Sept. 24
PAKISTAN:
Hospital employee gets death sentence for murdering colleague
A model court on Monday sentenced a man to death for killing a fellow employee
at a private hospital in Gulshan-e-Hadeed 2 years ago. The Malir district’s
additional sessions judge awarded capital punishment to Rajesh alias Raju after
he was found guilty of the murder charge.
According to the prosecution, 25-year-old Nawab Din Channa, who worked as a
receptionist at Saima Hospital in Gulshan-e-Hadeed, was stabbed to death by
Rajesh, who had hidden his identity to avert arrest, on September 26, 2017.
Police said that Nawab was sleeping on a bench when Rajesh attacked him with a
dagger, stabbing him multiple times. The receptionist died due to excessive
loss of blood.
His body was later moved to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. His post mortem
report stated that the victim was attacked with a sharp object and wounds were
seen on his neck and chest. 7 hospital staffers were detained for interrogation
and a CCTV footage of the murder also appeared on social media, showing a man
attacking the receptionist while he was asleep.
The accused was arrested after he withdrew cash from an ATM using the
deceased’s bank account. According to the police, he took out Rs21,000. The
suspect during interrogation confessed to the murder, saying that he was had
personal enmity with the victim.
(source: thenews.com.pk)
**************
Supreme Court Acquits 2 Life Sentence Convicts On Benefit Of Doubt
The Supreme Court on Monday acquitted 2 life sentence convicts Faqir Ullah and
Muhammad Ashraf, on benefit of doubt.
The trial court had awarded capital punishment to Faqir Ullah and Muhammad
Ashraf over murder of Sohail Aamir in Multan's area of Makhdoom Rashhed in
2002. The high court converted the death penalty into life imprisonment.
A 3-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khan
Khosa and comprising Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Faisal Arab
heard the murder case in dispute of 2 parties through video link from the SC
Lahore Registry.
During the course of proceedings, the state prosecutor said that accused Faqir
Ullah and Muhammad Ashraf had killed Sohail Aamir and threw his dead body into
canal after packing it in a bag.
Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa remarked that investigation officers informed
court about joint recovery but they did not know that there was zero status of
joint recovery before the courts. He observed that the investigation officers
had less understanding about the law. He also observed that the witnesses
recorded contradictory statements.
He remarked that the case would have been stronger if police took finger prints
of the deceased and motorcyclist. No record of the case has been disclosed and
the prosecution failed to prove the case, he added.
The court after hearing arguments suspended the decision of theLahore High
Court and acquitted Faqir Ullah and Muhammad Ashrafon benefit of doubt.
(source: urdupoint.com)
IRAN:
3 Prisoners Transferred to Solitary Confinement for Execution
At least 3 prisoners have been transferred to the solitary confinement of
Rajai-Shahr prison in the Iranian city of Karaj for execution.
According to IHR sources, At least three prisoners have been transferred to the
solitary confinement of Rajai-Shahr in the Iranian city of Karaj for execution.
IHR identified the prisoners as Ali Dravari, Mostafa Bakhti and Mojtaba
Soleimani. All of them have been sentenced to death for murder. If they fail to
win the consent of the plaintiffs, they would be executed.
According to the Iranian Islamic Penal Code (IPC) murder is punishable by qisas
which means “retribution in kind” or retaliation. In qisas cases, the plaintiff
has the possibility to forgive or demand diya (blood money).
In this way, the State effectively puts the responsibility of the death
sentence for murder on the shoulders of the victim’s family. In many cases, the
victim's family are encouraged to put the rope is around the prisoner's neck
and even carry out the actual execution by pulling off the chair the prisoner
is standing on.
Executions are usually carried out on Wednesdays at Rajai-Shahr prison.
(source: Iran Human Rights)
IRAQ:
Iraq to hang 9 convicted terrorists for deadly 2013 bombing of justice ministry
An Iraqi court on Monday sentenced to death 9 people convicted of involvement
in the bombing of the Justice Ministry 6 years ago.
The so-called Islamic State had previously claimed responsibility for the March
2013 bombing that killed at least 25 people and wounded dozens.
The Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council said in a statement that the “terrorists
admitted during the trial that the attack was organized to target the largest
number of victims and sabotage state institutions.”
“The court sentenced those convicted to death by hanging in accordance with the
provisions of Article IV / 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Law,” the judiciary added.
The country has been highly criticized for its implementation of capital
punishment in recent years. The death penalty in Iraq was suspended on June 10,
2003, but reinstated the following year.
International groups and human rights organizations, including the United
Nations and Human Rights Watch, say efforts by Iraqi authorities to accelerate
the implementation of death sentences could lead to the execution of innocent
people, pointing to major flaws endemic to the nation’s deficient criminal
justice system.
Earlier this month, the judiciary announced that the Babil provincial court
sentenced an individual to death and a second person to life in prison after
they were convicted on terrorism charges.
(source: kurdistan24.net)
PHILIPPINES:
HOR tackles restoration of death penalty, assures ‘no pork’ in 2020 national
budget
The restoration of the death penalty is being discussed at the House of
Representatives, with support coming from the Philippine National Police,
Department of Justice, and Public Attorney’s Office. The authors of said bill
state that only heinous crimes should be punishable by death but legislators
express the need for specifications on the amount of drugs in possession of a
suspect to avoid any abuse on its implementation. Meanwhile, House Majority
Leader Martin Romualdez denounced allegations that each House Deputy Speaker
received Php1.6 billion each from the proposed budget. The Lower House
reiterates that are no pork barrel and parking in the 2020 budget.
(source: ptvnews.ph)
****************************
Death ‘not foolproof deterrent’ to crimes; swift justice better option – IBP
exec
Death penalty is not a foolproof deterrent to criminality, Integrated Bar of
the Philippines (IBP) national president Domingo Cayosa said Tuesday, stressing
that a swift and restorative justice system would be a better option to combat
crimes.
The House committee on justice held this day its first hearing on 11 bills
seeking to reinstate the death penalty in the Philippines.
Cayosa said that although IBP has yet to give an official stand on the bills,
most of their members support a reformative justice system.
The IBP leader argued that the estimated 6,000 drug suspects killed in drug
operations under the Duterte administration had failed to stop illegal drug
activities in the country.
“… Despite the fact that 6,000 have been killed for drug dealing, peddling use
or whatever, and these are instant deaths, not even deaths that were imposed by
the courts of the land, the drug problem has abated but it has not stopped,”
Cayosa told the panel.
“That proves the point that ‘yung kamatayan (death) is not that foolproof
deterrence to crime,” the lawyer added, stressing that “justice bilis (swift
justice)” is a long-term and better deterrent to criminality.
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate also said that the death penalty is a “myth” in
deterring crimes as long as the justice system remains “rotten.”Cagayan de Oro
City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, who is also an IBP member, said he
believes in the restorative and rehabilitative aspect of the penal system and
not a punitive legal system.”By being reformative, you cannot reform a person
already dead,” he added.
Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Karen Dumpit also said at the hearing
that the revival of the death penalty undermines the international treaties on
right to life entered into by the Philippines. She likewise said the country
should uphold its integrity and moral high ground to protect overseas Filipino
workers on death row by not reinstating capital punishment.
Representatives of the Philippine National Police, Department of Justice, and
Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) have supported the reimposition of the death
penalty. But PAO deputy chief Silvestre Mosing said lawmakers must exercise the
utmost care in ensuring that only the “most atrocious” and “extreme heinous
crimes” are punished with it.
There are at least 11 House bills reimposing the death penalty that have been
referred to the justice committee.
Among these was Muntinlupa Rep. Rozzano Biazon’s House Bill No. 741 which
reimposes the death penalty on drug-related offenses, specifically high-level
drug trafficking, except for possession of illegal drugs.
Meanwhile, Minority Leader and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr.’s
HB 1588 revives the death penalty on drug-related offenses, heinous crimes like
murder, rape, kidnapping, as well as plunder.
President Rodrigo Duterte urged Congress to pass a measure reimposing capital
punishment for drug-related offenses, as well as plunder, during his fourth
State of the Nation Address last July 22. The death penalty was suspended
through Republic Act No. 9346 signed in 2006 by then-President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo.
On March 7, 2017, the House under the 17th Congress, gave its nod to House Bill
No. 4727 seeking to reimpose capital punishment for heinous and drug-related
crimes, but it did not prosper in the Senate.In the current 18th Congress, some
death penalty bills have also been pending before the Senate committees on
justice and human rights and constitutional amendments and revision of codes.
These were filed by administration allies – Senators Bong Go, Vicente Sotto
III, Bong Revilla, and Ronald dela Rosa, among others.
(source: newsinfo.inquirer.net)
**************
Death penalty for retribution? 'Not all victims want revenge' – CHR----CHR
Commissioner Karen Gomez Dumpit says reviving the death penalty will not deter
criminals, and revenge as motivation would only 'perpetuate a culture of
violence'
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) opposed the proposal to revive the death
penalty in the country, saying not all victims want to take revenge on the
perpetrators of crimes committed against them.
"Not all victims want revenge. Not all are for the death penalty," said CHR
Commissioner Karen Gomez Dumpit as she faced the members of the House committee
on justice, which kicked off deliberations on the bills that would reimpose the
capital punishment on Tuesday, September 24.
Dumpit urged lawmakers to watch the ABS-CBN documentary "Radical Love," which
narrates the journey to forgiveness of actress Cherry Pie Picache, whose mother
Zenaida Sison was killed in September 2014.
The CHR commissioner also quoted the opposition to the death penalty by Maria
Clara Sarmenta, the mother of Eileen Sarmenta, who was raped and killed by
then-Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez and his henchmen in 1993.
Sarmenta said she initially wanted the death penalty to be revived following
reports about Sanchez's possible early release due to the Good Conduct Time
Allowance law mess.
But the grieving mother later said, "Being a Christian, I would rather have the
life sentence because in death penalty, it's only one injection, tapos na (then
it's done)."
"In the life sentence, the prisoner would be given the chance to be reformed
and also the mere fact that he suffers, he should be suffering for the crime he
did," Sarmenta was quoted by an ABS-CBN report as saying. (READ: An eye for an
eye: Can the death penalty bring justice to victims?)
A total of 12 bills seeking to reimpose the death penalty have been filed in
the House of Representatives. Majority of these bills seek to impose the
capital punishment for drug-related crimes, but other legislators also want to
include kidnapping, rape, and even plunder.
In the previous 17th Congress, the House approved the bill that would revive
the death penalty for certain drug crimes, but the measure did not fly in the
Senate.
Now, legislators are once again tackling the death penalty bill after President
Rodrigo Duterte called on the 18th Congress to revive the capital punishment
for drug crimes and plunder during his 4th State of the Nation Address.
Pro-death penalty bill legislators believe the return of the death penalty
would not only be a way to exact payment from criminals, but also deter people
from committing heinous crimes.
But Dumpit argued that the death penalty is not the answer to curbing crime.
"The Philippines, its legislators, and government agencies tasked to curb
crimes are enabled and capable enough to hold dangerous offenders and
perpetrators accountable and be safe from them without death penalty," said
Dumpit.
"The yearning to stop the current scourge of drug addiction and its links to
criminality is understandable. [But] revenge as motivation will perpetuate a
culture of violence."
(source: rappler.com)
*************************
Hazing deemed heinous crime due to penalty for the act – Zubiri
Under Republic Act No 11053, Zubiri said, hazing could be considered equal to
other heinous crimes since a person convicted of violating the law is meted
with the highest penalty imposed in the country.
Proposals to declare hazing as a heinous crime were floated following the death
of 20-year-old Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cadet Darwin Dormitorio due to
hazing.
The hazing incident happened despite a stronger Anti-Hazing Law signed last
year, which penalizes with reclusion perpetua and a fine of P3 million those
who planned and participated in the hazing if it resulted in the death, rape,
sodomy, or mutilation.
While previous and existing laws do not explicitly identify hazing as a heinous
crime, Zubiri noted that RA 11053 already imposes the highest form of penalty
to those convicted of hazing.
“A perusal of RA 11053, there is no express provision stating that hazing is
heinous crimes. However, with the imposition of reclusion perpetua if hazing
results to death, and with the definition of heinous crimes under Republic Act
7659, plus the fact that reclusion perpetua is the highest imposable penalty,
absence of death penalty, we can consider that the strengthened anti-hazing law
considers the crime as heinous one,” Zubiri said in a statement.
The Senate majority leader cited the abolished RA 7659, which imposed in 1993
the death penalty for certain heinous crimes. The law stipulated that “the
crimes punishable by death under this Act are heinous for being grievous,
odious, and hateful offenses and which, by reason of their inherent or manifest
wickedness, viciousness, atrocity and perversity are repugnant and outrageous
to the common standards and norms of decency and morality in a just, civilized
and ordered society.”
Zubiri also pointed out that the death penalty law was passed ahead of the
Republic Act 8049, or the Anti-Hazing Act of 1995, “thus at the time we have
enumerated heinous crimes, there is no anti-hazing law yet.”
On Sunday, Zubiri said since Congress already strengthened the country’s
Anti-Hazing Law, “It is now up to the authorities to perform their duties and
apprehend the perpetrators.”
(source: Manila Bulletin)
ALGERIA:
Algeria begins trial of former intelligence chiefs, brother of ousted president
Algeria's military court on Monday began the first trial session of four
individuals including brother of the ousted president, official media reported.
The four included Said Bouteflika, brother and adviser of ousted President
Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Mohamed Mediene, alias Toufik, and Bachir Tartarg, former
intelligence chiefs, and Louisa Hanoune, leader of the opposition Workers'
party.
The 4, who were arrested in early May, were charged of conspiring against the
state and the army authority.
According to Algerian state television, the four defendants face sentences
ranging from 5 years in prison to death penalty.
The private television channel of Ennahar reported that the military court,
located in the province of Blida, 50 km south of the capital Algiers, is under
tight security measures.
Ennahar further quoted Miloud Brahimi, lawyer of Mediene, as saying that he is
intending to request the postponement of the first trial session because of
health concerns of his client.
The 4 were accused publicly by Army Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaid Salah of plotting
malicious schemes against the army and the nation to thwart the popular protest
movement that erupted across Algeria to demand political change.
Algerians have been protesting since Feb. 22 across the country to demand the
departure of the government.
Meanwhile, the military institution pledged to work for meeting the people's
aspirations, as a series of arrests were launched against several prominent
state and military officials as well as businessmen, who are prosecuted over
corruption charges.
(source: xinhuanet.com)
SUDAN:
Sudan: SLM-AW - Abolition of Death Penalty Is Bargaining Chip
The Sudan Liberation Movement under the leadership of Abdelwahid El Nur
(SLM-AW) confirmed that the government has, so far, released no prisoners in a
statement on Sunday.
In the statement, the SLM-AW said that it will not negotiate with any party
while members of the movement remain in prison.
SLM-AW spokesman Abdelrahman El Nayer, listed 34 SLM prisoners held by the
government who are currently being detained in prisons in Khartoum, Port Sudan,
and El Fasher.
The movement argued that the abolition of the death penalty for eight of its
members does not mean anything because they were wrongfully convicted during
the former regime. Thus, according to the movement, their conviction no longer
has any valid legal basis. The statement described the decision of the
Sovereignty Council to abolish the death penalty against SLM-AW prisoners as a
mere bargaining chip to kickoff negotiations.
El Nur said in August that his SLM "will adhere to the revolution until a
radical change takes place and a real civilian authority is established".
He explained that continuing with armed struggle is not the movement's option
at this stage. "The SLM-AW will depend on popular struggle as an opposition
tool, together with the Sudanese people, in order to reach this end, summarised
in Just fall, that's all."M
According to the SLM-AW leader, "The Sudanese people who forced Al Bashir to
disappear from the scene are able to overthrow the junta and all other forces
that hijacked the revolution in the name of the people, and pave the way for a
state based on equal citizenship".
The Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF, a coalition of the armed movements) reached
an agreement with the FFC on the peace process in Sudan in the Ethiopian
capital on July 25. The SLM-AW is no part of the SRF anymore. The movement
withdrew when the coalition opted for a peaceful solution instead of continuing
the armed struggle. El Nur says he will only join peace negotiations after
Khartoum has restored stability and security in Darfur.
(source: allafrica.com)
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