August 7
UNITED KINGDOM:
'JIHADI JOHN'S MY FRIEND' -- ISIS 'Beatles' smirk as they defend Brit
executioner who beheaded captives David Haines and Alan Henning----Alleged
'Beatles' members El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey are calling for their
trial to take place in Britain in an attempt to dodge a potential death penalty
in the US
2 alleged surviving members of the evil ISIS execution cell known as the
Beatles last night smirked as they described warped killer Jihadi John as their
"friend".
El Shafee Elsheikh, 29, and Alexanda Kotey, 34, were captured in Syria in
January after ISIS fled its former self-styled capital Raqqa.
They are being held in the US and are fighting to dodge a potential death
penalty by being extradited back to Britain.
Kotey, a London-born former drug dealer whose wife and 2 children remain in the
UK, said he was aware his alleged accomplice Mohammed Emwazi had been nicknamed
"Jidahi John".
But the smirking suspected terrorist added: "He's a friend of mine."
Emwazi, killed in a drone strike in 2015, became the face of Islamic State's
depraved campaign of terror after the beheadings of aid workers David Haines
and Alan Henning were broadcast.
(source: thesun.co.uk)
INDIA:
Bhopal: Court convicts rapist with capital punishment in just 26 days
Court of Chattarpur district has convicted a rapist with capital punishment, on
Monday. The Court has completed the hearing and announced the verdict in just
26 days. Advocate Lakhan Rajput informed that on April 24, around 11.30 pm a
woman reported the matter to the Chattarpur police that Mohammad Tohid had
raped her 2 year old daughter at her home.
The mother had come out to handover something to her brother in-law at around
11 pm. However, they heard her daughter cries she was chatting with him. On
reaching home she found that the girl was in pool of blood and the accused was
standing near girl.
They filed a complaint on the basis of which the police registered a case under
section 376,450 of PSOCO act and arrest the culprit. SP Veent Khanna formed a
special team to investigate the crime. Importantly the forensic evidences
produced by the police provided crucial support to the Court to sentence him
with capital punishment.
(source: The Free Press Journal)
************************************
Teenager gets death penalty for raping 3-year-old in MP
A local court today awarded the death sentence to a teenager for raping a
3-year-old girl.
Chhatarpur Additional Sessions Judge Naurin Nigam awarded capital punishment to
Tauheed Musalman, 19, after convicting him under section 376 (A)(B) of the
recently-introduced Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, said district
prosecution officer S K Chaturvedi.
He said on April 24, the culprit was caught raping the victim after he had
sneaked into her house while the child's mother was talking to her
brother-in-law outside.
The child's mother found her in a pool of blood and Musalman was nabbed by the
people and handed over to the police, Chaturvedi said.
(source: indiatoday.com)
MALDIVES:
Bobby's murder: State requests Supreme Court to uphold death sentence on minor
The State has requested the Supreme Court to uphold the death sentence on a
minor who was found guilty in the murder of Abdul Muheeth (Bobby).
Bobby died in a brutal assault in an alley in front the finance ministry in
2012.
6 suspects were charged, out of which 3 were minors. While 2 of the minors were
found guilty, 1 was exonerated. The other suspects are still being tried at the
Criminal Court.
The Supreme Court on Monday began appeal hearings on the death penalty imposed
on one of the convicts, who was a minor at the time of committing the crime but
is now above 18 years of age.
The verdict was appealed due to reasonable doubt in his guilt, but the State
requested that the Supreme Court uphold the death penalty imposed by the lower
court and upheld by the High Court. The State also requested that if the court
finds him not guilty of murder, to find him guilty of being an accomplice and
sentence him to 25 years in prison.
At Monday's appeal hearing, the defense said that an unreliable witness who was
convicted over a drug-related crime, was one of the three witnesses who
testified in the trial. The defense said that drug users are Fasiqs (people who
violate Islamic law) and so their testimonies cannot be legitimate in court.
The trial documents also show that after the witness give his secret testimony
at the Civil Court, he later retracted it in a letter. In response, the state
prosecutor said that the police confirmed at the High Court appeal hearings
that he was threatened into sending the letter and so his testimony still
stands.
Testimonies of the other 2 witnesses and the other evidences show that the 2
minors were involved in the assault. The State had provided CCTV footage and
phone call recordings of the suspects at the initial trial, as well as evidence
showing that some of the accused injured in the assault sought treatment at ADK
Hospital.
The minor, who is under the custody of the correctional service, was questioned
after being summoned to Monday's hearing. After the judge asked him if he has a
criminal record, he said that he has been found guilty of assault but that he
has never met the victim, Bobby.
10 assailants were allegedly involved in Bobby's assault on 18 February 2012.
He was stabbed 20 times and the brutality of the attack had also split the
victim's skull.
(source: raajje.mv)
*******************************
Maldives pres reiterates 'commitment' to capital punishment
Incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Tuesday reiterated his
government's commitment to enforcing the death penalty in the Maldives.
Since taking office in 2013, president Yameen has been pushing to enforce the
death penalty after ending the de facto moratorium that has been in place in
the country for over 6 decades.
In June 2016, capital punishment regulations were amended to allow for hanging
in addition to lethal injections as methods of execution.
President Yameen has since been giving several dates to begin capital
punishment, last of which was nearly a year ago.
Speaking after inaugurating a shore protection project Gaaf Dhaal Atoll
Madaveli island on Tuesday, president Yameen said his government would begin
capital punishment after the 'procedural requirements' are completed.
President Yameen said his government's foreign policy has come under criticism
only because of efforts to protect the country's sovereignty and Islamic
principles and values.
"Some people are finding it difficult to accept my foreign policy because my
government has striven to stand up for itself. Because my government is trying
to protect our sovereignty and Islamic principles and values. Don't challenge
me. My government will enforce the death penalty. Do not doubt it," he
stressed.
There are currently 3 convicts on death row in the Maldives. They are Hussain
Humam convicted of murdering Dr Afrasheem Ali, Ahmed Murrath convicted of
murdering Ahmed Najeeb and Mohamed Nabeel convicted of murdering Abdulla
Farhad.
(source: avas.mv)
NIGERIA:
Why FG, states may not execute 2,359 death row inmates
There are indications that the recent directive by the Federal Government to
state governors to take action on the 2,359 death row inmates may not lead to
their executions.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), had at the
National Economic Council (NEC) meeting presided by Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo on July 19, asked the 36 state governors to act in line with Section
212 of the 1999 Constitution on the number of inmates sentenced to death as a
means of decongesting prisons, which have about 73,631 inmates nationwide.
The Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry
of Justice, Dayo Apata, said the advice by the AGF centred on a review of the
situation of the death row inmates using available legal options such as
prerogative of mercy or remitting the sentences and not necessarily executing
them.
He said during the nationwide tour as part of the prison decongestion directive
of the president, the AGF found that some governors were very reluctant to act
on the death row prison inmates either due to religious, social or other
reasons, while others were taken to states other than where they were
sentenced.
He said this category of inmates were constituting security risk at prisons by
committing crimes right in the prisons.
"Since the governors were not forthcoming for reasons best known to them, the
AGF now presented a memo before the National Economic Council that they should
review and also suggested other avenues, since the people have been in
detention for many years without anything being done about them," he said.
"He only made suggestions about maybe those who have been transferred to other
states, that maybe they should bring them back so that the governors can take
absolute control of the powers conferred by the law or maybe they can review
them by way of prerogative of mercy, remitting the death sentence, and not
going ahead to execute them," he said.
Section 33 (1) of the 1999 Constitution provides for the death sentence. Also,
offences of murder, treason, treachery, and armed robbery are punishable with
death. The applicable sections are Section 221 of the Penal Code and Section
319 of the Criminal Code.
However, state governors under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution have the
prerogative of mercy under the advice of the State Advisory Council to review
or commute the death sentence to other forms of punishment.
Meanwhile, several human rights organisations had criticised the advice to the
state governors on the death row inmates.
The Executive Director of Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants
(CURE), Sylvester Uhaa, said it was worrisome that the country was planning the
executions as a way of reducing the prison population in the country, noting
that they constitute only two percent of the prison population.
Also speaking, the director of Avocats Sans Frontiere France (ASFF) otherwise
known as Lawyers Without Borders, Angela Uwandu, advised the Federal Government
to adopt the existing international moratorium on death sentence as a way of
showing that it has "respect for the sanctity of human lives."
The Executive Director of Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA),
Dr Uju Agomoh, suggested the use of other forms of punishment and the adoption
of the pre-trial reforms in the Act on Criminal Justice Administration, which
provides for non-custodial measures like community service, probation and
parole as means of decongesting prisons.
"This cannot be the way to decongest our prisons. The high proportion of
persons who are in prison is actually attributable to pre-trail detainees. If
anybody in Nigeria wants to decongest the prison, the first place to look at is
the number of persons in pre-trial detention as well as reducing the duration
spent in pre-trial detention, so we need to encourage speedy trial," Agomoh
said.
The senior special assistant to the Executive Secretary of National Human
Rights Commission (NHRC), Lambert Opara, said although Section 33(1) of the
Constitution provides for the death sentence, there is need for "constitutional
amendment to remove the death penalty in our statute books."
However, the Executive Director of Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria
(HURIWA), Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the death penalty remains part of Nigerian
laws and advocated the amendment of the law especially, to include death
penalty for terrorism-related offences involving death of persons.
"The constitution recognises capital punishment and since we operate on the
basis of the constitution and the person sentenced has the opportunity to
appeal the judgment to the Supreme Court, I don't see anything wrong with
carrying out the executions," he said.
(source: dailytrust.com.ng)
PHILIPPINES:
Pacquiao told to 'do research,' stop misleading public on death penalty
Senator Manny Pacquiao is misleading the public on death penalty with his wrong
interpretation of the Bible, an official of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of
the Philippines (CBCP) said Tuesday.
Pacquiao, a champion boxer and born-again pastor, said last week that he is
pushing Senate to approve the reimposition of death penalty before the year
ends. Capital punishment, he said, is acceptable since it is in the Bible.
The lawmaker stands on a "wrong interpretation of the Bible," said Rodolfo
Diamante, Executive Secretary of the CBCP Commission on Prison Pastoral Care.
"He is actually misleading the public on his own understanding of the
scriptural passage. This is what is dangerous," Diamante said as quoted by CBCP
News.
The Catholic Church recently updated its catechism, declaring death penalty as
"inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the
person."
After Pope Francis' declaration, CBCP says 'no reason' to justify death penalty
Pacquiao, who leads discussions on the death penalty at the Senate justice
committee, should direct his staff "to do some solid research before sharing
his thoughts on any issue," said Diamante.
"Furthermore, he was elected by the people to protect and improve the quality
of life of people and not to extinguish it," he added.
SENATOR STEADFAST ON DEATH PENALTY
Pacquiao maintained that the government has a God-given authority to impose
death penalty, citing the Romans 13 verses 1 to 7 in the Bible.
Part of this passage reads: "For the one in authority is God's servant for your
good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no
reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the
wrongdoer."
The "sword" in this passage, Pacquiao said, connotes beheading.
The House of Representatives last year approved a bill reimposing the death
penalty, but only for drug-related offenses.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Palace will "try gentle
persuasion" on the senators so they would pass the bill.
President Rodrigo Duterte has been hoping to reinstate the death penalty in the
Philippines, where nearly 80 percent of its population is made up of Catholics,
as he wages his war on illegal drugs and pursues an anti-crime campaign.
(source: abs-cbn.com)
IRAN:
6 Death-Row Prisoners Transferred to the Solitary Confinement for Execution
At least 6 prisoners most of whom were charged with murder were transferred to
the solitary confinement of Rajai Shahr Prison.
According to a close source, on the morning of Sunday, August 5, at least 6
prisoners were transferred to the solitary confinement of Rajai Shahr Prison.
The prisoners, most of whom were sentenced to death on murder charges, will be
executed on Wednesday unless they win the consent of the plaintiffs or ask for
time.
2 of the prisoners are identified as Saman Yamini and Sasan Yamini from ward 1
of the prison.
The identity of the other prisoners and the exact number of them is not known
yet.
According to confirmed reports by Iran Human Rights (IHR), at least 36 people
were executed in different Iranian cities in the month of July, 24 of whom were
sentenced to death on murder charges.
(source: Iran Human Rights)
TURKEY:
Main opposition CHP says will not stand behind death penalty
Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) parliamentary group
leader on Monday said the party stands opposed to the death penalty amid
ongoing speculation that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will be
introducing the punishment to Turkey's parliament in the upcoming months,
secular Cumhuriyet daily reported.
Leader of the Great Unity Party (BBP) Mustafa Destici on Monday suggested a
proposal to reinstate the death penalty for offences such as murder, treason
and sexual offences against children would be brought to parliament in October.
Destici hinted a referendum could be held on the death penalty, which Turkey
abolished in 2004.
The matter will be discussed in detail in Turkish parliament, CHP's Ozgur Ozel
said, should a 200-signature bill be presented in parliament, adding the CHP is
opposed to death penalty in terms of legal norms and universal developments on
human rights.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan last week vowed to sign off on the death
penalty if parliament passed.
(source: ahvalnews.com)
JAPAN:
NHK poll: 58% back death penalty
More than 1/2 of respondents to an NHK survey said Japan should maintain the
death penalty.
The telephone survey conducted over the weekend followed the recent executions
of all 13 death row inmates linked to the doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo. Over
1,200 people responded.
58 % of respondents said Japan should keep the death penalty, while 7 % said
the country should abolish it. And 29 % were undecided.
(source: nhk.or.jp)
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