April 15
CANADA:
Canada should bring back death penalty
Every human living in and around Medicine Hat is an awesome person for making
this a great city in which to reside and live. But I think it's about time we
as humans start to talk about bringing back the death penalty.
There have been numerous murders involving children over the years. The accused
seem to have more rights then the victims and their families, and yet the
defence lawyers are trying now to delay, interrupt or slow down these trials.
Victims??? loved ones have to be put through the wringer by bringing back some
of these trials 2 to 3 times before the judge can make a proper decision.
We need a federal vote for the return of the death penalty in Canada. There
were a couple of child murders in the last couple years in Calgary, involving
very young children, along with 1 mother who was killed, and a youngster and
his grandparents.
3 cheers for the inmates at the Calgary Remand Centre and Edmonton Remand
Centre trying to make a male inmate realize what he did. He somehow has to pay
for his crimes and he took 3 human lives including a young boy.
Let's do a vote sooner, not later, We need to protect society. It almost seems
at times we are going backward when these crimes happen. All the rights seem to
be on the suspect's side. The victims are long forgotten except by friends and
family.
Bob Moss
Medicine Hat
(source: Letter to the Editor, Medicine Hat News)
IRAN:
Southern Azerbaijan: AHRAZ Publishes Report on Death Penalty in Azerbaijani
Turkish-populated Cities in Iran (2015-2016)
The Association for the human rights of the Azerbaijani people in Iran (AHRAZ)
published a report on the use of the death penalty in Azerbaijani
Turkish-populated cities in Iran between October 2015 and October 2016. The
death toll amounted to 588 citizens executed in the country, of whom 187 were
hanged in the mostly Azerbaijani-populated provinces. Half of the executed were
accused of drug trafficking, a quarter of adultery and the rest because of
political and security reasons. AHRAZ listed a number of cases, specifying the
charges.
Below is the report published by AHRAZ:
Report on the death penalty in Azerbaijan's cities in Iran (2015-2016)
From October 2015 to October 2016, totally 588 people were sentenced to death
in Iran. Out of this number, 504 people were hanged and executed in this
country. During this period, 187 people were hanged in the mostly Azerbaijani
Turkish populated provinces such as West Azerbaijan (comprising 10% of the
executed in this period), East Azerbaijan (8%), Ardabil (7%), Zanjan (4%),
Qazvin (6%), and Hamadan (2%).
57% of the executed were accused of crimes related to drugs, 26% in relation to
murder because of adultery, 7% related to political and security reasons, and 4
% other cases.
39% of the executions in this period were reported by the Iranian domestic and
official media and 61% were reported by non-governmental and independent media
and institutions.
From January-March 2017, 34 people were hanged in the Azerbaijani populated
cities in Iran such as Tabriz, Urmia, Ardabil, Zanjan, Qazvin, Maraghe and
Maku, who were accused of the crimes related to drugs and murder. Some of the
details related to these cases in this short period are mentioned below, as
example:
A prisoner, called Rashid Javadi from Jolfa city was hanged in the Tabriz
Central Prison on 7 January 2017 because of holding and carrying 106 grams of
heroin.
Morteza Heydari from Malekan (East Azerbaijan Province) who was accused of
positioning 3 kilos industrial drugs and 3.6 kilos of heroin was hanged in the
Maraghe Prison in January 2017. At the time of reporting, 4 other prisoners are
to be hanged soon in this prison. These people include: Iraj Ghafouri from Khoy
City, accused of crimes in relation to drugs, Akbar Moradi from Maraghe City
because of murder, Hoseyn Fatemi from Miandoab (Qoshachay) City as well as Ali
Mostofi from Maraghe City.
On 18 January 2017, 3 prisoners accused of holding drugs as wells as a child
accused of murder at the time of adolescence were executed in the Tabriz
Central Prison. These prisoners included Parviz Solati, Qorban Lotfi, Ertekan
Karimi, and Hasan Hasan Zadeh, 18 years old who committed murder at the time of
15 years old.
A handicapped prisoner, named Qabl Ali Babir who had missed his 2 legs as well
as another prisoner called Sina Hoseyn Pour, both accused of holding drugs,
were hanged in the Urmia Central Prison on 21 January 2017.
Hashem Qaraqozlu from Qorveh, accused of holding drugs, was hanged in the
Hamadan Central Prison on 29 January 2017.
Taher Saeidi, accused of holding drugs, was hanged in Maku Prison on 01
February 2017.
Kuchak Naji, accused of crimes related to drugs, was hanged in the Urmia
Central Prison, on 03 March 2017.
Morad Seyfi from Miandoab (Qoshachay) City, and Mr. Morad Payiz from Maraghe
City both accused of crimes related to drugs, were hanged in Maraghe Prison on
05 March 2017.
Four prisoners, accused of crimes related to drugs, were hanged in the Urmia
Central Prions on 14 March 2017. These included Changiz Baduzadeh, Akram Hoseyn
Pour from Salmas City, Vahed Hamedi from Ardabil City and Kiomars Fridan
(nicknamed Delavar) from Urmia City.
(source: unpo.org)
**********************
Revolutionary Courts Responsible for Majority of Executions
The Revolutionary Courts were established in 1979 by the 1st Supreme leader,
Ayatollah Khomeini. They were temporary courts designed to deal with the
officials of the former regime. However, more than 37 years later they continue
to operate. These courts are responsible for the vast majority of the death
sentences issued and carried out over the last 37 years in Iran. The
Revolutionary Courts are less transparent than the Public Courts (both criminal
and civil) and Revolutionary Court judges are known for greater abuse of their
legal powers than other judges. Revolutionary Court judges often deny access to
legal representation during the investigation phase and prevent lawyers from
accessing client files on the basis of confidentiality, or the fact that the
lawyers have insufficient "qualifications" to review certain files. Trials
lasting only a few minutes, no jury, no defence lawyers and death sentences
based on no evidence other than confessions extracted under torture are the
hallmarks of the Revolutionary Courts.
All cases regarded as security-related, such as cases involving political and
civil activists, and others allegedly involved in corruption and drug-related
charges, are processed by the Revolutionary Courts.
Revolutionary Courts are most well known for the summary executions of the
political opposition in the 1980s. However, data collected by IHR shows that
every year several hundred people are executed on the basis of death sentences
issued by the Revolutionary Courts.
IHR reports since 2010 show that 3,210 of the 4,741 executions (68%) in the
last 7 years were based on death sentences issued by the Revolutionary Courts.
At least 340 of the 530 executions in 2016 (64%) were based on death sentences
issued by the Revolutionary Courts.
Revolutionary Courts also play a key role in the crackdown against human rights
defenders and the abolitionist movement. In 2016 the Revolutionary Courts
sentenced the human rights defenders Narges Mohammadi and Atena Daemi to 10
years and 7 years in prison respectively for their activities against the death
penalty.
On the issue of the lack of due process, the spokesperson of IHR, Mahmood
Amiry-Moghaddam said: "A sustainable reduction in use of the death penalty is
impossible as long as there is no due process. Revolutionary Courts which
sentence hundreds of people to death every year are among the key institutions
responsible for Iran's violations of due process and must be shut down."
(source: iranhr.net)
GAZA:
Hamas claims it executed 3 Palestinians on suspicion of collaborating with
Israel
The men were not directly accused of a connection with the March 24
assassination of senior military commander Mazen Fuqaha, which Hamas blames on
Israel's global Mossad intelligence agency and local "collaborators".
The group also praised but did not take responsibility for the death on
Thursday of an Israeli soldier, Sergeant Elchay Teharlev, 20, who was rammed by
a vehicle near the Israeli settlement of Ofra in the occupied West Bank. The
ministry said authorities hanged the convicts before a gathering of Palestinian
dignitaries and Gaza "elites".
Palestinian members of Hamas security forces stand at a security checkpoint in
Gaza City on April 5, 2017.
The 3, all residents of Gaza, had been sentenced to death by a Hamas court a
few months ago, the officials added.
Israel's Ministry of Defense announced on Monday that it confiscated 30
wetsuits camouflaged as sportswear that were believed to be destined for Hamas
in the Gaza Strip.
"The death penalty is a barbaric practice", it said.
Israel has long accused Human Rights Watch of being unfairly biased against it.
Human rights groups condemned the executions, with Amnesty International
calling them an "outrage".
The Palestinian Authority ordered its workers to step down after the Hamas
takeover in 2007.
The United Nations human rights office today strongly condemned the execution
of 3 men in Gaza for "collaboration with the occupier" and urged authorities to
halt all further executions and comply with Palestine's obligations under
global law.
Hamas says that Faqha formed units of the Islamist group's military wing in the
West Bank cities of Tubas, where he was born, and Jenin.
The group imposed strict restrictions on movement from Gaza after Faqha's
killing and searches and security checks had gone up, AFP reported.
Hamas has offered "collaborators" with Israel a chance to turn themselves in
and receive clemency.
Cogat, the Israeli defence body that co-ordinates access to Gaza, denied
barring rights groups from visiting the enclave.
(source: normangeestar.net)
BANGLADESH:
Cabinet okays death penalty for barring flight operation
The Cabinet, on Monday February 13, gave final approval to the drafts Civil
Aviation Act-2017 with provision of death penalty or life-term imprisonment and
maximum penalty of Taka 5 crore on charge of any willful obstruction in the
flight operation.
The approval was given in the weekly meeting of the cabinet held at #Bangladesh
Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, cabinet secretary M Shafiul Alam said the
new law has been framed updating 'the Civil Aviation Ordinance, 1960' according
to the guideline of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The new law proposed more stringent punishment for offences of violation of the
law relating to civil aviation, he said adding that the cabinet didn't give any
retrospective effect of the proposed law.
The Civil Aviation Act-2017 has proposed 5 years imprisonment and minimum fine
of Taka 1 crore or both for violation of the Air Navigation Order (ANO). In
case of forgery of certificate or license, the law proposed for same
punishment.
For any interference in the air navigation like obstructing or damaging the
lighting or signaling system or intervention in the flight operation, the law
proposed life-term imprisonment or fine of Taka five crore or both.
The law also suggested maximum 7 years jail and fine of Taka 50 lakh for
carrying dangerous goods or substances in the flight. For violation of the air
space of #Bangladesh one would get maximum 7 years and minimum 3 years
imprisonment or maximum penalty of 50 lakh, the draft proposed.
(source: menafn.com)
NIGERIA:
A system that cannot guarantee justice should not take lives, says Amnesty
International
Amnesty International, a human rights group, has called for the total abolition
of death penalty in any form.
In the group's global report on death sentences and executions in 2016, the
body faulted the efficacy of Nigeria's judicial system, saying a system that
cannot guarantee justice should not take a life.
According to the report, Nigeria handed down 527 death sentences, ranking 2nd
in the world after China.
The report also showed that as of 2016, in sub-saharan Africa, Somalia had the
highest number of executions, followed by Nigeria.
While stating its disapproval of the recent laws recommending death penalty for
kidnappers in Lagos, Kano and Bauchi states, it argued that the law had not
minimised the act, citing more kidnap cases being recorded.
"The danger of people being executed for crimes they may not have committed
remains ever-present. Investigations show many death row inmates live in
constant fear of execution in some Nigerian prisons," Isa Sanusi, the group's
media manager, said.
It therefore called on the public to join it in its advocacy for the total
abolishment of death penalty, globally.
"Amnesty international is calling on the Nigerian government to establish an
official moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty.
"For years, the federal government has claimed to have a voluntary or
self-imposed moratorium, but executions have happened nonetheless, including
those in December 2016. This demonstrates the urgency of formally establishing
a moratorium."
Speaking at the event, Collins Okeke, a member of a group known as Nigerian
anti-death penalty coalition, said though the body had not been able to
convince law firms in the country to abolish death penalty, they have got them
to admit that death penalty is inhumane and degrading.
"Death penalty is a lazy way to punish crime, what is needed is to put in place
a strong criminal justice system," Okeke said.
"There are a lot of inefficiencies in our judicial system. We have a police
system that is unequipped, a court system clothed with cases and judges who are
overworked."
Okeke alleged that there was lack of openness in the judicial system, adding
that "if you do not fix the system, you cannot kill anybody under that system".
On his part, Malachy Ugwummadu of Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
(CDHR), said there is no empirical record showing a corresponding decrease in
crime rates with the implementation of death penalty.
Ugwummadu said from the standpoint of life itself as a fundamental human right,
if you cannot give it, you should not take it.
"A very important argument against capital punishment is that if a state,
throug prosecution, has shown resentment as to the behaviour of its citizens,
enough to attract death penalty, to what extent can the same state be justified
for condescending to the same level of brutal murder of the said people, in
trying to correct that societal practise?" Ugwummadu asked.
"If somebody has been accused of an offense which in the wisdom of the
legislature of that community, attracts death penalty, a state that hopes to
rise above that behaviour, must conceive and device ways other than committing
the same offense in trying to correct that particular pattern of behaviour."
He quoted Mahatma Ghandi, saying, "an eye for an eye only ends up making the
whole world blind."
In place of death sentences, the group proposed a life term period of community
service for convicted persons, saying Nigerian prisons were not just over
populated but underutilised.
Ugwummadu also suggested compensation for the families or victims of crime.
"We are not against justice or punishment for criminals. We actually want
criminals to be punished. What we are saying is that killing is not a solution
to the crime of killing."
(source: thecable.ng)
GLOBAL:
China, Iran still top in death penalty
The People's Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Iran top the charts
for executions according to a newly released report by Amnesty International.
Iran accounted for 55 % of all recorded death sentences according to Amnesty.
Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Pakistan are tragically part of this gruesome tally as
compiled by the international watchdog group.
Though Iran's 567 executions represented the world's 2nd highest tally, the
number fell from 977 judicially sanctioned executions in 2015. While about 1/2
of the executions are connected to drug-related and other criminal offenses,
others are likely carried out for political and religious crimes.
In a separate report on Iran Amnesty advised that "the authorities heavily
suppressed the rights to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly
and religious belief, arresting and imprisoning peaceful critics and others
after grossly unfair trials before Revolutionary Courts. Torture and other
ill-treatment of detainees remained common and widespread."
According to Amnesty International, 18,848 people worldwide are under death
sentences and 3,117 were executed in 2016.
"Transparency is an essential safeguard of due Process," said Amnesty
representative Renzo Pomi. In Iran, it's not possible to confirm the exact
number of executions. For example, 2 people were killed for "insulting the
Prophet" in violation of their right to freedom of religion.
The People's Republic of China presents another case shrouded in fog. While
Amnesty International cites China as the world's leading global executioner
with numbers in the thousands, the "figures on the use of the death penalty in
China remain classified as state secrets." While Amnesty admits the use of the
death penalty has decreased in China in recent years, there are still 46
categories of crime punishable by death.
"The Chinese authorities also continued to resort to the death penalty as a
tool to send political messages," the report stated, adding though that the
government is using the death sentence less for "economic crimes."
Vietnam ranks on "a scale higher than previously thought," according to the
survey. Again, such information is shrouded as state secrets. During 2016,
Vietnam imposed 63 new death sentences, though the number is likely larger.
Nonetheless, Amnesty has discovered an alarming trend where a recently
published report by Vietnam' s Ministry of Public Security states that 429
prisoners were executed between August 2013 and June 2016 at a rate of 147
executions a year. Such figures would put Vietnam in a league with Pakistan
when it comes to state sanctioned executions.
Speaking at a press conference, Argentine Ambassador Martin Garcia Moritan
stated his country was "firmly committed against the death penalty," and
moreover called for a "worldwide moratorium" against such actions by
governments.
According to Amnesty's Renzo Pomi "today 141 countries worldwide have abolished
the death penalty." This includes the entire Latin American region (including,
rather improbably, Cuba), all of the European Union, much of Africa and
Australia, and even Russia.
(source: China Post)
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