Oct. 31
PERU:
Peru President: Constitution does not allow capital punishment
Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski on Monday declared the Political
Constitution of Peru does not allow death penalty for child rapists, but he
stressed people committing these crimes must be severely punished.
"I can well understand how people feel about these dreadful crimes like child
rape. I understand it is absolutely unacceptable. However, our Constitution
does not accept death penalty," the statesman said.
According to President Kuczynski, these people must be treated at a psychiatric
hospital as well as severely punished. Peru's top official also noted he will
meet with Justice Minister Enrique Mendoza, who recently argued in favor of the
death penalty for these particular cases.
"Child rape is unacceptable just like any type of rape," he pointed out. The
article 140 of the Constitution stipulates the capital punishment can only be
applied for crimes of treason in wartime or terrorism in accordance with the
laws and the treaties to which Peru is bound.
Remarks were made during Mr. Kuczynski's participation in the relocation works
of the Shipibo-Konibo community from Cantagallo (Lima province).
(source: andina.com.pe)
SOUTH SUDAN:
South Sudan military court sentences soldier to death over murder
A military court in South Sudan has sentenced a soldier convicted of murder to
death by firing squad, and dismissed 20 others from the military for crimes
including rape, murder and theft committed in 2013-2016.
The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) general court martial said on
Wednesday that it had heard 38 cases since 2013, of which 17 suspects were
acquitted due to lack of evidence and the remainder convicted of crimes such as
murder, rape, abduction, negligence, dissertation, embezzlement and theft.
Joseph Oduange Kompeo, who previously served under the Military Police Unit,
was found guilty of shooting dead his colleague, Private William Deng Uchella
on May 1, 2016, and is to be executed with firing squad.
The court also convicted 5 others of murder, and ordered them to pay blood
compensation of 51 cows or an equivalent of 320 U.S. dollars to the relatives
of the deceased or face jail terms of up to 3 years.
According to South Sudanese laws, murderers face up to 10 years in jail with a
fine paid to the victim's family, or a maximum of the death penalty, and
rapists face up to 14 years.
Defense attorney Peter William, said he is going to appeal the verdict within
15 days as provided by law.
South Sudan has been raged by more than 3 years of civil war that has created
one of the world's fastest growing humanitarian crises as some 4 million people
have been displaced internally or externally.
UN human rights investigators and other rights campaigners have on several
occasions accused both the army and rebels of committing atrocities since civil
war.
Reacting to the verdict, Defense Minister Kuol Manyang Juk said the sentences
will send a clear message that bad behavior and impunity will not be tolerated
in the military.
(sources: Xinhua/NewsGhana.com.gh)
IRAN----executions
3 Executions on Murder Charges
2 prisoners were hanged at Mashhad Central Prison and 1 at Zahedan Central
prison, all on murder charges.
Executions in Mashhad
According to a report by Khorasan Newspaper, on the morning of Tuesday October
24, 1 prisoner was executed at Mashhad Central Prison on murder charges. The
prisoner, identified as Majid M., was arrested in February 2007 and sentenced
to death on the charge of murdering a taxi driver under a robbery.
Another prisoner was executed at the same prison on murder charges on the
morning of Thursday October 26. The prisoner, identified as Hossein S., was
charged with murdering a shepherd with intent to steal his livestock in January
2014, when he was 22.
Execution in Zahedan
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), on the morning of
Sunday October 29, a prisoner was executed at Zahedan Central prison on murder
charges. The prisoner, identified as Majid Ramroudy, 25, had been held in
prisoner for nearly 5 years.
The execution of Majid Ramroudy has not been announced by official Iranian
media so far.
According to Iran Human Rights annual report on the death penalty, 142 of the
530 execution sentences in 2016 were implemented due to murder charges. There
is a lack of a classification of murder by degree in Iran which results in
issuing death sentence for any kind of murder regardless of intensity and
intent.
(source: Iran Human Rights)
******************
UNPO Strongly Condemns Death Sentence of Ramin Hossein Panahi Issued by Iran
UNPO strongly condemns the unjust and immoral decision of the Islamic Republic
of Iran to sentence Ramin Hossein Panahi, representative of Komala party of
Iranian Kurdistan, to the death penalty. Following his illegal capture on 23
June 2017 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, he has sustained extreme
torture, which is believed to have led to the loss of his kidney. In attempts
to justify its decision and minimize collective sympathy for his release, the
Iranian government has painted a false narrative that depicts the victim as
having been associated with terrorist plots. In fact, Ramin Hossein Panahi's
only "crime" was to to stand against Tehran's oppressive and ethnocentric
policy.
The Iranian intelligence agency informed the Hossein Panahi family on Thursday
that their missing son was sentenced to death, and their imprisoned son was
sentenced to 8 1/2 years, the family reported.
On June 23, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran shot dead 3
members of Komala, a Kurdish opposition group, and took an injured Ramin
Hossein Panahi into custody but refused to inform his family of his fate or
whereabouts.
2 of the detainee's brothers and several cousins were also arrested in a raid
by the association shortly after the ambush on Peshmerga in the Kurdish region
of Iran, also known as Rojhelat.
"After 124 days, Sanandaj intelligence agency admitted to having Ramin in their
custody but said we'd never see him again because 'he would be executed right
there,'" Amjad Hossein Panahi, the brother of the detainee stated.
"My mother fainted there and was rushed to the hospital," he added, explaining
that his family appealed to authorities in person 23 times until they were
willing to say a word about Ramin.
Additionally, Afshin Hossein Panahi, Ramin's brother, was sentenced to 8
1/2years in prison for "aiding and abetting an opposition party."
The denial of family visits and medical attention to prisoners is against
Iran's law as well as international laws.
Amnesty International called on Iran to reveal the fate and whereabouts of the
five Kurdish men who have been subject to forced disappearance.
"Enforced disappearance is a crime under international law and places
individuals at serious risk of extrajudicial execution, torture, and other
gross human rights violations," Amnesty International said.
Iran Human Rights Documentation Centre, Association for Human Rights in
Kurdistan of Iran-Geneva (KMMK-G), and other rights groups are also urging Iran
to release the political prisoner and provide him with medical attention and a
lawyer.
Afshin, who was shot 3 times, was reportedly transported to a hospital in
Sanandaj, the provincial capital of Kurdistan, but was then taken into custody
half an hour later before receiving proper treatment.
The Hossein Panahi family has lost several members in the past few years to
Iran's suppression of the Kurdish opposition.
They are currently grieving the loss of 1 of their sons, Sabah Hossein Panahi,
while overwhelmingly anxious about the fate of their child, Ramin, and the
imprisoned one, Afshin.
(source: unpo.org)
ISRAEL:
Israeli Defense Minister: 'The death penalty for terrorists will be a
significant tool of deterrence'----Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman
and the chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party submitted a request to expedite
the vote on the death penalty for terrorists after receiving the approval of
the legal bureau. Lieberman: "The death penalty for terrorists will be a
significant tool of deterrence."
After announcing his intention to explore the option of expanding Israel's
policy of demolishing terrorists' homes to include those who injured civilians
and not only those who committed murder, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor
Lieberman now hopes to expedite the vote on instituting the death penalty for
terrorists. Yesterday (Monday), the Yisrael Beiteinu party's Chairman MK Robert
Ilatov submitted a request to advance the discussion of the bill in the
ministerial committee after the original proposal was approved by the legal
department.
According to the request, "since its establishment, Israel has fought
terrorism" and that this is "one of its most difficult struggles." According to
Ilatov, "despite the terror and the terrible terror attacks that the State of
Israel has experienced since its establishment, there is a large gap between
the current reality and the necessary way of dealing with it, and the
punishment currently in place."
"Releasing terrorists, including terrorists who carried out the most horrific
terror attacks, conveys a message that is completely opposite to what is
necessary in the war on terror, severely undermines deterrence and encourages
the terrorists."
Lieberman addressed the request and said: "The death penalty for terrorists
will be a significant tool of deterrence. We can not allow terrorists to know
that after they committed a murder, they will sit in prison, enjoying such and
such conditions and may even be released in the future."
(source: jerusalemonline.com)
CHINA:
China to reduce the number of crimes under the death penalty
China will continue to remove the number of crimes under the death penalty in
the future, Chinese experts said, ahead of a new round of reviews of the draft
Criminal Law.
The 12th Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) began a
6-day meeting on Monday, during which it will review amendments to the Criminal
Law, China News Service reported on Monday.
The report said the Criminal Law has been amended several times since 1997, and
major amendments include imposing the death penalty on fewer crimes.
"The amendments to the Criminal Law should adapt to society. China has been
removing the number of crimes under the death penalty and will continue to do
so," Ruan Qilin, a professor at the China University of Political Science and
Law, told the Global Times on Monday.
However, not as many crimes will likely be removed under the death penalty this
time since amendments were made just two years ago, Ruan said.
In 2015, China's amendments to the Criminal Law removed nine crimes under the
death penalty, including arms and ammunition smuggling, possession of nuclear
materials, counterfeit currency, illicitly raising funds, arranging for or
forcing another person to engage in prostitution, obstructing a police officer
or a person on duty from performing his duties, and spreading rumors to mislead
others in wartime.
The death penalty may spark public outrage if handled inappropriately, which
would eventually lead to social conflicts, Liu Dalai, a lawyer from the Beijing
Lianggao Law Firm, told the Global Times.
But Liu said China should not abolish the death penalty "since it helps to
deter some criminals and is applicable to certain crimes which severely harm
the country and society.
Aside from amendments to the death penalty, another urgent task is to include
the explanation for the national anthem law in the Criminal Law, Ruan said.
The national anthem law came took effect on October 1, and states that it is
now illegal to use the national anthem at funerals, "inappropriate" private
occasions, commercials or as background music in public places.
Those who maliciously modify the lyrics, play or sing the national anthem in a
distorted or disrespectful way could be detained for up to 15 days, and even be
held criminally liable, the law says.
"The law has already taken effect, but penalties have yet to be explained in
the amendments, along with regulations on insults to the national anthem in
Hong Kong," Ruan said.
Hong Kong football fans booed China's national anthem before an Asian Cup
qualifying match between Hong Kong and Malaysia on October 10.
The meeting is also scheduled to examine drafts of other laws, including the
Anti-Unfair Competition Law, e-commerce law, and law on public libraries.
(source: Global Times)
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