Jan. 18
BAHRAIN:
Victims of horrific human rights abuses, not criminals - the stories of 3 men
executed by firing squad on Sunday
On Sunday 15th January, 3 men were executed by firing squad in Bahrain. Their
names were Ali Al-Singace, Abbas Al-Samea and Sami Mushaima.
The UN Special Rapporteur, Dr Agnes Callamard, called their executions
"extrajudicial killings". Ali, Abbas and Sami were the first prisoners to be
put to death by the Bahraini authorities since 2010.
Ali al-Singace
Ali was just 21 when executed. He had been harassed and tortured by Bahrain's
police since he was 15, because of his family's links to political opposition.
The police wanted Ali to work as an informant. He refused.
When Ali was 18, a bomb exploded killing several policemen. Ali was sentenced
to death without even appearing before a court and then arrested a year later.
He was tortured and electrocuted into making a false confession. His torture
was never investigated.
The day before his execution, Ali's family came to visit him in prison. The
guards refused to say if he was about to be executed, and Ali asked his family
to arrange for him to resit school exams he had missed.
Abbas Al-Samea
Abbas was a school teacher, and was just 27 when executed. He was targeted
because of his family's links to political opposition. He was sentenced to
death despite presenting the court with an alibi letter from the school where
he taught.
Abbas required hospital treatment after police tortured him during his
interrogation, including electric shocks to his genitals and suspending him
from the ceiling. He was later tortured again by guards in prison.
Although UK prison inspectors helped plan inspections of both the police
station and prison just months after Abbas was abused there, his torture
allegations were ignored.
Another UK-trained torture watchdog in Bahrain dismissed his complaint about
ill-treatment without even arranging for a doctor to examine him for signs of
torture.
The day before his execution, Abbas' family came to visit him in prison. The
guards refused to say if he was about to be executed.
Sami Mushaima
Sami was targeted because of his family's links to political opposition. During
his police interrogation, he was beaten, tortured with electric shocks and
sexually assaulted. He was illiterate, but was forced to sign a confession that
he could not read. He was 42 years old when he was executed.
Although UK prison inspectors helped plan inspections of the police station
just months after Sami was abused there, his torture allegations were ignored.
The day before his execution, Sami's family came to visit him in prison. The
guards refused to say if he was about to be executed.
(source: reprieve.org.uk)
PHILIPPINES:
1 more bill reimposing death penalty filed in Senate
A new measure that seeks to reimpose death penalty on persons involved in the
illegal drug trade has been filed in the Senate on Wednesday.
Under Senate Bill No. 1294, Sen. Sherwin "Win" Gatchalian seeks to amend
Section 11 of RA 9165 to impose capital punishment on persons convicted of
possession, sale, distribution, importation, and manufacture drugs.
These include marijuana (10,000 grams or more), shabu (1,000 grams or more),
opium, morphine, heroine, cocaine, cocaine hydrochloride, marijuana resin,
marijuana resin oil, ecstasy, and LSD, and other drugs as determined by the
Dangerous Drugs Board (200 grams or more).
The measure also seeks to increase fines and penalties imposed for offenses
under RA 9165 involving smaller quantities of drugs.
Gatchalian, an ally of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, said that his bill was his
commitment to the Duterte administration's intensified campaign against illegal
drugs.
The neophyte senator, who was also 3-time mayor of Valenzuela City, said that
he and Pres. Duterte were both "mayors at heart" and had "the same perspective"
in terms of solutions to eliminate drug trafficking.
"As local chief executives, we have both seen firsthand the kind of damage the
illegal drug trade can do to entire communities if drug lords and king pins are
allowed to continue their despicable operations with impunity," Gatchalian
said.
"Passage of this law will stop the illegal drug trade in its tracks and make
sure that these despicable people will pay the ultimate price for their crimes
against the Filipino people," he added.
Aside from Gatchalian, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, has previously filed a
measure to revive death penalty. Some other senators who have openly expressed
being in favor of the reinstatement of death penalty include Senate President
Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, Senate Majority Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III,
and Senator Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao.
Pimentel, however, said that the passage of the death penalty bill will not
come easy in the Senate as in the House of Representatives where it expected to
face less opposition.
Last December 7, the House Committee on Justice approved the committee report
on the reinstatement of the death penalty bill or House Bill No. 1 in a vote of
12-6-1.
The measure is one of the priority bills of President Duterte.
(source: northboundasia.com)
THAILAND:
2 indicted in iPhone murder-robbery
Prosecutors have formally indicted the two men charged with stabbing a man to
death and stealing his iPhone in Bangkok on Jan 4.
Jetsada Arunchaiphirom, a senior prosecutor for criminal litigation, said
prosecutors had agreed to indict Kittikorn Wikaha, 26, of Sa Kaeo, and his
alleged accomplice Supatchai Charnsri, 25, of Uthai Thani.
He was speaking Tuesday as he announced progress in the case at the Office of
the Attorney-General on Ratchadaphisek Road.
The suspects are accused of killing Wasin Luangjaem, a former worker at
Suvarnabhumi airport, on the night of Jan 4 in Lat Phrao district.
They have been charged with theft subsequently causing death, carrying a weapon
in a public place, and murder to conceal a crime.
Mr Jetsada said prosecutors decided to indict Mr Kittikorn and Mr Supatchai as
police have solid evidence, including security camera footage, that proves the
suspects colluded to rob and kill Wasin.
The security camera footage shows Wasin, 26, being attacked by 2 men who
approached him on a motorcycle.
Wasin is seen fighting back in the footage. One of the men, identified as Mr
Kittikorn, is seen stabbing Wasin in the neck, upon which the victim falls to
the ground. The attackers stole only the victim's iPhone 7 and left his wallet
behind.
Last week, Khok Khram police overseeing the case submitted an investigation
report to prosecutors for review.
A 3-member working panel was set up to consider the evidence provided by police
and decide whether to indict the suspects.
Mr Jetsada said prosecutors had opposed the request for bail, saying the
suspects posed a flight risk.
Mr Kittikorn and Mr Supatchai will face the strongest possible punishment, the
death penalty, if convicted.
Such criminals pose a great threat to the public, Mr Jetsada added.
The suspects allegedly committed four crimes on the night of Jan 4 and in the
early hours of Jan 5.
On Jan 4, they allegedly tried and failed to snatch a bag from a woman on soi
Sukhonthasawat 27. 8 minutes later, they allegedly murdered Wasin and took his
iPhone. A few hours later the suspects allegedly murdered Wasin and took his
iPhone. A few hours later the suspects allegedly stole an iPhone from a woman
on soi Sukhonthasawat 9.
They are also accused of later robbing another woman and making off with her
mobile phone and 5,000 baht from outside Synphaet Hospital in Kannayao
district.
(source: Bangkok Post)
MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE:
Anwar Ibrahim urges Malaysian government to intervene in case of death row
inmate in Singapore
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim
has called on his country's Foreign Ministry to look into the case of S
Prabagaran, reported Malaysiakini. Prabagaran a Malaysian is facing the death
sentence here for drug trafficking.
Anwar said that he would normally not want to comment on people facing drug
trafficking charges, but he thinks this is a proper case to be brought to the
International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Prabagaran was arrested on 12 April 2012 when he was just 24 years old, for a
narcotic trafficking offence. He has been on death row for more than 4 years
since 2012, and is awaiting the result of his clemency petition to the
Singapore President.
The Singapore Anti-Death Penalty activists who have been fighting to save
Prabagaran, allege that he is being deprived of his life in a manner that is in
breach of the principles of the separation of powers, the fundamental rules of
natural justice, and the rule of law.
"In respect of a person who has been convicted of a drug offence that is
punishable with death under the Second Schedule of the Misuse of Drugs Act
(MDA), Section 33B(2)(b) of the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) provides that the
Public Prosecutor may certify that a person convicted of a drug offence
punishable with the death penalty has substantively assisted the Central
Narcotics Bureau (CNB) in disrupting drug activities. If the Public Prosecutor
so certifies, and if the offender is also merely a courier, then the sentencing
judge has the discretion to impose life imprisonment in lieu of the death
penalty. If the Public Prosecutor does not so certify, then the sentencing
judge must sentence the offender to the death penalty.
As discussed above, although in this case Praba has maintained his innocence,
he has, in fact, done his best to provide CNB with credible leads that could
well have resulted in persons involved in drug activities (i.e., Balu and
Nathan) being apprehended."
They argue that the right to a fair trial is one of the most important
fundamental human rights and that the death sentence imposed on Prabagaran
violates the right to fair trial under customary international law.
The activists said "the Public Prosecutor's determination of whether or not
substantive assistance was provided is too fluid and unstable a standard by
which to determine the penalty which an offender should receive."
Anwar in seeming to agree with the activists, said that Prabagaran was denied a
fair trial.
"There is allegedly a denial of key witnesses and this deprives opportunity for
the defence to present its case. This is a proper case for the foreign minister
and the prime minister to take to the ICJ," he said.
(source: The Independent)
_______________________________________________
A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu
DeathPenalty mailing list
DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu
http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty
Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
