last month.
Millions of pounds in UK government aid have been spent on training Bahrain's
police, prison guards and torture watchdog in recent years.
Commenting, Maya Foa, a director of Reprieve, said:
"It is extremely alarming that Bahrain, a close ally of Britain, is gearing up
to execute 3 people, all of whom were convicted on the basis of false
'confessions' extracted through torture. Abbas al-Samea, Sami Mushaima, and Ali
al-Singace will be the first people to be executed in Bahrain in 6 years. All 3
were charged with political offences and tortured into signing 'confessions'
that were used against them in court - despite 1 of them being illiterate and
not able to read the document. On her recent visit to Bahrain, Theresa May said
that the UK 'does not uphold our values and human rights by turning our back on
this issue' yet apparently declined to raise the cases of these prisoners
facing imminent execution. The UK must do more to ensure its close allies do
not render them complicit in the gravest abuses."
(source: Reprieve)
PAKISTAN----execution
Man hanged over judge's murder in Adiyala Jail
A death row prisoner was executed in Adiyala Jail on Tuesday morning over
murdering 2 people, which included a judge, ARY News reported.
According to details, the murderer Naveed Hussain executed in the wee hours of
Tuesday morning. After execution, the body was handed over to the relatives.
Jail sources said that Hussain had murdered a anti-terrorism court judge
Jamshed Khan in 2006. He had escaped from Skardu Jail in 2013 and killed
another person during that period.
Pakistan lifted a moratorium on the death penalty - on 17th December 2014 - a
day after Taliban gunmen attacked Army Public School Peshawar, killing 132
students and 9 teachers.
The bloodshed had shocked the nation and put pressure on the government to do
more to tackle the Taliban insurgency.
A moratorium on the death penalty was imposed in 2008 after the Pakistan
People's Party (PPP) government took reins of power in the country and only 1
execution took place during its 5-year tenure.
(source: arynews.tv)
NIGERIA:
Lagos lawmaker explains reason behind death penalty law for Kidnappers
The chairman of Lagos state House of Assembly committee on public account has
explained why the state passed the death penalty law for kidnappers
According to Hon Moshood Oshun, the law was passed to reduce criminal acts in
Lagos
The chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly committee on public account,
Hon Moshood Oshun, says the inclusion of a death penalty in the recently passed
bill against kidnapping by the Assembly was to deter people of the state from
taking up such vices.
(source: naij.com)
INDONESIA:
Mixed Messages on the Death Penalty in Indonesia's Drug War
Indonesian authorities are sending mixed messages on the death penalty. The
country abstained on a UN resolution for its abolition, and the president
hinted at ending it, but some senior political figures are calling for the
increased execution of drug offenders.
On December 19, 2016, Indonesia was one of 31 countries that abstained from
voting on a UN resolution that called for a moratorium on the use of the death
penalty, the Jakarta Post reports. The UN has voted on a resolution on
abolishing the death penalty every 2 years since 2008. Indonesia has abstained
on every such resolution since 2012; prior to this, it had consistently voted
against the measures.
Human rights advocates, including the Human Rights Working Group, praised the
government's abstention, as Indonesia has built a reputation as a prolific
executioner of non-violent drug offenders under President Joko Widodo.
Between 2010 and 2014, despite numerous people being sentenced to death in
Indonesia, no executions took place. This changed after Widodo entered office
in October 2014, since which 18 people have been executed - all for drug
trafficking.
Many of those executed were foreigners whose respective governments engaged in
futile diplomatic efforts to reduce their citizens' sentences. At least 2 death
row inmates, including one who was executed last year, accused law enforcement
of torture during their interrogation.
Despite Widodo's renewal of the death penalty, he recently hinted at potential
reform. In an interview with ABC News in November 2016, the president said, "We
are very open to options. I don't know when but we want to move towards that
direction [of abolishing capital punishment]."
While Widodo's remarks suggest that human rights progress may be on the horizon
for Indonesia, statements from other authorities paint a far darker picture of
the future of the country's drug policy.
Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo stated in early December that executions
were planned "in the near future", and that the state would be prioritising
people convicted of drug-related crimes.
In December, Budi Waseso - chief of the country's National Narcotics Agency
(BNN) - told members of a new regional counter-narcotic taskforce, "Don't
hesitate to shoot drug traffickers, drug dealers and drug users. Anyone
involved in drug trafficking should be punished harshly, including traitors in
the BNN body".
With echoes of President Rodrigo Duterte's calls for the slaughter of alleged
drug offenders in the Philippines, Waseso's remarks suggest that a striking
intensification of the Indonesian approach to drug policy may occur.
Indonesian NGOs have repeatedly urged the government to officially end the
death penalty, pointing out the lack of evidence for its supposed deterrent
effect, and arguing that it contributes to societal harms.
Ardhany Suryadarma, Policy Manager for the EU-funded project, Asia Action on
Harm Reduction, proclaimed: "These executions only exacerbate the
stigmatisation of people who use drugs, driving them underground, and away from
[harm reduction interventions, which] ... keep individuals safer and curb the
HIV epidemic."
The country has, seemingly, reached a crossroads, and the next step that it
takes in regard to the death penalty will clarify its place in a region that is
increasingly divided on the matter.
For example, Malaysia seems to have introduced a secret moratorium on capital
punishment for drug-related offences.
Conversely, President Duterte's state-mandated violence against people
allegedly involved with drugs has left at least 6,000 people dead in the
Philippines since July 2016. Despite international condemnation, his government
advocates the continuation of his lethal campaign.
There are clearly conflicting ideologies between different authorities in
Indonesia, and it is unclear which path the government will take. The country
is currently at a crossroads: will Widodo stay true to his word and move
towards adherence to the UN resolution? Will Indonesia return to its
traditional approach of state-mandated executions? Or will it begin
implementing extrajudicial killings as seen in the Philippines?
(source: talkingdrugs.org)
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
Dubai attorney general 'will not rest until Obaida's killer is dead'
Dubai's attorney general said that he would not rest until the death penalty
against the man who raped and killed 9-year-old Obaida Al Aqrabawi was carried
out.
Essam Al Humaidan posted the statement on Dubai Public Prosecution's official
Twitter account after Dubai Court of Appeal said it would announce its verdict
in the case on January 22.
His comments were triggered by the defence argument in court in which Nidal
Eisah Abdullah Abu Ali's appointed lawyer said that the defendant's mental
assessment report did not clarify whether him being an antisocial person was a
disease or not.
The attorney general said this was an attempt by the lawyer to convince the
court that the defendant suffers from a mental illness, in the hope of earning
a reduced sentence.
"Bringing justice after what happened to Obaida is our responsibility. We carry
the heavy weight of his blood, and Dubai Public Prosecution will not accept
less than the death penalty. We will follow this case through appeal, cassation
and until the moment the killer is executed," Mr Al Humaidan said.
Jordanian Obaida was kidnapped on May 20 last year while playing outside his
father's garage in Sharjah's industrial area. His body was found 2 days later
in Al Warqa, Dubai.
The killer, 48-year-old Abu Ali, who is also Jordanian, was handed the death
penalty by Dubai Criminal Court on August 15 last year on charges of kidnap,
rape, premeditated murder and consuming alcohol, as well as driving while under
the influence of alcohol.
(source: The National)
IRAN----executions
2 Prisoners Executed in Public
2 prisoners were hanged in public in the city of Sarpol-e Zahab (Kermanshah
province, western Iran) on Moharebeh charges (enmity against God).
According to a report by the Iranian state-run media IRIB, the executions were
carried out in public on the morning of Sunday January 8. The prisoners were
reportedly charged with armed robbery and the murder of a police officer.
Although the state-run media has not identified the names of the prisoners, the
unofficial news agency, Kurdpa, has identified the 2 prisoners as Rouhollah
Koshtemad and Sajjad Zarsineh.
****************************
Urgent: More than 20 Prisoners in Imminent Danger of Execution in Iran
According to close sources, more than 20 prisoners at Rajai Shahr and Karaj
Central prisons have been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation
for their executions.
At least 11 prisoners in Rajai Shahr Prison were reportedly transferred to
solitary on Saturday January 7. "Most of these prisoners are charged with
murder," a close source tells Iran Human Rights.
At least 12 prisoners in Karaj Central Prison were reportedly transferred to
solitary on Sunday. According to the close sources, these prisoners are all in
danger of execution for alleged drug related offenses.
(source for both: Iran Human Rights)
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