[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
March 22 BANGLADESH: Ready to execute Mufti Hannan after receiving government order, says IG Prisons Jail authorities say they are prepared to carry out the death sentences of Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) chief Mufti Hannan and his two accomplices as soon as they get the government order. "We are yet to receive the executive order to carry out the death sentences. The prison authorities, however, are always ready for the execution," Inspector General of Prisons Brig Gen Syed Iftekhar Uddin told a media briefing on Wednesday. Mufti Hannan and 2 other HuJI activists, Sharif Shahedul Alam alias Bipul and Delwar Hossain alias Ripon have been awarded the death penalty for the 2004 grenade attack on the then UK envoy in Sylhet. HuJI leader Mufti Hannan and Bipul are being kept at the Kashimpur High Security Prison in Gazipur while Ripon is lodged at the Sylhet Central Jail. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court published the verdict, rejecting their petitions for review of their sentences, which was read out to them on Wednesday. After losing the last legal option, the 3 are now left with the only option of seeking presidential clemency by admitting guilt. Kashimpur prison authorities said Mufti Hannan and Bipul hinted at seeking clemency while convict Ripon told Sylhet jail officials that he will give a decision later. According to the jail code, they will now get 7 days to petition for pardon. If the president rejects their pleas, the government will fix a date and prison authorities will start the process to execute the verdict. In May 2004, then British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury came under a grenade attack while coming out of the Hazrat Shahjalal's shrine in his hometown Sylhet. Police's Assistant Sub-inspector Kamal Uddin died instantly. Constable Rubel Ahmed and one Habil Miah succumbed to their injuries in a hospital later. The envoy was injured along with nearly 40 employees of the Sylhet district administration. In December last year, the Appellate Division upheld their death sentences. The trial court had sentenced 2 others to life imprisonment, who moved the High Court but failed to secure a verdict in their favour. Their sentences are upheld as they did not challenge it at the Appellate Division. (source: bdnews24.com) Immediately Suspend Imminent ExecutionsIssue Moratoriums on Death Sentences as Inhumane Punishments The Bangladesh government should immediately halt the imminent execution of 3 men convicted of a May 2004 grenade attack, which targeted the then British High Commissioner, Anwar Choudhury. Chowdhury survived the attack that took place outside the Hazrat Shahjalal shrine in Sylhet district, but was among dozens injured by the blasts. 3 police officers were killed. On March 19, 2017, the country's apex court rejected the final review application of the 3 men on death row, all alleged members of the banned militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad (HuJI). The 3 men are: Mufti Abdul Hannan, HuJI founder, and 2 activists in the group, Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul and Delwar Hossain Ripon. "Criminals need to be punished, but Bangladesh is moving in the wrong direction by invoking the death penalty," said Brad Adams, Asia director. "Bangladesh should instead initiate an immediate moratorium on capital punishment because it is inherently cruel and irreversible, and should never be used, regardless of the crime." The evidence against the three men is primarily based on their confessions, statements that magistrates say were freely given in front of them but that the men have said were forcibly extracted through torture in police custody. Human Rights Watch has previously documented numerous cases of torture to coerce confessions, and due process violations in the Bangladesh criminal justice system that have made it difficult for defendants to receive a fair trial, including in capital cases. Noting that "custodial torture has become a persistent trend in Bangladesh," the country's National Human Rights Commission recently said that, "Indiscriminate order of remand for extracting confessions immensely contributes to a culture of custodial torture." Court documents show that Hannan had spent 77 days, and Bipul and Ripon 40 days each, in police custody prior to giving their confessions. During this time and throughout their interrogation, the accused were not provided access to any legal representation. All 3 confessions were made during this period. Bangladesh courts have accepted allegations in previous cases that torture takes place in police custody, and local, and international human rights organizations contend that the practice is widespread. Nevertheless, the appeals court stated that, "These confessions are natural, voluntary, inculpatory, and corroborative to each other," and were not "procured from them by means of coercion, duress, or torture." The United Nations
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
March 22 BELARUS: 1st death sentence in 2017 FIDH and its member organisation in Belarus Human Rights Centre "Viasna" denounce the first death sentence in 2017 and regret the Belarusian authorities continue to ignore calls to render Europe a death penalty-free zone. On 17 March 2017, 32-year-old Aliaksei Mikhalenya was sentenced to death by the Gomel Regional Court of Belarus for 2 murders committed with particular cruelty. Although Aliaksei Mikhalenya has the right to appeal the sentence in Supreme Court in Belarus, the appeal court rarely commutes death sentences and the chances to get the Presidential pardon are illusionary, as revealed in the joint FIDH-HRC report "Death penalty in Belarus: Murder on (Un)Lawful Grounds". As the report demonstrates, throughout investigation and trial, self-incrimination is used by the prosecution as the main evidence of guilt, whilst the right to an effective legal defence is systematically violated. In general, the application of death penalty in Belarus is accompagnied by severe human rights violations at each stage of the judicial proceedings and during detention. "The UN has confirmed the violation of the right to life in 6 decisions concerning the use of death penalty in Belarus. The application of capital punishment is an indicator of authorities disrespect of international human rights bodies and human rights in general", commented Florence Bellivier, former President of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty. Furthermore, considerable secrecy surrounds the application of death penalty in Belarus. Information concerning the death penalty is withheld from the general public, whilst information on detention conditions for death convicts and execution procedures is not publicly available. The exact number of persons convicted to death and executed in Belarus is unknown. The families of death convicts are neither informed in advance of the date of the execution, nor immediately thereafter, the body is never handed over to relatives and the location of the burial site is kept secret. "The name of Aliaksei Mikhalenya was held secret until yesterday when human rights defenders communicated his identity. Withholding the identity precludes us from providing legal aid to the person concerned and to his family", said Andrei Paluda, coordinator of the campaign "Human rights defenders against the death penalty in Belarus". Belarus is the only country in Europe that applies death penalty. For the duration of negotiations around EU restrictive measures against Belarusian officials and businesses, the executions had been on hold. However, upon the lifting of sanctions in February 2016, executions resumed and by December 2016 reached their highest number since 2008: 4 convicts executed in secrecy in 2016. Being a founding member of the World Coalition against the Death penalty, FIDH and its member organisation HRC "Viasna" urge the EU and other actors to use all leverages at their disposal to put an end to the capital punishment in Belarus. (source: FIDH) PHILIPPINES: When politics and principles clash on the death penalty 18 lawmakers who voted no to the RH bill under the 15th Congress voted yes to the death penalty measure under the 17th Congress. How did the Church mobilize against the 2 controversial measures? PART 1: What happened behind closed doors to the death penalty bill? Somber-looking nuns seated at the House of Representatives' plenary hall could only look from afar when 217 lawmakers gave their approval to reimpose the death penalty for drug convicts. Under any other circumstances, the overwhelming number who voted for the return of capital punishment may have been surprising for the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country. But not during the time of President Rodrigo Duterte, who openly said Catholic bishops are "full of shit" as he accused them of corruption and indulging in sexual escapades. Duterte, who has not been mincing words against the Church, continues to enjoy strong support from the poor even as his bloody war against drugs has resulted in more than 7,000 deaths since July 2016. The President also has the backing of at least 267 lawmakers allied with the majority bloc, whose party whips made sure the controversial death penalty measure - House Bill (HB) Number 4727 - would be passed on 3rd and final reading on March 7. Lawmakers and political analysts alike were not surprised when legislators who thumbed down the Reproductive Health (RH) bill in the 15th Congress gave their thumbs up to the death penalty in the current 17th Congress. Is there even a Catholic vote under the administration of Duterte? Principled voters? There were a total of 18 lawmakers who voted no the RH bill but said yes to the death penalty bill. The RH bill waited for 14 years before lawmakers in the 15th Congress, in a close vote of 133-79-7, approved it on 3rd
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----ARK., NEV., CALIF., USA
March 22 ARKANSASimpending executions State hunting for volunteers to witness April's 8 executions A shortage of required citizen witnesses to watch 8 lethal injections over a 10-day period next month prompted the state prison director Tuesday to call on Rotary Club members to volunteer. Citizen witnesses are there to verify that the individual executions are carried out according to law. A volunteer must be at least 21 years old, an Arkansas resident, have no felony criminal history and have no connection to the inmate or to the victim. "The last times these were set, we actually did not have enough people volunteer," Department of Correction Director Wendy Kelley told Little Rock Rotary Club 99 members. "You seem to be a group that does not have felony backgrounds and are over 21. So if you're interested in serving in that area, in this serious role, just call my office." The 8 executions are scheduled two at a time beginning April 17 and ending April 27. Department of Correction spokesman Solomon Graves said he does not have a current count on the number of citizen witnesses who have signed up for the role. Kelley is making informal inquiries to find more volunteers, he said. "Depending on the response received, further recruitment may not be necessary," Graves said. The state's death penalty law, A.C.A. 16-90-502, Section 3, requires that the prison director procure no fewer than six and no more than 12 citizen witnesses for each execution. Kelley must determine that witnesses meet the requirements and that they do not present a security risk. Graves said that while the legal requirement pertains to each individual execution, "nothing prohibits a witness from service during multiple executions." Judd Deere, spokesman for Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, said he could not speculate about the impact on the execution schedule if a sufficient number of citizen witnesses can't be found. As the execution day approaches, "the attorney general will work in consultation with the governor and the Department of Correction director to make sure the law is followed as far as executions being carried out," Deere said. Graves would not say whether the lack of witnesses would halt or postpone the executions, only that Kelley would "continue her informal recruitment efforts." Finding volunteers among members of the Little Rock Rotary Club 99 may be difficult, said Bill Booker, acting president of the club. "What I suspect is that some people might support the death penalty, but when it comes to witnessing something like that, it's a different story," Booker said Tuesday. "It may cause emotional trauma for quite a while. It would be one of the most significant things you'll ever see in your life." Booker, a funeral director at Roller Funeral Home in Little Rock, said he will not volunteer for the task. "It's a lot different to be involved after the death has occurred," Booker said, adding that he vividly remembers stopping to help at the scene of a fatal traffic accident 40 years ago and helping a young man as he was dying. Viewing an execution would be too much for him, he said. "At this point in my life, I don't know if I'd want to risk being traumatized by it," Booker said. "That doesn't mean that I oppose the death penalty." Rotarian Charlotte Gadberry said she has no interest in volunteering as a citizen witness. "I can't imagine she [Kelley] will get a lot of volunteers," Gadberry said. "I don't think I could handle it. I'm not real sure how I feel about the death penalty, but it seems like there should be a better way of treating our fellow man." Rotarian Karen Fetzer said she would not witness an execution but that Kelley may find some volunteers in the Rotary Club 99 crowd. "It's just a personal preference for me," Fetzer said. "But there are others in our population who may be up for it." None of the handful of Arkansas residents interviewed Tuesday by the Democrat-Gazette said they would volunteer for the assignment. Charles Moore of Camden, who served 2 tours during the Vietnam War, said he's seen enough death in his lifetime. "I stacked bodies on top of each other in Vietnam," said Moore, a retired disabled veteran who operates the Camden nonprofit children's foundation Planting A Seed. "I don't believe in an eye for an eye." The subject spurred an argument between Jayme Hickman of Little Rock and her mother, Linda Fitzhugh, of Sheridan as they were sitting on a hill in the River Market District in Little Rock watching Hickman's two children play. "No," Hickman said, shaking her head. "I don't agree with killing a person. Both families lose in that situation." Fitzhugh interrupted by directing Hickman's gaze to the 2 children. "What would you do if they hurt your daughters? They should execute them," Fitzhugh said loudly. "We don't need to be taking care of them with taxpayers' money." In
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----TEXAS, VA., GA., FLA., ALA.
March 22 TEXAS: Fill gaps in capital case trial lawyers The shrinking list of lawyers qualified to handle the growing list of capital murder defendants in Bexar County does not bode well for the criminal justice system. With 68 capital murder cases pending and only 11 lawyers living in the county who meet the minimum requirement to represent indigent defendants who might end up on death row, the likelihood is high that many of those cases will not be resolved soon. Most defendants charged with capital murder are at the mercy of the criminal justice system for their legal defense. They generally lack the financial means to hire legal counsel or post bond. That means those accused of capital murder in Bexar County will spend a long time in the local lockup awaiting their day in court. It also means a long wait for resolution by the families of the victims in those cases. Usually, 2 lawyers are assigned to each capital murder case. Texas law requires those assigned as lead lawyers in capital murder cases to have spent 5 years doing criminal law work; have experience challenging mental health or forensics experts in court; and be skilled at presenting mitigating evidence to a jury. The rules are well intentioned given the growing number of death row inmates across the country who have been exonerated. In Texas alone, 12 people have been released from death row since 1973. The problems with the strict appointment guidelines is that they do not allow the assignment of former prosecutors who may have tried capital murder cases or former judges who may have presided over such cases. Lawyers on the list of candidates qualified to handle capital murder cases in Bexar County are vetted by a local selection committee, but the group of veteran lawyers and jurists serving on it are strictly bound by the state regulations. Attempts by the Bexar County judiciary to broaden the rules to allow former prosecutors and judges to qualify for the appointments have met with stiff opposition at the state level. The issue needs to be addressed. Burdening a small group with the defense of the most serious of felonies is a disservice to the lawyers and their clients. The cases can be emotionally and physically grueling on the defense team. The sheer number of cases each lawyer is handling makes a strong case for an appeal based on ineffective assistance of counsel. The shortage of lawyers to handle capital murder defense work is not unique to Bexar County. Express-News Staff Writer Bruce Selcraig reports that other jurisdictions are experiencing the same situation. Establishing a public defenders office that would include lawyers who are experienced in capital murder defense is an expensive proposition. The same can be said for hiring defense lawyers from out of town to tackle the caseload. The fee paid to court-appointed lawyers in capital murder cases is only $150 an hour for actual trial work, but the costs add up quickly for taxpayers footing the bill. If lawyers are brought in from out of town, there is the added cost for travel, lodging and meals. The number of death sentences in Texas has been steadily declining since life without parole became a sentencing option. It has gone from 48 people sent to death row in 1999 to only 4 in 2016. Lack of eligible lawyers to handle capital murders defense work could bring those numbers down further. If that was the intent behind the strict rules on the criminal defense appointments, then let's be upfront about it and start a serious discussion on the future of the death penalty in Texas. If not, the stressful workload piled on the few attorneys qualified to represent capital murder defendants needs to addressed. It is simply unacceptable that defendants without financial means have limited access to defense lawyers in capital cases. The list of available attorneys needs to be broadened. (source: Editorial Board, San Antonio Express-News) VIRGINIAimpending execution 'Innocent on Death Row' event calls on McAuliffe to issue a stay of execution for man convicted of murder-for-hireIvan Teleguz execution date set for April 25 Over 200 students gathered in Clark 107 Monday to listen to attorney Elizabeth Peiffer make the case that Ivan Teleguz - a death row inmate convicted of hiring a man to murder his ex-girlfriend and who is set to be executed on April 25 - is innocent. "He was charged with hiring someone to murder the ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, Stephanie Sipe," Peiffer, a staff attorney at the Virginia Capital Representation Resource Center, said in an interview with The Cavalier Daily prior to the event. "After he was convicted a lot of evidence began to emerge that he was innocent of the murder." The murder took place in July 2001 in Harrisonburg. Teleguz is alleged to have hired and driven 2 men - Edwin Gilkes and Michael Hetrick - from Lancaster, Penn.
