[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
September 10 EGYPT: UN urges Egypt to reverse 'unfair trial' death sentences An Egyptian court's confirmation of 75 death sentences was not based on a fair trial and should be reversed to avoid an "irreversible miscarriage of justice", the UN said Sunday. New United Nations rights chief Michelle Bachelet said she was "extremely concerned" at the decision handed down by the Cairo Criminal Court Saturday in one of the largest mass trials since the 2011 uprising. "The evident disregard of basic rights of the accused places the guilt of all those convicted in serious doubt," she warned in a statement. Bachelet, who took the reins of the UN rights office less than a week ago, urged Egypt's appeals court to "review this verdict and ensure that international standards of justice are respected by setting it aside." The 75 people who initially received their death sentences in July were among 739 defendants on trial in the same case -- most of them facing charges of killing police and vandalising property during clashes in 2013 between security forces and supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. "The 739 people were tried en masse, and were not permitted individual legal representation before the court," Bachelet noted out in a statement. "In addition, the accused were not given the right to present evidence in their defence, and the prosecution did not provide sufficient evidence to prove individual guilt," she said. In light of the obvious unfairness of the trial, she warned that "the 75 death sentences affirmed yesterday, if implemented, would represent a gross and irreversible miscarria ge of justice." In addition to the death sentences, 47 people were sentenced to life behind bars, while the remainder were handed prison terms of varying length. They included award-winning photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid, who was sentenced to 5 years behind bars. On August 14, 2013, one of the bloodiest days in Egypt's modern history, a month after the army ousted Morsi, police moved to disperse a sprawling Islamist protest camp at Rabaa al-Adawiya square in Cairo. The military crackdown "is alleged to have led to the killing of up to 900 mostly unarmed protesters by members of the Egyptian security forces," the United Nations said. Despite the large death toll, the United Nations noted that no state security personnel have ever been charged in relation to the so-called Rabaa massacre. Bachelet pointed to the stark contrast between the many mass trials since then and a law passed in July effectively bestowing complete impunity on security personnel for offenses committed in the period after the overthrow of Morsi's government on July 3, 2013. "Justice must apply to all, no one should be immune," she insisted. "Attempts to bestow immunity from prosecution for crimes allegedly committed by members of the security forces merely promotes impunity," she warned. (source: al-monitor.com) Egyptian death sentences a 'gross miscarriage of justice': UN human rights chief An Egyptian court's confirmation of 75 death sentences on Saturday has been condemned by Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as being the result of an unfair trial. Ms. Bachelet expressed her extreme concern at the decision which, if carried out, would amount to "a gross and irreversible miscarriage of justice". The trial is one outcome of the military crackdown on Muslim-Brotherhood led protests in the Rabaa al-Adawiya and al-Nahda squares in Cairo on 14 August 2013. It is alleged that up to 900 mostly unarmed protesters were killed by members of the Egyptian security forces. The Government later claimed that many protesters had been armed, and that a number of police were killed. Subsequently, charges were brought against a total of 739 people during a mass trial at the Cairo Criminal Court. These charges included murder and incitement to violence, membership of an illegal group, participation in an illegal gathering, and other crimes. ? In addition to the death sentences, 47 people were sentenced to life imprisonment, while the remainder were handed jail terms of varying length. There have been several mass trials in Egypt, involving hundreds of cases being heard at the same time, and raising many of the same issues about due process and fair trial standards. "The conduct of the trial in the Cairo Criminal Court has been widely criticised," Bachelet said. "And rightly so. The 739 people were tried en masse, and were not permitted individual legal representation before the court. In addition, the accused were not given the right to present evidence in their defence, and the prosecution did not provide sufficient evidence to prove individual guilt. The evident disregard of basic rights of the accused places the guilt of all those convicted in serious doubt. I hope that the Egyptian Court of Ap
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news---worldwide
September 10 BANGLADESH: 7 sentenced to death for murdering Gazipur businessman A Gazipur court has sentenced 7 men to death, and 1 to 5 years in jail, for killing local businessman, Milon Bhuiya, for money. Those who have received the maximum penalty are: Mohammad Ali Hossain alias Hossain Ali, 27, Rajib Hossain Raju, 22, Kaiyum, 25, Mohammad Ali alias Chhoto Ali, 20, Rajib Hossain, 22, Faruk Hossain, 25, and Shafiqul Islam Parvez, 26. Another convict, Masum alias Mama Masum, who received a jail term for his role in Milon's murder, is absconding. The District and Sessions Judge's Court cleared 2 others - Enamul Haq and Shamsul Haq - of charges, on Monday. Case documents show that the convicts stopped Milon at the gate of Bhawal National Park on the evening of February 26, 2011 and attacked him with sharp weapons. Milon was rescued by his relatives but died on the way to hospital. His maternal uncle, Aktar Hossain, filed a murder case with Joydebpur police. The Detective Branch (DB) took over the investigation but the case was later shifted to CID after the DB failed to solve it. CID Inspector Nazmul Haq pressed charges against 10 persons in court on April 22, 2015. (source: Dhaka Tribune) SRI LANKA: UN disturbing by Sri Lanka's plans to resume use of the death penalty "In Sri Lanka, although the authorities have moved too slowly towards meaningful implementation of the transitional justice agenda, the Office of Missing Persons has now begun consultations and institutional capacity-building to fulfil its mandate," said in her 1st speech delivered by the newly appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to the 39th session of the Human Rights Council. "We look to that Office to work quickly, to begin to provide answers to the families of the disappeared. Legislation establishing an Office for Reparations is also underway. More progress in advancing accountability and truth-seeking could have great weight in the long-term stability and prosperity of the nation. Recurrent incidents of racist and inter-communal violence are disturbing, as are announced plans to resume use of the death penalty," she added. Here is the full text of the opening Statement by the newly appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to the 39th session of the Human Rights Council It is an honour to be called to this mandate, to assist States to uphold the human rights of their people, in this year in which we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration is a commitment to values and policies that have delivered tremendous benefit to millions of people. This Council, my Office, and every Member State of the United Nations must continue to push forward with that work. The future of our world depends upon it. I want to acknowledge the courage and the achievements of my predecessor, High Commissioner Zeid. His activism, humanity and formidable intelligence have advanced the cause of human rights, and brought great access and impact to our Office. He truly became the spokesman for those who are voiceless: the victims of human rights violations. Their needs and rights should always be the central focus of our work. Human rights express the core purpose of the United Nations: we can only attain peace, security and sustainable development for all societies when we advance the dignity and equality of all human beings. In the course of my work, I fully intend to honour both the spirit and the practises established by my predecessors. I bring to this mandate my experience in public service and my lifelong dedication to reversing hatred and ensuring equality and respect for all. I have been a political detainee and the daughter of political detainees. I have been a refugee and a physician - including for children who experienced torture, and the enforced disappearance of their parents. I have headed a United Nations body, and I have been honoured to lead my country, twice, as its President. This is the eve of the day on which we Chileans mark the memory of the coup d'etat, 45 years ago, and the ensuing years of brutal oppression and bloodshed. My country has known the pain and terror of tyranny. But I am proud to say we have been able to surmount divisions and meet vast challenges - shaping institutions which enable greater participation, and greater freedom, justice and dignity, for our people. And so I bring to the cause of human rights the diversity of cultures that have nourished my approach to public service. I bring my commitment to bridging the differences between communities, and promoting respect, well-being and freedom. I bring my fundamental attachment to the courage, the dignity and selflessness of all defenders and activists for human rights. I bring my absolute conviction that cooperation between all actors, through mult
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----N.H., VA., ALA., OHIO
September 10
NEW HAMPSHIRE:
Death Penalty Repeal
The bill repealing the death penalty, Senate Bill 593, faces an up-hill battle.
The Senate voted 14-10 to approve the bill, which is not sufficient to
override.
2 Democrats from Manchester voted against the bill, the dean of the Senate Lou
D'Allesandro, as he always does, and Kevin Cavanaugh.
Those 2 are not likely to change their votes. Michael Addison sits on death row
for killing Manchester police officer Michael Briggs and the fear is a repeal
would commute Addison's sentence.
The House voted 223-116 to repeal, close to a 2/3 majority but not quite there.
(source: manchesterlink.com)
VIRGINIA:
Death is not the answer
Since June, the Roanoke Times has written multiple stories about the murders of
3 innocent young people who worked at the Bent Mountain Bistro: Brandon Dekle,
Cole Kennedy, and Miranda Trump. The man charged with their murders is Trevor
Charles, an 18-year-old male who might or might not have been mentally ill at
the time of the alleged slayings. Regardless of his mental state, in early
August a Roanoke County grand jury indicted Charles of capital murder. As of
the writing of this op-ed piece, the Roanoke County Commonwealth Attorney's
Office has not decided whether to pursue the death penalty. I am writing to
urge them not to do so.
Thirty years ago, politicians and prosecutors across Virginia fully embraced
the death penalty, and stories about the men of the row and their final moments
in the death house filled state newspapers. The occupants of death row included
the violent, the mentally ill, and the factually innocent. And until a series
of Supreme Court cases stopped the practice, Virginia was executing inmates who
were profoundly mentally handicapped as well as prisoners who were juveniles
when they committed their crimes.
Today the current death row at Sussex I State Prison in Waverly, Virginia, only
holds three condemned men: Anthony Juniper, Mark Lawlor and Thomas Porter. The
smaller population represents a nation-wide trend in which prosecutors are
pursuing fewer death sentences and governors and judges are signing fewer death
warrants. Simply put, an increasing number of public officials, or the voters
who elected them, have concluded that capital punishment is bad public policy.
What explains this trend?
First of all, studies have shown that the death penalty costs more than trying
someone for 1st-degree murder and sentencing them to life without parole.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars more. This is not to say that the mere act of
killing an inmate is prohibitively expensive. It's the investigation, the
trial, and the appeals which gobble up millions of dollars. One example will
suffice. According to Richard Dieter, the former head of the Death Penalty
Information Center, during a 20-year period death penalty cases in Maryland
cost taxpayers an additional 186 million dollars. Studies out of Colorado,
Indiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and, Pennsylvania report similar findings,
concluding that capital murder cases can cost 4 to 6 times more than 1st-degree
murder cases.
Hence, here are some questions to consider. Are the taxpayers of Roanoke County
willing to help foot this bill? Does the death penalty provide such a
significant benefit to the community that taxpayers are happy to divert needed
revenue from our schools, our roads, and our police department and spend them
to execute an individual rather than incarcerate him for the rest of his life?
Even if we believe that someone deserves to die for his crimes, how much are we
willing to pay to carry out this sentence?
When asked why they support the death penalty, many Americans point to the fact
that it deters - not only does it prevent the individual offender from killing
again, but it deters others from committing similar crimes. There is, however,
no solid empirical evidence to support this argument. Yes, a dead offender can
no longer inflict violence on a community. But neither can an offender in a
super-max facility. Moreover, the type of individuals who commit crimes
eligible for the death penalty do not first engage in the sort of rational,
cost-benefit analysis ("is the benefit from killing this person outweighed by
the probability of getting caught and executed") which is necessary for
deterrence theory to work. In point of fact, some academics have argued that
executions lead to a rise in crime rates because it sends the signal to the
general public that murder is acceptable in some instances. This is called "the
brutalization effect."
Bottom line - a terrible and violent crime took the lives of three individuals
who were just starting their adult lives. The person who committed those
horrific acts should be permanently removed from society. Putting a needle into
that murderer's arm and pumping him full of toxic chemicals, however, is not
the answer. It's too costly and i
