[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 26 GHANA: Death penalty sentence should be maintained - Kofi Bentil Policy Think Tank, IMANI Ghana says it is opposed to calls for the death penalty to be abolished. Even though Ghana has not recorded any incidence of execution by death penalty since 1993, the number of death sentences has increased from 9 in 2014 to 18 in 2015. As of December 31 last year, there were 137 people, including 3 women, on the death row in Ghana, 7 of whom are foreign nationals. Amnesty International, Ghana has described the situation as worrying and has called on the state to take appropriate steps to expunge the death sentence through a referendum. But speaking at a debate organised by the Ghana Growth and Development Platform (GGDP) with support from Citi FM on the election of MMDCEs and the abolition of the death penalty, the Vice President of IMANI Ghana, Kofi Bentil, said it will be a wrong move for government to abolish the death penalty. "As a principle we [IMANI Ghana] do not think that abolishing the death penalty is a good thing." Mr. Bentil believes "not every member of the society deserves to be around." "When they have crossed a certain line and they cannot be of use to the society but are likely to constitute a terrible blight on society then under the principle of the social contract and in the interest of everybody else it may be better for us to take them out of society." He also emphasized the need for society to draw the lines between what constitutes a crime that requires a death penalty sentence. (source: ghanaweb.com) MALAYSIA: Appeals Court upholds death sentence on Thai woman The Court of Appeal has upheld the death sentence on a Thai woman who was convicted of trafficking cocaine in 80 capsules by swallowing and inserting them into her private part. In dismissing Chonmanee Laphathanawat???s appeal against her conviction and death penalty, Justice Datuk Wira Mohtarudin Baki, who led a 3-man panel, ruled that evidence against her was strong and overwhelming. "The court find that your appeal did not have merits. Your conviction is safe. Conviction and death sentence is affirmed," he said. Chonmanee, 31, from Thai province of Rayong, was found guilty and sentenced to death by the Penang High Court last year for trafficking in 689.10 grammes of cocaine at the Penang General Hospital between Feb 13, 2013 and Feb 16, 2013. According to the facts of the case, Chonmanee was arrested at the Penang International Airport at 5.10pm on Feb 13, 2013 after she was spotted behaving suspiciously at the arrival hall. She had flown to Singapore via Barcelona and on arrival in Singapore, took a flight to Penang where she was arrested. Chonmanee looked uneasy and was seen walking slowly as if she was holding back something. She was then sent to the Penang Hospital for an examination when she told them she had "consumed something". 78 oval-shaped pieces wrapped in plastic were recovered from her excrement over 4 days and another 2 capsules, from her private part. In her defence, Chonmanee told the High Court that she accepted an offer by her friend named Bord to collect diamonds from Brazil to be brought to Thailand and was promised payment of 70,000 Thai Baht. She said in Sao Paolo, Brazil, Bord's friend and another man came to a house where she was placed and they blindfolded and forced her to swallow round shaped objects and all the objects over 4 hours after she was threatened that she would be killed if she did not comply. She said she was then given 4 pills to swallow and felt drowsy and fell asleep and when she gained consciousness, the 2 men proceeded to insert something in her private part. She said she was told by a dark-skinned man that the round objects which she had swallowed were diamonds. Chonmanee was represented by lawyer Mohd Ismail Mohamad while deputy public prosecutor Hanim Mohd Rashid appeared for the prosecution. (source: themalaymailonline.com) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 25 IRANexecutions 5 Prisoners Executed on Drug ChargesIranian authorities hang 5 prisoners early Tuesday morning for alleged drug related offenses, but Iranian official sources are silent about these executions. 5 prisoners were reportedly hanged early morning on Tuesday October 25 for alleged drug related offenses. Close sources say the execution sentences may have been carried out at either Karaj Central Prison or nearby Ghezel Hesar Prison. Iran Human Rights is aware of the names of 3 of the prisoners: Saeed Pourhassan, Mehrshad Kalhori, and Milad Beigdeli. These 3 prisoners along with the other 2 were reportedly transferred to solitary confienement cells at Karaj Central Prison on Saturday October 22 in preparation for their execution. "If they gave us until 2 in the afternoon, we could have stopped Saeed's execution. [Mehrshad Kalhori and Milad Beigdeli] had claimed to authorities that Saeed was guilty, but they wrote a letter retracting their claim stating that their confessions were false and given out of spite. They thought if they gave the names of others to the authorities that they all would be issued light prison sentences. We gave the letter to authorities and pleaded with them to postpone Saeed's execution for several hours. But, they threw the letter away and even attempted to run us over with a car," the brother of Saeed Hassanpour tells Iran Human Rights. Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and the media, have been silent about these 5 executions. 4 Prisoners Executed in Iran 2 prisoners with drug related charges were reportedly hanged at Salmas Prison (West Azerbaijan province, northwestern Iran) and 2 prisoners with murder charges were reportedly hanged at Sepidar Ahwaz Prison (Khuzestan province, western Iran). According a report by the the state-run news site, Rokna, 2 brothers charged with murder were hanged at Sepidar Ahwaz Prison on the morning of Monday October 24. The report identifies the prisoners as "Hassan" and "Mohsen". According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network and information received by Iran Human Rights, 2 prisoners, identified as Bakhtiar Khaledi and Shoresh Mizrapour, were hanged at Salmas Prison on Monday October 24 for alleged drug related offenses. 3 Prisoners Executed in Southern Iran 3 prisoners were reportedly hanged in Shiraz on kidnapping and rape charges. The exact location of the executions is not known at this time. According to a report by the Judiciary in the Fars province, the executions were carried out on the morning of Monday October 24. The report says one of the prisoners was initially arrested on drug related charges. The report identifies the prisoners as Reza N., Mohammad A., and Hashem P. Their execution sentences were reportedly issued by branch 4 of the criminal court in Fars and were confirmed by Iran's Supreme Court. (source for all: iranhr.net) SAUDI ARABIA: 'Gruesome' execution warrant casts light on Saudi death penalty An execution warrant in Saudi Arabia was published to social media on Tuesday, providing a rare insight into how the death penalty is implemented in the secretive kingdom. The warrant, posted to Twitter, ordered an unnamed prisoner to be executed in "Retribution Square" in the northern town of Qurayyat at 9am (0700 GMT). Translation of tweet: Saudi Arabia returns to performing executions in public on Tuesday 9am according to a letter (top secret/urgent and important) with an accused in a drugs case after it (execution) was performed in prison. The order was signed by the local police chief Mufdhi bin Abdallah al-Khamees and it instructed the Qurayyat General Hospital to "carry out the necessary procedure upon receipt of the prisoner's corpse" after the execution had taken place. A doctor was also ordered to be present at the execution, which in Saudi Arabia is typically a public beheading carried out by a masked executioner with one blow to the neck with a long curved silver sword. The doctor was required to attend the beheading to confirm the prisoner's death. British human rights group Reprieve said they had information the execution was carried on Tuesday as ordered. Reprieve said the publishing of the execution warrant exposed the nature of human rights abuses in the kingdom. "It is chilling to see the Saudi execution procedure laid bare," Reprieve director Maya Foa said in a statement. "The gruesome details contained in this warrant only serve to highlight the shocking abuses that continue in the kingdom." Prior to the latest executions, Human Rights Watch reported on 19 October that Saudi authorities have executed 134 prisoners so far in 2016. Many of those executed in Saudi Arabia are convicted of drug charges, while other crimes that carry the death penalty include murder, and less commonly apostasy, adultery and homosexuality.
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 24 PAKISTAN: Schizophrenia and our Supreme Court The recent furore which followed the Supreme Court judgment regarding schizophrenia is not without cause: The Court has concluded that since schizophrenia is "not a permanent mental disorder', it is "therefore, a recoverable disease, which, in all the cases, does not fall within the definition of 'mental disorder' as defined within the Mental Health Ordinance, 2001." This judgment was passed in a petition filed by death-row prisoner Imdad Ali's wife to delay his execution on the grounds that he was mentally ill and therefore be allowed time to get medical treatment to be able to prepare his will. SC upholds death penalty for mentally ill man Ali, from Burewala district of southern Punjab, was awarded death sentence in 2002 in a murder case. The latest petition must be distinguished from his earlier appeal against the death sentence which was dismissed by the Supreme Court in October 2015 and the mercy petition which was dismissed by the President in November 2015. The judgment in the present Supreme Court case followed the dismissal of the same request in the Lahore High Court in August of this year and is based on the Court's understanding of schizophrenia. It is unfortunate that the Mental Health Ordinance, though dealing in large part with the management of the property of those suffering from a mental disorder, does not make any reference to the manner in which such a person can make a will. However, that lacuna is not the source of current public dismay. Instead the reason is the glaringly obvious failure of the judgment in deeming it "appropriate to ascertain what schizophrenia is" and then failing to take into account any universally accepted medical definition of the illness. Rather than looking at diagnostic tools - such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems - for guidance, the Court chose to rely on the dictionary meaning of the disease in New Webster's Dictionary of the English Language and Merriam Webster's online dictionary, among others. This lapse was highlighted by a group of doctors in their open letter to President Mamnoon Hussain titled "Save Imdad; Schizophrenia is a chronic and debilitating disease". Rights group urges Pakistan not to hang mentally ill man In addition, the judges extrapolated upon two Indian cases from 1977 and 1988, the latter of which reached the jaw-dropping conclusion that "I do not use the word 'schizophrenia' because I do not think any such disease exists...". In fact, it is worth noting that the case judgment from 1988 (AIR 1988 SC 2260) was given in the context of a dissolution of marriage. So not just is that judgment almost 3 decades old, but it also dealt with circumstances which had less at stake than the current case, in which the outcome determines whether an individual's right to life will be upheld or not. There is no doubt therefore that Ali's case requires deeper scrutiny than simply a repetition of an apparently dismissive and uninformed judgment from 1988. This is especially true when looked at it in the context of the advances that medical sciences have made in recent years in relation to understanding mental illness in general and schizophrenia in particular. In short, therefore, it is clear that the Court gave its binding judgment on what schizophrenia is without taking into account the years of medical research that have gone into doing just that. The consequence of the judgment's reliance on non-medical definitions and outdated judgments was the conclusion that its lack of permanence meant that schizophrenia did not fall within the statutory definition of mental disorder. This is worrying on 2 fronts: Firstly, that it is now internationally acknowledged by medical science that the condition is in fact largely permanent, with medication only being able to manage but not cure the disease. Secondly, the requirement of permanence, on which the judgment heavily relied, is not actually a statutory requirement. "Mental disorder" in the Ordinance is defined, not with a single definition, but as covering a spectrum of mental illnesses, from mental impairment, severe personality disorder to severe mental impairment. While the definition of one of these 3 types, namely severe personality disorder, requires there to be a "persistent disorder or disability of [the] mind", the other 2 defined types of mental disorder do not make any reference to the requirement of permanence at all. Even further, the Ordinance provides a catch-all provision to include "any other disorder or disability of mind". The bottom line is that for the Supreme Court to determine that a recognised and admittedly severe mental illness does not fall within the wide definition in the Ordinance is clearly to misconstrue Parliament's intentions. In any
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 24 INDIA: Heavy workload possible reason for 'serious mistakes' in Soumya case: Markandey Katju Former SC judge Markandey Katju on Monday said the apex court had made some "serious mistakes" in the Soumya case by commuting the death sentence of the accused to life, and attributed it to "judges not being able to give much time to cases due to heavy workload of pending cases". In a Facebook post, he said, "I genuinely believe that the Supreme Court had made some serious mistakes in its judgement by reversing the death penalty awarded by Kerala High Court". "Possibly these mistakes were made because the court was so overburdened with work that it cannot give as much time to cases as they deserve, which they would have otherwise done, had it not been for this heavy load of cases to decide," he said. The Former Press Council Chairman also said that when he first heard that he had been issued notice, asking him to appear before the court on 11 November, he was "upset" as he thought the SC was trying to "humiliate" him since he had criticised their judgement and such an order was "unprecedented". Hence, he had initially said that he would not appear before the court as directed. However, when he received the apex court's notice and read it, Katju said he realised the court used "very respectful language to me and had requested me, not ordered me, to appear since they seemed to be sincere about their desire to reconsider their judgement and did not have a closed mind." "Since reading the Supreme Court notice, I felt that the judges had no intention to humiliate or insult me, rather were anxious to get my help in reconsidering their judgement, I have decided to appear on 11 November at 2 PM (the date and time fixed)," Justice Katju said. Quoting celebrated British Judge Lord Denning, Katju said 'The Judge has not been born who has not made a mistake'. "We are all humans, and all of us make mistakes, but a gentleman is one who realises his mistake, acknowledges it, and seeks to make amends," Katju said. "This should apply to judges too. I myself have sometimes made mistakes in my judgements," he said. (source: jantakareporter.com) CHINA: Doubts over death sentence should delay its execution Jia Jinglong is to be executed anytime soon, after he and his attorney were reportedly informed of the Supreme People's Court's approval of his death sentence. We are not in the position to call a halt. Yet we feel strongly that the order must not be carried out. Not because social media are rife with cries against the ruling. But because the circumstances are anything but normal, and there are some outstanding questions that need to be properly answered. Legal experts, from professors to lawyers, deem the sentence problematic. Jia shot and killed the head of his village in 2013, and he was convicted of murder. His death sentence is controversial, though, for the murder was a reaction to the ruthless, illicit forced demolition of his home that the victim allegedly masterminded. Legal professionals have argued that Jia qualifies for a lesser sentence, a reprieve for instance, as he tried to turn himself in and confess to police afterwards. Considering both the judicial authorities' new emphasis on prudence in applying the death penalty, and the reasonable doubts surrounding the sentence, we urge the court to demonstrate discretion, and avoid the double tragedy to which we are dangerously close. Whatever happens, Jia's case should not be allowed to slip away as if it were just another regular criminal offense. Because it is not. Outside the courtroom, there are pricey lessons to be learnt. "I am a victim...from the very beginning," Jia told the first-instance court in self-defense. "I would not have embarked on such a road of no return had there been a way out." The murder took place months after his home was demolished by force. He called the police in the vain hope of stopping the demolition. He tried to negotiate for compensation afterwards. He lodged complaints to local authorities. He found himself helpless, hopeless, with no way to have justice done. As in many similar cases, Jia used to be an ordinary citizen concerned primarily about living a normal life. Like others who ended up desperate, vengeful and hurting themselves and others to have their injustices noticed, Jia would probably not have acted as he did if his loss had been properly taken care of. When residents are victimized by those who have power in their hand, they should not be deprived of the hope of having their wrongs addressed and justice delivered. (source: Opinion, China Daily) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe:
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 23 SAUDI ARABIA: Execution of Saudi prince brings praise for the monarchy Saudi Arabia's rulers are not as popular as they used to be in the kingdom. With low global oil prices, officials have been forced to cut spending dramatically in a nation where most people depend on the government for salaries, education and other forms of welfare. But the rare execution of a Saudi royal last week appears to have helped resurrect the monarchy's popularity - at least according to the reaction on social media. Prince Turki bin Saud al-Kabir, who was found guilty of shooting to death a Saudi citizen during a brawl, was executed last Tuesday as per a royal order by King Salman. He became the 1st member of Saudi royalty to be executed in the kingdom since 1975. That drove Saudis to launch a hashtag in Arabic on Twitter that roughly translates to "decisive Salman orders retribution for a prince," a reference to Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. For days now, the hashtag has been trending in Saudi Arabia, with tweets sent by citizens, officials and royal family members praising the king for his "integrity." One video shows King Salman telling officials that "any citizen can sue the royal family and seek justice." The video has gone viral in the kingdom. Some on social media described the execution as "evidence of the justice which sharia law affirms," referring to the conservative Islamic codes that govern Saudi Arabia and other Muslim nations. Others said the ruling demonstrated "the king's integrity in treating all citizens equally" and that "nobody is above the law." Saudi courts have brought other royal family members, estimated to number a few thousand, to justice. In 1975, a prince who assassinated his uncle, King Faisal, was beheaded. 2 years later, a princess was executed for adultery. But other royals were pardoned at the last minute by victims' families. This time, though, the victim's family turned down an offer of "blood money," reportedly in the millions of dollars to pardon the prince. Then, both the kingdom's appeals court and the Supreme Court affirmed the death penalty. At a time when the monarch is implementing unprecedented austerity measures, even royal families welcomed the execution as decisive and fair. "This is the law of God Almighty, and this is the approach of our blessed nation," wrote Khalid al-Saud, a royal family member, according to Reuters. Another Saudi royal member, billionaire businessman Al Walid Bin Talal, recited a Koranic verse: "there is life for you in retaliation." Details of the prince's last hours were revealed on social media, another rare development for the conservative, often secretive kingdom. Mohammed al-Masloukhi, the Imam of Al Safa mosque, who was present while the victim's family was being offered the "blood money," described the prince's "heartbreaking last moments with his family members" who visited him for one last time in prison. Al-Masloukhi said the convicted prince then prayed, reciting Koranic verses until sunrise. He was executed 4 1/2 hours later. The execution, tweeted al-Masloukhi, was carried out in presence of the prince's father, who "broke down in tears" while the victim's father watched with "a fixed expression on his face." (source: Washington Post) UNITED KINGDOM: Britain's overseas anti-drugs policy 'putting people on death row'Funding for drug enforcement in Pakistan leads to vulnerable drug-smuggling mules facing death penalty, says Reprieve Britain is supporting an overseas battle against drugs that critics say is leading to the arrest and potential execution of people either duped or coerced into becoming "mules". The issue is a sensitive one for the prime minister. Theresa May has made combating people trafficking a priority for her government. But human rights groups say the UK is failing to recognise the consequences of its support for a number of operations abroad that target people being trafficked to smuggle drugs. Britain has been funding and training Pakistani drug enforcement officers to intercept drugs at ports and airports through a UN initiative called the Container Control Programme. Documents dated 17 October show that the UK has given almost $200,000 (163,000 pounds) to the programme. UK officials are also mentoring and training Pakistan customs agents, the Home Office confirmed. Last month, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime revealed that the programme had led to the seizure of drugs at Karachi airport that were bound for Saudi Arabia. 3 men arrested in connection with the seizures now face potential death penalties, according to the human rights group Reprieve. There is evidence that some of those caught attempting to smuggle drugs from Pakistan are doing so under duress - to pay off family debt or because a relative is being held by a criminal gang. In other cases, those smuggling the
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 22 CHINA: 'Shocking' sentence: Hebei man who killed village chief after house demolition to be executed A Chinese man who killed a village chief who arranged for his house to be demolished will be executed in the coming days. The ruling against 30-year-old Jia Jinglong was delivered to his lawyer on Tuesday. Jia is from Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province in northern China. After his house was demolished in 2013, he killed the chief in February 2015 with a modified nail gun. His lawyer Wei Rujiu told US-backed Radio Free Asia that he received the verdict from the Supreme People's Court. It said that Jia's execution would take place within a few days, and that there was no chance of the decision being reversed. According to US-backed news Voice of America, Jia was renovating the house in preparation for his wedding but the relationship ended as a result of a forced demolition by village chief He Jianhua. The death penalty was approved by the Supreme Court in Henan on August 31, reported RFA. William Nee, researcher at Amnesty International, told HKFP that Jia's sentence is seen by many experts as harsh by Chinese legal standards. "Given the fact that China currently has the policy of "killing fewer, killing cautiously", this case seems shocking," he wrote in an email. He said that the short time period of 7 days between ratifying the sentence and execution is stipulated by law in China. "Many scholars have identified this short period as problematic if China were ever to come into compliance with international law on the death penalty, since under international law a person who has been given a death sentence should be given the chance to apply for pardon or have the sentence commuted. But China doesn't have this sort of mechanism," he said. Nationalistic tabloid the Global Times reported on Friday that several Chinese law experts had voiced their opposition to the immediate execution order. Zhang Qianfan, a law professor at Peking University, told the tabloid that the affair was also an institutional failure. "Any ordinary person could resort to the same means as Jia when facing unfair treatment," he said. 'Extremely cruel murder' The tabloid cited a copy of the verdict it received as saying that the method of the murder was extremely cruel and caused severe social impact, and that the conviction was appropriate and accurate. Wei told RFA that over 200 mainland citizens signed a petition on WeChat requesting that the death penalty be commuted. He said there were 3 reasons for the petition: one was that Jia was himself a victim of ill-treatment from He Jianhua; the 2nd reason was that Jia had turned himself in, and the 3rd reason was that he did not hurt innocent people while committing his crime. If Jia is executed, other desperate people may not consider sparing innocent bystanders, and other criminals may think that turning themselves in is unsafe, said Wei. Although no recent reports of the case by mainland media could be found apart from the Global Times report, several posts about Jia's story were uploaded on WeChat by bloggers. Nee adds: "the fact that the local newspapers have not reported the death penalty ratification also shows how the authorities sometimes manipulate public opinion about the death penalty by widely publicising the most horrific cases, while staying silent or even censoring news about potentially controversial cases." (source: hongkongfp.com) * 'We might abolish the death penalty in 20 years': He Jiahong on justice in China Born into China's cultural revolution, He Jiahong spent years working in the fields before studying law to win over his girlfriend's parents. Now he is a leading authority on miscarriages of justice, and a writer of hit detective novels to boot. The undead take on a central role in Prof He Jiahong's extraordinary narratives of courtroom incompetence. They haunt the commanding certainties of the trial process and the execution yard. But He is not a connoisseur of Halloween magic. As China's leading authority on miscarriages of justice and the author of a series of detective novels, the 63-year-old former prosecutor and acclaimed academic has exposed heart-stopping flaws in judicial procedures. His meticulous and engaging research exposed the infamous case of Teng Xingshan, who was executed in 1989 for murdering his mistress. 6 years later Teng's supposed victim, Shi Xiaorong, was discovered to be alive. In another case documented in He's latest book, Back from the Dead, She Xianglin was convicted of murdering his wife and imprisoned. 11 years later, she reappeared in her native village, astonishing her family. In both cases, the verdicts were belatedly overturned. At a time when nationalism is on the rise, He's critique of a justice system on the opposite side of the world might seem like an esoteric diversion. But his
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 21 PAKISTAN: More Action Needed! - Stop Execution of Man With Mental Disability (Pakistan: UA 222/16) Imdad Ali, a death row prisoner with a mental disability, is at imminent risk of execution. Pakistan's Supreme Court rejected on 20 October his latest appeal to halt the execution on the ground that he has paranoid schizophrenia. As a result another execution warrant might be issued imminently. Imdad Ali was arrested for the murder of a religious teacher in 2001 and convicted in 2002 under 302(b) of the Pakistan Penal Code. In 2012, he was diagnosed with "paranoid schizophrenia". Dr. Naeemullah Leghari, the head of psychiatry at Nishtar Hospital in Multan who examined Imdad Ali, described his condition in a medical report as "a chronic and disabling psychiatric illness" that "impairs the person's rational thinking and decision-making capabilities." International law clearly prohibits the use of the death penalty on people with mental or intellectual disabilities. On 20 October Imdad Ali's appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court, which does not consider schizophrenia as sufficient grounds to halt the execution according to Pakistani law. It is likely that another execution warrant - his 3rd since 2015 - will be issued imminently. He remains on death row in Vehari, Punjab province. A mercy petition to Pakistan's President Mamnoon Hussain, who has the direct authority to commute his death sentence, is still pending, and has the power to save Imdad Ali's life. The Pakistani Supreme Court has also rejected Imdad Ali's appeal previously in 2015, ruling that there was no evidence of his mental disability. However, the Supreme Court's judgment shows that Imdad Ali's lawyer had not included the 2012 medical report diagnosing him with paranoid schizophrenia as evidence. This oversight raises fair trial concerns. 1) TAKE ACTION Write a letter, send an email, call, fax or tweet: -- Urging the President of Pakistan to accept Imdad Ali's mercy petition and commute his death sentence, reminding him that international law clearly prohibits the use of the death penalty against people with mental or intellectual disabilities; -- Urging the authorities to re-establish the official moratorium on all executions in the country as a 1st step towards the abolition of the death penalty, in line with 5 UN General Assembly resolutions adopted since 2007; -- Calling on them to ensure that any measures taken to combat crime do not violate Pakistan's obligations under international human rights law and that all safeguards guaranteeing the rights of those facing the death penalty are respected. Contact these 2 officials by 2 December, 2016: President of Pakistan Honourable Mr Mamnoon Hussain President's Secretariat Islamabad, Pakistan Fax: +92 51 920 8479 Salutation: Your Excellency H.E. Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani Embassy of The Islamic Republic of Pakistan 3517 International Ct NW, Washington DC 20008 Fax: 1 202 686 1534 I Phone: 1 202 243 6500 Ext. 2000 & 2001 Email: i...@embassyofpakistanusa.org Salutation: Dear Ambassador (source: Amnesty International USA) BARBADOS: No nooseCriminologist warns that hanging will not stop crime A recent study by this country's Criminal Justice Unit shows that 80 % of Barbadians support the retention of the death penalty on this country's statute books. However, Kim Ramsay, a senior researcher with the Government-run unit, Wednesday night warned that this strong retentionist sentiment, which she expects local politicians to pay attention to, "comes into conflict with the broad jurisdiction of international human rights tribunals". The island has been under pressure from international organizations such as Amnesty International and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to do away with the death penalty, which was deemed too harsh and said to be in breach of international law. Back in 2014, Government had announced plans to abolish the mandatory death sentence for murder with Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite stating at the time that he expected strong opposition to the plan, as many believe the death penalty was an appropriate punishment. Brathwaite had also promised that Government would engage the population in a big public debate before the proposal was tabled in Parliament. "Barbadians generally feel that once you commit murder you should forfeit your lives, but that is until one of their family members is involved," Brathwaite had said. "I know it will be a battle but . . . . I believe that it is a better path for the country," he added at the time. However, the provision remains on the statute books and delivering a lecture here last night on criminal justice, Ramsay revealed that an overwhelming number of Barbadians want it to remain there. "80 % of our Barbadians, based on a study we did, indicated that they want the death penalty retained. "So this
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 21 BARBADOS: Look again at death penalty And she believes this is the opportune time to do so. Ramsay told attendees at a lecture hosted by the Criminal Justice Research Unit on Wednesday night, that the country continues to face pressure from donor countries over the retention of the death penalty. "80 % of all Barbadians, based on a study we did, indicated that they want the death penalty retained. So this retention sentiment, which obviously politicians have to pay attention to, comes into conflict with the broad jurisdiction of international human rights tribunals, and we're also getting pressure from Great Britain," she said. (source: Nation News) IRANexecution Prisoner Executed on Drug Related Charges A prisoner sentenced to death on drug related charges was reportedly executed on the morning of Tuesday October 18 at Miandoab Prison (West Azerbaijan province, northwestern Iran). According to close sources, the prisoner has been identified as 39-year-old Fardin Soleimanpanah. Iranian authorities reportedly arrested Mr Soleimanpanah on May 5, 2015 for allegedly trafficking and possessing 600 grams of crystal meth and 150 grams of crack. He was sentenced to death by branch 1 of Miandoab's Revolutionary Court and the sentence was confirmed on August 2, 2016. Close sources say that Mr Soleimanpanah and another prisoner were transferred from their prison cells to solitary confinement on Monday in preparation for their executions. The other prisoner's death sentence was postponed for unknown reasons. Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and the media, have not announced Mr Soliemanpanah's execution. (source: Iran Human Rights) CHINA: Hongkonger could face death penalty over HK$723 million drug bust in ChinaMore than 2 tons seized after tip-off from informant who donned "King of Monkey" mask as Guangdong officials announced shutdown of illicit factories A Hongkonger could face the death penalty along with more than 10 others arrested in Guangdong province over the seizure of more than 2 tons of the drug Ice valued at HK$723.6 million that was reportedly destined for the city. On a tip-off, mainland police confiscated 2,010kg of the drug, 2 imitation guns and more than 10 bullets along with manufacturing equipment when they shut down 2 illicit drug producing factories, according to the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department. A Hong Kong government source said the haul had an estimated street value of HK$723.6 million. He believed the narcotics were not intended for local consumption because of the large amount. "It is possible the Ice was destined for Australia or New Zealand, where it could be sold for 5 or 6 times what it would sell for in Hong Kong," the source said. But he said the drug could be bought illegally for less than HK$50,000 per kg from illegal drug labs on the mainland. It is understood 1/2 of the crystal meth, also known as Ice, confiscated in Australia and New Zealand in the past has come from the mainland via Hong Kong. The massive seizure in Guangdong was partly based on a tip-off from an informant who received 30,000 yuan (HK$34,500) as a reward when the case was made public by mainland officials at a press conference on Thursday. Last month mainland police set up a task force to investigate a drug-trafficking syndicate after identifying 3 men, including a Hongkonger surnamed Wong, who tried to produce crystal meth and smuggle it into Hong Kong, the Guangdong department said. A department report stated mainland police raided a drug producing factory in Panyu in Guangdong last month and confiscated more than 1,110kg of drug Ice in solid and liquid forms along with raw materials and equipment. "After the closure of the [Panyu] drug producing factory, Wong and his gang moved to Jieyang and other locations [in Guangdong] to continue drug-making activites," it said. After an in-depth probe into its network and to track down the suspects, mainland police from Jieyang, Shanwei, Shenzhen and Guangzhou mounted a joint operation earlier this month and raided another drug producing factory in Jieyang where the Hongkonger and more than 10 suspects were arrested. At the Jieyang factory, officers seized more than 90kg of crystal meth and another 810kg of the drug in liquid form along with manufacturing equipment. Another source said it was possible the solution was being prepared either as a semi-finished product or for disguise as a detergent or shampoo to be smuggled out of the mainland to avoid detection. The department said Guangdong police carried out a series of operations against drug-related activities this year. In the first 9 months of this year, they handled over 15,000 drug-related cases, arrested over 19,000 people, and confiscated more than 14,700kg of illegal drugs. The sources said drug traffickers caught on the mainland could face the
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 20 EGYPT: Egypt court overturns 14 Muslim Brotherhood death sentencesCourt of Cassation upholds death sentences of 8 other defendants in the case pertaining to an attack on a police station in Kerdasa during anti-coup protests in July 2013. Egypt's top court on Wednesday overturned death sentences given to 14 members of the Muslim Brotherhood over an attack on a police station in July 2013 while protesting the ouster of then-president Mohamed Morsi. A military coup led by then-army chief General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ousted Morsi 3 years ago. Since then, the international community and human rights groups have criticised Egyptian authorities for their crackdown on Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group. The Court of Cassation accepted appeals from the defendants filed last year against a lower criminal court ruling, and ordered them retried. It also threw out one 10-year prison term in the same case. 8 more defendants in the case were awarded the death penalty in absentia. The court upheld those sentences. Under Egyptian law, an in absentia conviction automatically entitles the defendant to a retrial upon appearance. The defendants face murder charges over the killing of a security officer at the police station in Kerdasa and the attempted murder of others in July 2013. They are also accused of assault, rioting, sabotage, and illegal possession of firearms and knives. The court gave no legal reasons for its decisions. However, in a few days it is expected to issue a written statement explaining the reasons behind its judgment . In February, the court ordered the retrial of 149 people on death row in a similar case where the defendants were accused of an assault on the same police station in August 2013. In that assault 14 police officers were killed. The attacks came after security forces dispersed 2 pro-Morsi protest camps in Cairo, killing hundreds of people in the process. (source: trtworld.com) UNITED KINGDOM: Picture death row and a life's art in a powerful exhibition opening this weekend A unique and fascinating insight into the artistic and creative mind of a prisoner on death row is making its way thousands of miles across the Atlantic for a thought-provoking exhibition in Bridport. Who Decides is part of a series of exhibitions for Art for Amicus, a legal charity that fights for justice on US death rows. Artists Isabelle Watson and Kenneth 'Kenny' Reams, who is currently on death row, will show over 50 works of art from pencil drawings, acrylic paintings and several installations from Saturday, October 22 to Thursday, November 24 at Bridport Arts Centre. Kenny has been on death row in Arkansas since 1993 for a crime committed when he was 18. He has created pieces specifically about the practice and history of capital punishment in the US. The aim of his exhibition and of Art for Amicus is to highlight the importance of art to those in difficult circumstances; and to raise awareness of the human rights issues surrounding the use of the death penalty. Bringing Kenny's message and art to the UK was the brainchild of barrister Samantha Knights from Shute. She first met Kenny in 2000. Her work on his legal case culminated with a prison visit to Kenny. Contact with Kenny continued after Samantha returned home and she began to send Kenny art materials. Sometimes he was allowed them, sometimes and often, they were disallowed by the prison. In 2014, Kenny had his first exhibition in Arkansas. From there, Samantha suggested a UK exhibition and two years later, Kenny's art is making its way across the pond. Samantha said: "Through the medium of art it is hoped that people will reflect on issues of crime and punishment not just as it is carried out in the US but also more generally. "That is what Kenny hopes to achieve through this exhibition." A free special panel discussion on Saturday, October 22 at 2pm at the arts centre between Samantha Knight, Margot Ravenscroft - director of Amicus and local artist Ricky Romain will explore detention and the death penalty at the start of the exhibition. Who Decides, is at Bridport Arts Centre from October 22 until November 24 and is open from 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday. (source: Bridport News) INDONESIA: Jokowi told to assess deterrent effect of death penalty Human rights watchdog Imparsial has urged President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to gather a team to assess the validity of his argument that the death penalty can create a deterrent effect for drug dealers. Jokowi's insistence to keep the death penalty is groundless and has shown the current government lacks political commitment to uphold human rights, Imparsial researcher Evitarossi S Budiawan said in Jakarta on Wednesday. Jokowi allowed the execution of 18 death row convicts during his administration. Evitarossi cited a study conducted by Jeffrey A. Fagan, Columbia University
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 19 BELARUS: Belarus Death Penalty Resumes After 2-Year Break The Belarus death penalty has now resumed operations following an absence of 2 years from the nation. The 2-year pause ceased to exist following 8 months after European Union foreign ministers had opted to pardon asset freezes and travel bans for over 150 Belarus politicians and leaders, with President Alexander Lukashenko included as well. According to Valiantsin Stefanovic of the Viasna Human Rights Centre, the death penalty tends to take place rather quickly, in about 2 to 3 months time following the court's decision. Moreover, the whereabouts of the bodies remain unknown, as they do not end up being taken to the relatives. Even the burial place of bodies that are victims of the Belarus death penalty is shrouded in mystery. Reports claim that physical and psychological abuse is utilized on death row inmates in order to extract confessions and information. Such practices have only added to Belarus' criticisms, as it has been known to be slammed for issues regarding human rights under the 22-year-rule of President Lukashenko. As some may recall, President Lukashenko won a 5th term in the presidency just last year. Since February, four people have already been sentenced to the Belarus death penalty. The capital punishment was first introduced to the nation during Soviet times, and has since executed 400 people following the independence of Belarus from the USSR in 1991. Belarus is the last European country to retain capital punishment. For Sacha Koulaeva, the head of the Eastern and central Asia desk of Paris-based human rights organization, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), putting an end to the Belarus death penalty is an achievable goal with the right push on the government from the EU. Koulaeva added that previous efforts that involved international intervention had been proven to be effective, as executions had nearly halted whilst the EU had been negotiating lifting sanctions between 2013 and 2015. (source: The Morning Ledlger) SAUDI ARABIA-execution Saudi prince executed for murder, interior ministry announces Prince Turki bin Saud bin Turki bin Saud al-Kabir, a prince from the Saudi royal family was executed on Tuesday for murdering a man during a brawl in the capital Riyadh, the Interior Ministry announced. "The Interior Ministry, in announcing this, affirms to all that the Kingdom's government is determined to establish security, bring about justice and implement Allah's law against all those who attack the innocent," the ministry said. Local media said the killing for which the prince was executed took place in 2012. Prince Turki's death sentence had been upheld by the Appeals Court and the High Court, the Interior Ministry said. Another royal prince welcomed the news, in the first public reaction from a member of the ruling family. "This is Allah's law, and the way of our blessed kingdom. May Allah have mercy on the killer and his victim," Prince Khaled Al Saud wrote on Twitter. Monday's execution brings to 128 the number of persons put to death so far in the country this year, German News Agency (DPA) reported. On January 2, authorities beheaded 47 people, including a prominent Shiite cleric, on terrorism-related charges, leading to furious protests from regional rival Iran. Saudi Arabia imposes the death penalty for offences including murder, armed robbery, banditry, rape, drug-trafficking and witchcraft. (source: Daily Sabah) SUDAN: Sudanese prosecutor explains charges against detained Czech journalist A Sudanese prosecutor Monday accused a Czech journalist and 2 Sudanese pastors of espionage and undermining the constitutional system, which all carry the death penalty. Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) arrested the Czech Petr Jasek four days after entering the country last October in his possession 2 suitcases, 1 carrying a laptop, a mobile and a camera while the other one contained his personal documents. In the trial which resumed Monday, the prosecutor told the court that Jasek wrote reports in 2010 to condemn Sudan and tarnish its image before front of the international community. He stressed that the country has been suffering so far from these reports which negatively impacted Sudan's political, economic and security situations. Prosecutor Abdel-Rahman Sotal-Arab told the criminal court in Khartoum on Monday that they seized an audio report by a member of Protection of Persecuted Christians Organization for which the Czech journalist works. In these statements, he stated that the genocide and destruction, happening in the Nuba Mountains area of South Kordofan State, is part of a systematic work that has started since the beginning of "Salvation Revolution", the regime of President Omer al-Bashir. Also, he told the tribunal that Jasek and some members of the group
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 18 INDIA: SC summons Katju over remarks in Soumya case In an unusual decision, the Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to its former judge Justice Markandey Katju for his personal appearance for saying that the apex court "grievously erred" by setting aside the death penalty of the convict in Kerala's Soumya rape-cum-murder case. A 3-judge bench presided over by Justice Ranjan Gogoi decided to convert Justice Katju's blog into a suo motu petition. "We issue notice to Justice Katju, former judge of this court, and request him to appear in court in person and participate in the proceedings on 11th November, 2016, at 2.00 pm as to whether the judgement and order dated 15th September, 2016, passed by this bench suffers from any fundamental flaw so as to require exercise of the review jurisdiction," the bench said. Katju had on September 16 sought an open court review of the judgement, saying it was "regrettable that the court has not read Section 300 (murder) of the IPC carefully." "Such a view coming from a retired judge of this court needs to be treated with greatest of respect and consideration," the bench added. The court passed its order while hearing review petitions filed by the Kerala government and victim's mother against its September 15 judgement. The court had on September 15 sentenced Govindachamy to life imprisonment for rape. It had set aside the death penalty awarded to him in the 2011 case, in which a 23-year-old woman died after being sexually assaulted in Kerala. The bench had said it has not been proved that Govindachamy threw the victim, Soumya, out of the moving train or inflicted fatal injuries during the sexual assault that led to her death. (source: Deccan Herald) Death row convict Umesh Reddy moves Karnataka High Court B A Umesh Reddy, serial rapist and now a death row convict on Monday moved the Karnataka high court seeking for commutation of death sentence imposed on him citing 'compelling supervening circumstances'. The counsel for Reddy mentioned about the filing of the petition before a division bench headed by Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee on Monday morning, requesting for an urgent hearing on the plea. The bench said that it would be taken up on Tuesday. In his petition, Reddy has claimed that there is an avoidable and excessive delay of two years and three months in disposal of his mercy petition (filed by his mother) and thereby execution of death sentence. He further adds that he had suffered solitary confinement lasting 10 years and also mental illness. Citing a judgment of the Apex court in this regard, he contends that each of the reasons/circumstances are independently sufficient to render the death penalty in executable. In addition, Reddy has also challenged the rejection of his mercy petition both by Governor of Karnataka and also President of India in May 2013. His mother had filed the mercy plea before the president in February 2011.The Supreme court rejected his review petition early this month. In 2006, a trial court had convicted Umesh Reddy for rape and murder of Jayashri Maradi Subbayya ,a widow on February 28, 1998 in Peenya police limits. The same was confirmed by the Karnataka high court on February 18, 2009. Ultimately, even the Apex court upheld the said verdict. Umesh Reddy, who was earlier employed as a police constable, hails from Chitradurga district. He is accused of rape, murder and robbery and related crimes at various places in Karnataka and also in Maharashtra and Gujarat as well. He also escaped from police custody more than couple of occasions and continued his activities. (source: The Times of India) Hoshiarpur boy's murder: SC stays death sentence of convicts The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the execution order of Vikram Walia and Jasbir Singh convicted for killing Hoshiarpur teen Abhi Verma in 2005. A bench comprising Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice Amitava Roy issued the stay orders and posted the matter for further hearing on October 24. Hoshiarpur session court had issued death warrants for the 2 convicts for October 25 after the President turned down their mercy petition. They, however, filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking stay on the execution of the orders. Advocate B S Billowaria appeared for the petitioners and pleaded that the mercy petition filed earlier be re-opened and the defendants be granted an open hearing in accordance with Supreme Court's ruling in criminal writ petition no 77 of 2014 of Mohammed Arif and others. Vikram Walia, Jasvir Singh and latter's wife Sonia, had kidnapped Abhi, a Class 9 student of DAV School for a ransom of Rs 50 lakh, and killed him with an overdose of anaesthesia. On December 21, 2006, the district and sessions judge had awarded death penalty to all 3. The Punjab and Haryana high court had
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 17 GAZA: Gazan accused of spying for Israel sentenced to deathHamas-run court says 54-year-old man will be hanged for allegedly providing Jewish state with information since 1987 Courts in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip handed down 3 death sentences on Monday, including 1 for allegedly spying for Israel and 2 others for murder, authorities said. In the 1st case, "the military court in Gaza decided upon death by hanging for the convict, 54, on charges on spying for the Israeli occupation," a court source said. The court said the man had allegedly been linked to Israel since 1987 and had provided a large amount of information to the Jewish state since then. The case was held behind closed doors and the defendant was referred to only by the initials E.A. Another alleged spy was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Also on Monday 2 men from rival families were sentenced to death after tit-for-tat killings in 2013 and 2015 respectively, the public prosecutor said. A series of death sentences have been handed down in recent weeks despite calls on Hamas from the European Union and rights groups to halt the practice. The authorities in Gaza executed 3 men behind closed doors in May, the first time the death penalty had been carried out since 2014, drawing condemnation from the United Nations. In Gaza, accusations of spying for the Jewish state are often brutally punished. During the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas, 18 alleged collaborators were shot dead in public by Hamas forces. (source: The Times of Israel) INDIA: The crimes of serial killer and rapist Umesh Reddy, a man set to go to the gallows The Karnataka High Court, while confirming the death sentence, called Umesh a "devil" Lodged in Belagavi's Hindalga jail, notorious rapist and serial killer Umesh Reddy awaits a death warrant that is likely to be issued for his execution. He has spent over 18 years in jail, with some stints outside when he managed to escape custody. Umesh was first arrested on March 2, 1998, in connection with the murder of a Bengaluru woman. He made news again in 2007, when the VII Fast Track Court, Bangalore, sentenced him to death for the rape and murder of the 37-year-old Bengaluru woman in front of her son. His death sentence was confirmed by the Karnataka High Court in October 2007 and the Supreme Court in February 2011. The Karnataka High Court, while confirming the death sentence, called Umesh a "devil". Justice SR Banurmath, who was the 3rd judge appointed to rule on Umesh's sentence, said: "It is evident that even after punishments in cases of robbery, dacoity and rape, he has not reformed; no reformation can be expected from such a habitual offender and pervert criminal." The judge added: "I do not understand why such a devil in man's garb should be maintained by society by locking him up in jail for life. It is a known fact that whenever there is an opportunity, he has a tendency to run away from custody and commit new, heinous crimes. Belagavi's Central Prison in Hindalga, is the only prison in Karnataka which has gallows. The last execution was carried out in 1983. In the trial court, the prosecution argued that Umesh raped and murdered the woman before robbing her. The prosecution also called him a serial rapist and psychopathic killer. Umesh was born as Umesh BA in Basappa Malige village in Chitradurga district in 1969. Much of his story beyond this point, is a sensational or perhaps sensationalised one. By some accounts, he was posted in Jammu and Kashmir while in the CRPF, where he is said to have attempted to rape a commandant's daughter. He was arrested, but managed to escape and return to Chitradurga. The Hindu however, reports that Umesh was first employed as a police constable and was recruited in the District Armed Reserve (DAR) in 1996. In November-December that year, Umesh was accused of attempting to rape a girl in Chitradurga district. Media reports vary in the number of accusations against him. In May 2002, Umesh faced 19 cases in Chitradurga, Ballari, Bengaluru, Vadodara, and Kunigal. In 2009, The Hindu reported that Umesh faced seven cases in Bengaluru alone. According to a Deccan Herald report from 2009, Umesh faced 25 cases, of which he had been acquitted in 10 and convicted in 9, but the offences of which he was convicted are not known. Umesh is said to have murdered a string of women after raping them. He would then make off with their valuables. In 2002, when the police arrested him after he gave them the slip on his way from Ballari to Bengaluru, the media began to claim that he was a transvestite or a cross-dresser. A Kannada film called Khatarnak was made based on details of Umesh's life in 2013. However, its contents have been fictionalised. In May 2012, when Umesh filed mercy petitions with the Karnataka government, the media reported that he had faced 15 rape cases. The
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
October 17 TANZANIA: Court of Appeal Orders Fresh Hearing of Death Penalty Procedural irregularities have served a resident of Mtwara Region, Khalifa Museven, from being hanged to death for allegedly killing his colleague, Mohamed Rashid, alias Wayaga, after suspecting him of stealing a bag of cement. Instead, the Court of Appeal ordered fresh hearing of the matter after nullifying the proceedings, conviction and the death sentence imposed on Museven by the High Court on November 30, last year. Justices Nathalia Kimaro, Semistocles Kaiage and Shaban Lila noted that the trial judge had not guided properly court assessors when providing the summing up of the murder trial. They also found another defect relating to the type of questions that were put by the assessors to the witnesses, as did not seek clarification on the testimony rather amounted to cross examination of witnesses. "The trial in this case suffers shortfall of undetailed directions in the summing up to the assessors on the ingredients of the offence, the evidence that was intended to be relied upon by the prosecution and the failure to direct the assessors on the type of questions to ask witnesses," they said. They pointed out that the duty of the trial judge was to supervise and control the assessors on the questions they were allowed to put to the witnesses as they were neither allowed to examine or crossexamine witnesses. What the law allows them to do, they said, was to seek clarifications. "Exercising powers of revision under section 4 (2) of the Appellate Jurisdiction Act, we declare the High Court proceedings a nullity. We order a retrial before another judge sitting with different assessors," the justices declared. It alleged that on March 29, 2013, the appellant went to a place known as Kijiwe cha Nice within Mtwara Municipality, tracing for the deceased whom he had earlier on blamed for having stolen a bag of cement from him. Although the deceased attempted to run away, he was apprehended because the appellant shouted thief, thief. Having been arrested, the appellant left with the deceased saying he was taking him to the police station. (source: Tanzania Daily News) CHINA: Chinese official who had 24m pounds cash at home given suspended death sentence Wei Pengyuan is found guilty of corruption after being accused of taking bribes to approve coal projects A Chinese former senior energy official who had more than 200m yuan (24m pounds ) in cash at his home has been given a suspended death penalty after being found guilty of corruption, state news agency Xinhua said on Monday. Wei Pengyuan had been deputy director of the coal department at the National Energy Administration until he was put under investigation in 2014, with officials saying at the time the cash found was the largest amount ever found in a corruption case. The court in the northern city of Baoding handed Wei a death sentence, suspended for2 years, which in practice means he will spend life in jail and not be eligible for parole or early release, Xinhua said. Wei abused his position to approve coal projects and took 212m yuan in bribes, the report said, citing the court judgment. "Wei Pengyuan had a vast amount of assets which obviously exceeded his legal income, and could not explain its source," Xinhua said. It was not possible to reach relatives or legal representatives of Wei for comment. Liu Tienan, who had been head of the energy administration, was jailed for life in 2014 after being caught up in his own bribery scandal. President Xi Jinping has vowed to go after powerful "tigers" as well as lowly "flies" is his fight against pervasive corruption, warning, like others before him, that the problem was so severe it could affect the Communist party's grip on power. (source: The Guardian) AUSTRALIA: Call for Aust to reject death penalty A Liberal MP has called on the new federal parliament to reject the death penalty. Moving a motion in the lower house on Monday, Trent Zimmerman said there was no place for capital punishment in the modern world. "It is appropriate that this new parliament commences with a recognition Australia must be steadfast in its opposition to the death penalty for all crimes, in all nations and that that cause enjoys bipartisan support," he said. (source: news.com.au) SINGAPORE: A compassionate campaign for a cold hearted nation A recent survey on Singapore's opinion of the death penalty revealed a crushing amount of support for capital punishment. Conducted by government feedback agency Reach, the survey found that a staggering 80 % of Singapore residents supported the death penalty, while only 10 % voiced a need to abolish it. While majority of the nation stands firm in its belief in capital punishment, a small group with a large voice finds courage to stand up to the dominant narrative. The Singapore Anti Death
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 16 NEPAL/SRI LANKA: Nepal requests Sri Lanka to reconsider death penalty Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who is presently in Goa in course of attending the BRICS- BIMSTEC Outreach Summit, today called on Sri Lankan President Maithiripala Sirisena. On the occasion, matters relating to operating direct flights between the two countries and hosting the stalled 19th SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ) Summit were discussed at the meeting held at local Leela Hotel. During the meeting, Prime Minister Dahal said though Nepal and Sri Lanka are somehow far in terms of geographical location, both countries need to play role in the overall development of the South Asia and in the maintenance of cordial relations among the SAARC countries. Emphasizing on the need of holding the Summit of the regional body as soon as possible, he said the member countries should have common views regarding this. The Prime Minister, on the occasion, also requested the Sri Lankan President to reconsider the capital punishment handed by Sri Lanka to a Nepali citizen Chet Bahadur Thapa ( Lalitpur) on a case of drugs smuggling and make effective measures to control trafficking of Nepali women to the gulf countries via Sri Lanka. Stating that Sri Lanka shares friendly relations with Nepal, the Sri Lankan President underscored the need of making collective efforts to organised the SAARC Summit. He said Sri Lanka was positive towards the concerns put forth by Nepal. (source: my republica.com) TURKEY: Erdogan restates he would approve capital punishment Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday reiterated his support for a restoration of the death penalty in Turkey "if the Parliament passed." Speaking to several hundred people chanting "death penalty" in the northern Black Sea city of Trabzon, Erdogan pointed to Turkish soldiers killed in the fight against the Kurdistan Workers??? Party (PKK) to justify his stance. "I would approve that [death penalty] because we cannot forgive the murderers of my Mehmed martyred in Gabar mountains, we cannot forgive the murderers of my Mehmed martyred in Tendurek," said Erdogan referring to soldiers with a common Turkish male name affectionately used for troops. The PKK and Turkish Army have been locked in a renewed warfare in the Kurdish mountainous heartland including Gabar Mountain in Sirnak Province neighboring the Kurdistan Region and Tendurek Mountain in the East near the Iranian border. Discussions in public and political spheres of Turkey over capital punishment began immediately after the failed July 15 military coup attempt when Erdogan gave a series of speeches to his supporters in Istanbul. Erdogan also slammed Western countries for opposing such a move, stating they had to respect the Turkish Parliament's decision should it pass a law backing the death penalty. In July, both the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini warned Turkey it could not join the EU if the death penalty were reinstated. Turkey has not applied the death penalty since 1984 and removed it from the law in 2004 as a part of accession negotiations with the EU. (source: kurdistan24.net) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 16 IRAQ: Islamic State foils planned revolt in Mosul, executes 58 The Islamic State (ISIS) militant group has put down a planned revolt against their rule in Mosul after one of their own commanders attempted to mutiny and support the Iraqi military's upcoming offensive. Reuters reported that the militants killed 58 people who they suspected of taking part in the plot which they discovered last week. Residents still in Mosul reported that the suspected mutineers were drowned and then buried in a mass grave outside the city. 1 of the men suspected of the attempted mutiny was an aide of the ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who infamously declared the formation of the Islamic States' so-called caliphate following the group's takeover of Mosul in June 2014. The mutineers seemed to have attempted to weaken the group before the onset of the long anticipated Iraqi offensive, backed by the US-led coalition and Kurdish Peshmerga, which is soon set to recapture the city. Their plot was reportedly uncovered after one of the mutineers was discovered to have a message on his phone discussing a transfer of weapons which he later confessed, under duress, were hidden in 3 houses across the city where the mutineers would acquire them and use them to support the incoming Iraqi Army. ISIS raided those houses and seized those weapons on October 4. "This is a clear sign that the terrorist organization has started to lose support not only from the population, but even from its own members," Iraq's Counter-terrorism Service spokesman, Sabah al-Nuamni told Reuters. (source: rudaw.net) IRAN: Actions Speak Louder Than Words in Iran's Death Penalty Debate, Says Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi Despite statements from some Iranian officials doubting the value of capital punishment, no action has been taken to end or reduce the high number of executions in the country, Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. "Unfortunately, for years Iran's judicial officials have repeated statements in response to protests by the United Nations and human rights organizations without really responding. In other words, whenever countries criticize Iran for having the highest number of executions in the world after China, the Iranian government resorts to repeating statements suggesting that they are trying to end capital punishment, but don't actually do anything about it," said Ebadi on the 14th World Day Against the Death Penalty, on October 10, 2016. "I hope, unlike previous years, Iran will go further than words and introduce a practical plan to reduce executions." Ebadi, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, was responding to comments made on October 8 by Mohammad Javad Larijani, the head of the Iranian Judiciary's Human Rights Council, who supports the death penalty, but said he agrees with ending it for petty drug traffickers. "I am in favor of changing the law, but that does not mean we should stop the fight against drug-trafficking," said Larijani, adding that 93 % of hangings in Iran were for drug-related crimes. Larijani, the brother of Judiciary Chief Ali Sadegh Larijani, continued: "We have an 800-km border with Afghanistan and the production of opium in Afghanistan has increased 40 times since NATO's invasion. The death penalty should be limited to drug kingpins and if we do this, the number of executions will fall immediately. Of course, this is currently being debated [in Parliament], but if we are realistic we can make it happen. No one should think that Iran will weaken her resolve in the fight against drug-trafficking, but we are changing tactics to make it more practical." However, Larijani also recently called for the executions of drug traffickers to be carried out with greater speed. "Naturally, executions are not an ideal solution, but we need to act quickly and firmly against harms to society and the destruction of families [caused by drugs]," said Larijani on September 29, 2016. "I ask prosecutors across the country to carry out executions as soon as the verdicts are issued." Ebadi, a lawyer who headed the now banned-Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC) in Iran before it was disbanded by the government and she was forced to leave the country, noted that if the Islamic Republic was sincere about ending capital punishment, it would not have condemned human rights activist Narges Mohammadi to prison for being a member of the DHRC. "If Iran truly intends to end the death penalty for drug traffickers, then why have they condemned my colleague Narges Mohammadi to 10 years in prison for opposing capital punishment and being a member of DHRC? Aren't they just trying to deceive the international community with their words?" In addition to drug traffickers, the execution of suspected political activists on national security charges have also increased, added Ebad.
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 14 BELARUS: Europe's last dictatorship brings back the death penaltyBelarus has resumed sentencing people to death, just 8 months after the EU dropped sanctions, a study has found. The last European country to retain capital punishment has resumed sentencing people to death since EU sanctions against its president were dropped this year, according to a landmark investigation. In recent months Belarus has executed 1 person and condemned 4 more to death, with more cases pending in which capital punishment is likely, according to investigators with the Paris-based human rights organisation FIDH, and the Viasna human rights centre in Minsk. Described by investigators as a "scandal at the heart of Europe", about 400 people have been executed in Belarus since independence in 1991 - more than 1 a month. The human rights report documents the physical and psychological abuse used to extract confessions and the shocking conditions in which death row inmates are kept and later executed. Interviews with local journalists and lawyers reveal a practice shrouded in secrecy, with statistics on the numbers killed by the state closely guarded by Belarus's government. The time and locations of the executions, as well as the places of burial, are also kept classified, with the bodies of prisoners never released to families. Sacha Koulaeva, head of the FIDH's eastern Europe and central Asia desk, said the abolition of the death penalty in Belarus was an achievable goal if the European Union put pressure on the government. "We would like to mobilise the international community to call for Europe to be a death penalty-free zone," she said. Koulaeva said evidence suggested international intervention had already proved effective: while the EU was negotiating lifting sanctions between 2013 and 2015, executions almost stopped. --NOTE-- Sanctions were imposed on Belarus by the EU and US after the 2010 presidential election, during which protests were violently put down and opposition figures jailed by the intelligence services. The sanctions affected 170 people, including President Lukashenko himself. Brussels suspended them for four months in October 2015 after Mr. Lukashenko was re-elected peacefully (though in distinctly dubious circumstances). It agreed to drop them altogether in February this year, citing "improving EU-Belarus relations". There is evidence that as Mr. Lukashenko warmed to the West he has cooled towards Russia, hitherto his close ally, though it remains a member of the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union. In particular, Minsk has hosted Ukraine peace talks and remained neutral over the conflict. Maya Foa, a director at the UK human rights group Reprieve, said the report showed the EU needed to do more to end the practice. "The EU and member states are regularly vocal about their opposition to the death penalty, and this is now more important than ever," she said. "Executions are on the rise around the world and it is critical that the EU not only stands by its 'strong and principled opposition to the death penalty', but actively advances this principle in its diplomatic and trading relationships with executing states." In response to the report's finding, members of the EU mission to Belarus, including the deputy head, Jim Couzens, called for an immediate moratorium on the practice. The death penalty was introduced in Belarus during Soviet rule as a punishment for murder, "economic crimes" (such as producing counterfeit money, bribery and speculation), as well as "counter-revolutionary acts" including treason and espionage. Since 1991, the government has continued to apply several clauses of the Soviet-era criminal code, the last of the former USSR countries to do so. Alexander Lukashenko, who assumed office in 1994, has broadened the powers of the president over his 22 years in office, earning Belarus the nickname of Europe's "last dictatorship". The authorities and state media outlets enthusiastically defend the use of the death penalty by claiming its use reduces crime. However, new analysis by the FIDH and Viasna shows this justification to be false: in 2015, the internal affairs ministry reported 4,018 counts of serious crime, an increase of 17% on 2014. Andrei Paluda, coordinator of the campaign against the death penalty led by Viasna, told researchers the conditions in which inmates are held had deteriorated. He spoke to witnesses who have worked in Belarus's death row facilities, who described cells just 3 metres large, fitted with video cameras to watch inmates at all times. A former staff member of Pretrial Detention Centre no 1 in the centre of Minsk,told Viasna: "From the very beginning, they face maximum security restrictions ... The rules prohibit them from lying or sitting on the plank beds from 6am to 10pm. They usually walk around the cell all day long." Another former staff member said
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 13 PALESTINE: PCHR: 20 Years Against Death Penalty; Facts on Death Penalty in Palestine and PCHR's Position "On the World Day against Death Penalty, we stress that our struggle will continue on all levels to abolish this penalty ... We believe, as everybody else do, the purpose of this punishment is reform and deterrence. However, death penalty does not achieve both sides of this purpose. This was proven with facts and researches made by the countries that apply this penalty the most ... Justice is meant to bring safety and serenity not revenge". Lawyer Raji Sourani: Introduction Death penalty is considered one of the most controversial issues in the Palestinian community for its social, religious and security dimensions in the Palestinian community particularly and Arab countries generally. PCHR has had an obvious position against death penalty since the very first day it was established although PCHR has realized such a position will not be reasonable for a big sector of the community that has been affected by different misinterpretations of the religious text concerning this penalty or the common concept of deterrence gained by this penalty, which has not been proved by facts nor researches. PCHR has worked throughout over 20 years against death penalty, created a social controversy against it and dedicated a big part of its efforts towards stopping this penalty paving the way for its abolishment. PCHR's position is based on legal, reasonable and moral justifications explained in this paper below. The split of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in 2007 frustrated the efforts aiming at the abolishment of death penalty. It should be noted that PCHR has practiced huge efforts upholding a penal code without death penalty. PCHR went far on this track through meetings with decision makers, making correspondences, awareness-raising campaigns and debates until a draft of the Palestinian Penal Code was issued excluding death penalty. On the 20th Anniversary of its Establishment, PCHR Launches Documentary Titled "PCHR: 20 Years of Experience" Nonetheless, the split happened and not only obstructed all these efforts, but increased the application of this penalty also. There has a been a significant rise of this penalty following the Palestinian split, mainly in the Gaza Strip. Death penalty in the PA is regulated by 3 penal codes. One of them is military and was issued by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) while the 2 others were civil; 1 of them is applicable in the West Bank and the other is applicable in the Gaza Strip. These laws are flawed for the over-imposition of death penalty concerning many crimes, some of which are political such as "conspiracy to overthrow the government". Military courts apply this penalty the most and practice their jurisdiction even on civilians in some cases, especially concerning collaboration with the Israeli occupation. Bringing civilians before military courts is a grave violation of human rights and the Palestinian Basic Law (PBL) that stressed each person's right to be presented before his/her natural judge. PCHR has always highlighted its bias for the victims of death penalty. However, PCHR stressed that its position does not mean to be lenient with criminals or abandon the requirements of security. All of this does not distort PCHR's message of justice and righteousness that demands commitment to the justice requirements. Justice requires that attributing a crime to its doer should be done without any logical doubts and any slight doubt found should be in favor of the accused person. Moreover, the punishment must be commensurate with the crime and must not be degrading or severe, taking in consideration the punishment is imposed for reform not revenge. This interpretation of justice is supported with studies and researches on which PCHR's position is based, especially concerning the relation between death penalty and security. PCHR underscores that its vision regarding death penalty relies on legal, impartial and moral justifications that do not in any form contradict with the Islamic Shari'a goals, which glorify life and human dignity. PCHR believes that the insistence on the application of this punishment, which is irreversible, although the conditions and requirements for applying it are not available may put lives of innocents at stake and jeopardize the community's serenity and security that are the main aims of justice. Therefore, PCHR emphasizes on the World Day against Death Penalty, 10 October, that efforts will go on to abolish this inhumane penalty, taking in consideration the public interest and justice requirements that reject the killing of an innocent person. This paper briefly displays facts about death penalty in Palestine and PCHR's position towards it in eight items. Moreover, it includes recommendations for decision makers. The 8
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 13 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Congo warlord surrenders 5 years after escape from prison A wanted warlord in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo has surrendered, 5 years after he escaped from prison following his conviction for crimes against humanity, the provincial governor said on Wednesday. Gedeon Kyungu, leader of regional separatist group Bakata Katanga, turned himself in with a bout 100 of his fighters at a ceremony in the village of Malambwe on Tuesday, Haut Katanga governor Jean Claude Kazembe said. It was not immediately clear why Kyungu had surrendered, what would happen to him now or whether the staged nature of his return suggested some sort of deal had been agreed. Authorities have struggled for decades to end violence in the east, where militia groups have attacked civilians and plundered vast mineral resources. Kazembe said he thought Kyungu wanted to take part in the government's rebel demobilization program, a scheme that rights activists have criticized for integrating violent insurgent groups into the national army. The region where Kyungu operated before his arrest became known as "the triangle of death" because of the suffering inflicted on civilians there. News of the ceremony organized to mark his surrender angered some campaigners. "The welcome that was reserved for Gedeon was a great disappointment and an insult to all of his victims... Gedeon's place is in prison," the president of the African Association for Human Rights, Jean Claude Katende, told Reuters. A Congolese military court sentenced Kyungu to death in 2009 for his role in killings in the copper-rich Katanga region. Congolese courts can impose the death penalty but no executions have been conducted since 2003 when a moratorium was imposed. He escaped from prison in the provincial capital of Lubumbashi in 2011. U.N. experts said in a 2014 report that he had close ties to high-ranking politicians. The name of his separatist group, Bakata Katanga, means "cut off Katanga" in Swahili. (source: Reuters) BOTSWANA: Govt snubs UN advice on death penalty The Botswana government is yet to implement recommendations from the 2013 United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to hold a public debate on the death penalty and ensure that the executed persons' bodies are handed over to families for burial. This despite the fact that the country is expected to report back on progress made since the last Universal Peer Review in the UNHCR in 2018. The said recommendations passed during an interactive dialogue and sponsored by the Republic of Uruguay were examined and supported by Botswana under the representation of the then Minister of Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Dikgakgamatso Seretse. The recommendation read: "Hold a public debate on the death penalty, in which all the aspects of the issue should be highlighted in a holistic manner, in order to repeal it from the domestic legal order and to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Uruguay)". It was further recommended that, "Meanwhile, Provide information to concerned families, so that they can know in advance the date of execution of their relatives and ensure that the executed persons' bodies are handed over for private burial (Uruguay)". Despite promises, Botswana has not yet held any debate and indications are that there will not be any soon. At the commemoration of World Day Against Death Penalty on Tuesday, the director of Ditshwanelo, Alice Mogwe called on President Ian Khama to impose a moratorium on capital sentence, as a 1st step towards abolition. The issue of death penalty will be put to vote at the 71st session of the UN General Assembly in December 2016. The European Union, which co-hosted the event with Ditshwanelo reaffirmed their strong and unequivocal opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances and for all cases, further adding that death penalty is incompatible with human dignity. "It is inhuman and degrading treatment, does not have any proven significant deterrent effect, and allows judicial errors to become irreversible and fatal. Abolition of the death penalty is a distinctive achievement in Europe. It is a prerequisite for membership in the Council of Europe, and the absolute ban of the death penalty under all circumstances is inscribed in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union," Alexander Baum, EU Ambassador to Botswana and SADC, said. (source: mmegi.bw) PHILIPPINES: House eyeing death penalty for drug lord convicts How do you punish convicts already serving life sentences who continue operating a multi-billion-peso drug trade inside the national jail? Revive the death penalty, said a congressman on Thursday. "They fear nothing except death," said Representative Reynaldo Umali, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 12 GAZA: Gaza Strip executions need to stop, argues European Union Hamas must stop meting out death penalties in violation of Palestinian law, argued the European Union Tuesday as it sharply criticized the latest death sentence issued by the de facto government of the Gaza Strip. "The de facto authorities in Gaza must refrain from carrying out any executions of prisoners and comply with the moratorium on executions put in place by the Palestinian Authority," the EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah said after the most recent death sentence, issued Sunday, following a man's conviction for killing another man. Capital punishment must be approved by the president under Palestinian Basic Law. The sentences signal an escalation between Hamas, which controls Gaza, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who controls the West Bank. The Islamist movement announced in May that it had approved a measure allowing executions to be carried out in Gaza, without being first ratified by Abbas. Gaza Strip courts have issued 15 death penalties this year, 3 of which have been carried out by hanging. "After Hamas took control of Gaza, the courts have been acting as de facto courts," Samir Zaquot, director of the law unit at Al Meznan Centre for Human Rights, told dpa. His comments echo concerns from the United Nations and human rights groups on whether those sentenced to death were given fair trials. From July 2007 to October, Hamas-ruled courts have issued 120 death penalty sentences, Zaquot said, adding that "61 had been executed." Hamas, which has been on the EU's list of terrorist organizations since 2001, has pushed to have the designation removed. A top court adviser to the EU recommended the group's delisting late last month. (source: europeonlin-magazine.eu) MALAYSIA: 5 charged with kidnapping, face death penalty 5 of the 9 men arrested in a daring kidnapping case early this month were charged with abduction and wrongful confinement at the magistrate's court here. The 5 were jointly charged with abducting and wrongfully confining a 60-year-old money changer for a RM3 million ransom. The 5 are T.Shasitaran, 32, M. Ashogan, 33, Mohamad Sultan Ahmad Kabil, 37, Ong San Chia, 31, and Yeoh Shyh Ming, 27. They allegedly committed the offence sometime between 10.30am and 10.45am on September 28 at the roadside of Jalan Rumbia near the Crystal Gardens apartment. All 5 were charged under Section 3(1) of the Kidnapping Act 1961 for abduction and wrongful confinement for ransom which carries the death penalty upon conviction. No plea was recorded from all 5, 3 of whom were represented by Mathan Anandaram, while Ong and Yeoh were represented by Jason Khor.The prosecution was represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Fatin Hussin. Magistrate Mohamad Amin Shahul Hamid fixed December 14 for mention of the case. The 5 were alleged to have kidnapped the money changer by dragging him into a van as he was walking out from his house. The 60-year-old businessman was held in an apartment while his abductors demanded for RM3 million in ransom from his family. The businessman was rescued on October 3 when police arrested one of those involved who led the police to where the victim was held. Police had remanded 9 suspects in connection with the case. It is believed the other 4 other suspects are still under investigations. (source: themalaymailonline.com) ** Mother of death-row inmate: Pray for my sonSapenah Nawati's son receives birthday cards as Amnesty International appeals for his sentence to be commuted to life imprisonment. Sapenah Nawati put on a brave face as she stood in front of the entrance of the Sungai Buloh prison, where her son Shahrul Izani Suparman sits on death row. Fighting hard to hold back her tears, the 58-year-old mother of 4 vowed not to give up hope. He could be executed at any time. "I am asking everyone to pray for my son as we attempt to save him from the gallows for the last time," she pleaded, her voice cracking a little, before thanking those who had offered her support. "Whatever happens, happens." Sapenah was speaking to reporters after passing Shahrul, her 2nd child, birthday greeting cards from Malaysians nationwide, including children. The birthday cards effort was an initiative by Amnesty International Malaysia in conjunction with the 14th World Day Against Death Penalty, which falls on Oct 10 every year. As part of Amnesty International Malaysia's campaign against the death penalty, Malaysians can sign an online petition to urge the Selangor Pardons Board to commute Shahrul Izani's death sentence to life imprisonment. "This campaign is to call for reform towards death penalty laws. Shahrul's case is only 1 of many. "The public rarely has information on who is being executed and for what crimes. Transparency on the use of capital punishment is important as it
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 11 EGYPT: Muslim Brotherhood: Death Penalty and World Conscience On the International Day Against the Death Penalty, the world rose up against loss of life outside the law, and to save the lives of innocent people wrongfully sentenced to death. Meanwhile, the Egyptian people live a tragedy that is claiming the lives of innocent citizens through extrajudicial killings on identity, medical neglect and politicized death sentences. In 2016 alone, executions outside the framework of the law reached unprecedented highs, and unjust death sentences since the 2013 military coup were issued against 1841 citizens, in 44 cases, with the death penalty confirmed for 688 people. "Coup Egypt" won the first place in the world in executions, according to several international organizations, as death sentences issued in the past 3 years by the junta's heavily politicized judiciary outnumbered those issued in the last 110 years of Egypt's history. All the absurd charges in those death penalty cases, brought against innocent people, were totally removed from reality. They were nothing but political account-settling, and the general heinous approach adopted by the villainous coup regime that has no regard for Egyptians' lives. The executions, which are intended to terrorize, intimidate, demonize and eliminate all those who reject the military coup, will not discourage the Egyptian people from moving forward in their Revolution until they uproot and oust this criminal gang that has dragged Egypt into chaos and destruction, and turned it into a big prison. There will come a day soon where magic shall turn against the magician, and Egyptians will achieve retribution for the blood of their martyrs and the wounded, and reap the fruits of the great sacrifices they made. Dr Talaat Fahmi Muslim Brotherhood Media Spokesman (source: ikhwanweb.com) LIBERIA: EU Supports World Day against Death Penalty On Monday, October 10, European Union Charge d'Affaires Emma Sundblad participated in a panel discussion to mark the observance of this year's World Day against the Death Penalty. During the function organized by local civil society organization 'Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture - Liberia' in the borough of New Kru Town, Madame Sundblad said the Council of Europe and the European Union welcomed the global trend towards the abolition of capital punishment. She applauded Liberia for keeping in place the moratorium the government of Liberia has imposed on the death penalty, stressing that more than 2/3 of all countries have abolished the death penalty in either law or practice. Madame Sundblad noted that the European Union continues to underline that the death penalty is cruel, inhumane and incompatible with human dignity and the right to life. Also, the death penalty is irreversible in cases of miscarriage of justice and does not deter crime more effectively than other punishments. When the death penalty is abolished it does not lead to an increase in crime. Panel members, including representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the judiciary, the Inter-Religious Council and the ECOWAS Commission, discussed the relevance of abolishing the death penalty in Liberia, a press release said. (source: Daily Observer) UGANDA: Former MPs Push For Reintroduction of Anti-Death Penalty Bill Speaking to URN on phone this morning, Odoi explained that under the Coalition against the Death Penalty Uganda, they are lobbying for support to have the bill re-introduced and passed. (source: ugandaradionetwork.com) SIERRA LEONE: That Threat of the Gallows: The admonition of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Paolo Conteh to the authorities at the correctional facility to sanitize the gallows seems as if the Judiciary is on the threshold of breaking the silence. This followed after the verdicts passed by Justice Alusine Sesay of the Freetown High Court to the 2 culprits for partaking in the murdering of D J Cleff. When one takes into consideration the spate of killings within the last couple of months in the capital city, it is sufficient for the Judiciary to act promptly to prevent further killings of peaceful Sierra Leoneans. What the judiciary has demonstrated appears merely a wakeup call to Sierra Leoneans that the death penalty is still lynching in our necks and it is also imperative that these slaughters learn bitter lessons that, enough is enough. The judiciary is not witch-hunting any citizen as many people perceived it to be but to restore peace and order to reign in this country. The days when some individuals think they can play pranks in the justice system is gone. This pronouncement has also taught the citizens of this country that, some laws are still in force and were never expunge from our law books though laws that the citizens considered dreadful can be repealed for the good of the all. Some killings were
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 11 INDIA: Marathas set 14 December deadline for Maharashtra govt to accept demandsThe 9 demands put forth by the Marathas include death penalty for the culprits in the Kopardi rape case and a 16% quota in government education and jobs Maratha organizations holding protest marches across Maharashtra have asked the government to meet their demands by 14 December, failing which they will take their agitation to capital Mumbai. The state coordination committee of Maratha activists met at Aurangabad on Sunday to take stock and decide future moves. A committee member said, requesting anonymity, that Marathas will hold their biggest march yet in Nagpur, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis's hometown, also on 14 December. "We want the government to accept our demands by 14 December, the day when we organize our biggest march that would lead to the state legislature in Nagpur. If the government does not accept our nine demands by then, we will hold an even bigger protest march in Mumbai and continue our agitation till all demands are met," the committee member said. If the government's response is not satisfactory, "special efforts will be made to make the Mumbai rally a historic one", according to a resolution passed at the committee meeting. The Maharashtra legislature meets for its winter session in Nagpur from 5 December. The organizers are estimating a turnout of 2 million for the Nagpur rally. The 2011 census counted Nagpur city's total population at 2.4 million. The Maratha charter of demand started nearly a month after a Maratha teen was raped and murdered allegedly by 3 Dalit youths in Kopardi village of Ahmadnagar district on 13 July. On 9 August, the 1st silent march and rally was held in Marathwada's Aurangabad. Since then, similar silent marches have been held in 23 of the total 36 districts in Maharashtra, including 1 in Mumbai's satellite town of Navi Mumbai. Each of these rallies has seen a turnout of at least 100,000. The Marathas' primary demand is death penalty for the Kopardi culprits and a fast-track trial within 6 months. The government has filed a chargesheet in the case, naming 3 Dalit men as accused. (source: livemint.com) THAILAND: Relevant agencies back end of death penalty On the occasion of the World Day Against the Death Penalty, which falls on October 10 of every year, related agencies have joined in a discussion on the death penalty, which the majority suggested should be abolished. Former Deputy Prime Minister Veerapong Ramangkul, along with representatives from several concerned agencies, took part in the discussion to exchange opinions concerning the death penalty. Among the participating agencies were the National Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Justice, the Department of International Organizations, the Union for Civil Liberty and the Office of the Attorney General. Most of the participants expressed the view that imposing the death penalty on law offenders is not an effective solution. Instead, they were supportive of the strengthening of law enforcement to prevent violations and take sensible action against perpetrators. Member of the National Human Rights Commission Chatchai Suthiklom proposed that life imprisonment is set as the maximum penalty, to be given in accompaniment with mental rehabilitation. He also said clear guidelines should be established for the consideration of parole. According to Amnesty International, 140 countries around the world have repealed the death penalty, whereas another 58 have not. Although Thailand belongs to the latter group, the country has not put any convicts to death since August 2009 or for a period of 7 years. If no death penalty is given for 10 consecutive years, Thailand would be considered by the United Nations as having practically abolished the penalty. (source: thaivisa.com) PAKISTAN: Day against death penalty observed Activists of the Hyderabad chapter of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) observed the 'World day against death penalty' on Monday and urged the government to abolish the death sentence. They gathered outside the local press club carrying banners and placards and shouting slogans against death penalty in the country. Leading the demonstration, Hyderabad HRCP task force coordinator Dr Ashothama Lohana and activists Lala Abdul Haleem, Prof Imdad Chandio, Makhdoom Aqil, Ghufrana Arain and others appealed to the government to do away with the capital punishment in the country immediately. They also urged the government to ratify the UN convention against death penalty. They said the criminal justice system of the country and method of the police investigation were so poor that innocent people often were hanged while powerful and influential persons, who committed crimes, were exonerated and released. ** 'Countries without the death penalty have lower crime rates'
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 10 EGYPT: Statement by "Stop Executions in Egypt" Campaign The approaching 10th of October marks the 14th anniversary of the World Day Against the Death Penalty.Egypt recorded record highs in the death penalty;unprecedented in the history of Egyptian judiciary, rather, in the entire world when it comes to death penalties passed to political dissent. On this day, the United Nations consistently calls for an end to death penalties in the whole world, and in this context, Egyptians for Democracy in the United Kingdom campaigns to draw the attention of the world to the political situation in Egypt and how the death penalty is used as arepressive measure practiced against political dissent. The United Nations stands at equal distance in regards to its stance from the death penalty, regardless of whether the death penalty agrees with the values and cultures of the different communities. Even though the death penalty in Egypt does not breach the constitution nor the laws, the coup authorities have been using it since the 3rd of July 2013 military coup as a means of political revenge and elimination and hence is a breach of Egyptian rules and regulations. During the hundred years prior to the military coup in July 2013, the number of death sentences passed totaled to 1429 verdicts, whereas post the military coup, in a period of over 2 years, Egyptian courts passed in 32 cases a total of 1763 death penalties for reference to the Mufti - a step that precedes the official death penalty - resulting so far in 729 official death penalties, which is an alarming figure. The trials that took place lacked basic standards of a fair trial, and hence when current Egyptian authorities executed 7 Egyptians, there was unequivocal condemnations and requests to suspend executions from the international community and human rights organizations. Based on the abovementioned, Egyptians for Democracy in the United Kingdom calls on all activists, political forces, human rights organizations, the Human Rights Council of the United Nations and all the countries and governments of the world, to work on the following: - Suspend the implementation of the death penalty for the time being. - The immediate release of all political prisoners, starting with children and women, the elderly and the ill. - To ensure international standards of fair trial in Egyptian courts and to provide legal guarantees for those accused, including their lawyers. - To spread the culture of human rights in Egyptian society so it becomes a spirit force at all stages of litigation. - To renounce hatred, violence and their incitement - especially in the media - and the common pursuit of a just society, dominated by respect for human rights. Egyptians for Democracy (source: ikhwanweb.com) NIGERIA: NASS asked to reconsider death penalty for terrorism As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the 14th World Day against Death Penalty, rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS), has asked the National Assembly to reconsider its stance on the application of death penalty for terrorism related cases. HURILAWS in a statement on Monday, by its Senior Legal/Programmes Coordinator, Collins Okeke said it was concerned that despite the progressive abolition of the death penalty globally, Nigeria has opted to expand the scope of the death penalty by including acts of terrorism among the offenses punishable by death. The statement read: "The Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS) is concerned that despite the progressive abolition of the death penalty globally, Nigeria has opted to expand the scope of the death penalty by including acts of terrorism among the offenses punishable by death. "Often these offenses, which do not necessarily result in lethal consequences, are drafted in very broad and undefined language, meaning they could be applied to a wide variety of activities. "It has never been conclusively shown that the death penalty deters crimes more effectively than other punishments. The correlation between crime rates and the death penalty seems to be even less relevant in the case of terrorism, where the act is politically motivated, with often no cost-benefit calculation. "People committing terrorist acts are dedicated to their cause, which counteracts and neutralizes whatever legal threat is meant to deter them. Some terrorists assume that they will die while engaging in acts of terrorism, therefore the threat of an execution does not serve as a deterrent for such acts. Moreover, many terrorism-related cases are never solved and terrorists who have not killed themselves in the act are rarely apprehended. "In response to growing terrorist threats, many countries have passed or amended antiterrorism laws. This appears to have a strong symbolic value: they provide politicians an easy and expeditious response to terrorism and demonstrate their
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 10 IRAN: International call to save the life of a 22-year-old woman from execution The Women's Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran urges all international human rights and women's rights organizations and agencies to take urgent action to save the life of Zeinab Sekanvan, a 22-year-old woman imprisoned in the Central Prison of Orumiyeh, who is in the danger of imminent execution. Zeinab Sekanvand comes from a village near Makou (Western Azerbaijan Province, northwestern Iran). She was forced into marriage when she was 15 due to her family's poverty. After 2 years of painful life, she was arrested at age 17 on the charge of killing her husband. After her 5 years imprisonment, on October 3, Zainab was notified of the dead penalty and since then she is on the death row. (source: The Women's Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran) *** Iranian child bride spared execution for killing abusive husband because she was pregnant now faces being hanged after giving birth to a stillborn An Iranian child bride could be hanged within weeks after she was sentenced to death for allegedly murdering her abusive husband. Zeinab Sokian was sentenced to death for the 2012 murder of her husband, when she was just 17. However, Zeinab married another prisoner while in jail and fell pregnant, and as Iranian law prevents pregnant women from being executed her death sentence was delayed. However, on September 30 she gave birth to a stillborn child in Euromieh central prison in northern Iran, meaning she could now be put to death within weeks. Zeinab, who hails from a small village in northern Iran, was just 15 when she married her 1st husband. Under Iranian law girls can marry at 13-years-old and boys at 15, although international human rights organisations say both parties in a marriage should be aged 18 or over. During her trial, Zeinab claimed that her husband frequently beat and abused her, a source told Human Rights Watch. However, her claims were dismissed by the court. The human rights organisation says that Zeinab was informed by authorities this week her execution could take place in the coming weeks. Iran passed legal reforms in 2013, which give judges the discretion to spare children the death penalty if they do not understand the nature of their crime. The law also entitles those sentenced to death prior to 2013 to a new trial - but only if they request it. Human Right Watch is calling for all pre-2013 defendents to face a new trial. 'The 2013 reforms aimed to prevent wrongful conviction of children for capital offenses. If the Iranian government is serious about this goal, it should at a minimum grant everyone facing the death penalty for alleged offenses committed as children a new trial that conforms to international human rights standards,' the organisation said. 'This includes Zeinab, an alleged victim of domestic violence, who may otherwise imminently face the gallows.' (source: Daily Mail) ** Mother of an executed woman pledges to for abolishment of death penalty Mother of Rayhaneh Jabbari who hanged in October 2014 for defending herself against assault by a member of the Iranian regime's intelligence has pledged to fight for abolishment of death sentence in Iran. In a letter published in news networks, Mrs Sholeh Pakravan, wrote: "It's now 2 years full of ups and downs since Rayhaneh was executed. Today, I hate the death penalty even more." "2 years ago, I was totally focusing on preventing Rayhaneh from being executed. Today, however, I'm living with the hope for an Iran without the death sentence. I'm not afraid of anything for taking this path. I'm looking the demon 'death sentence' (Iranian regime) right in the eye, waiting for the right time to deliver it the final blow, so that all the gallows be relegated to the museums." In a reference to children killed in Iran while playing by hanging themselves following watching public hangings in streets, she added: "instead of 'execution game', let our children play 'life game'. "I understand every second the survivors of an execution go through. I understand the meaning of responsibility and I knowingly accept it." She continues: "I can't stand to see the youth, like my own children, mourning the loss of their executed sisters or brothers. I can't stand to witness the tears shed by fathers and mothers for their executed children." She concludes: "I can't stand to see a human struggling in mid-air .. and then the dead body be wrapped in a cover and sent to the cemetery. I shout with all my heart NO TO EXECUTION." (source: NCR-Iran) BANGLADESH: EU wants Bangladesh to abolish death penalty The ambassadors of the European countries in Dhaka hope that Bangladesh will implement the UN resolutions to abolish death penalty. On the European Day against the Death Penalty and
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 10 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Banish the death penalty, say Catholics..."the prophetic voice of the Church must be heard" On the occasion of World Day Against The Death Penalty, observed today, the Catholic Commission for Social Justice (CCSJ) has reminded Trinidad and Tobago of the call in September by the Roman Catholic Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC), for the death penalty to be banished from the region. In a statement last week, CCSJ chair Leela Ramdeen noted the statement by the Archbishops on September 21, which she said should be read in conjunction with 2 of the Bishops' Pastoral Letters, namely: (a) Jubilee Year 2000, Antilles Episcopal Conference Pastoral Letter on Capital Punishment; and (b) We are called to proclaim, celebrate and serve The Gift of Life, Pastoral Letter of the Antilles Episcopal Conference, Rome, March 29 2008. Ramdeen noted that reaffirmation of the Bishops that "the prophetic voice of the Church must be heard especially in times of moral and social crisis". It also stated : "Thus, while we are appalled by the rise of violent crime in our region and express solidarity with the victims of crime and all those affected by crime, we urge politicians and citizens in our region to abolish capital punishment, that is, the death penalty and embrace a restorative justice approach to crime and violence." According to the Bishops, Ramdeen said key watchwords of a Restorative Justice approach lie at the heart of Christian living, for example, repentance, conversion, reparation, restoration, restitution, reconciliation, rehabilitation, forgiveness, empowerment, and re-integration with a sense of responsibility - as opposed to revenge, retribution, and vengeance. The Bishops had also stated that all recent International studies and research show that capital punishment does not act as a deterrent, nor does it foster respect for life in our communities. "Hence, regardless of the potential unpopularity of our Gospel message that informs our position, we reaffirm the position: Capital punishment symbolizes a form of despair for the effective reform of persons," the Bishops stated. "Let us pray and work for the renewal of hearts and minds and find more sustainable and effective solutions aimed at reducing crime and violence in our region and in the world." Ramdeen noted the statement by the Bishops that: "We urge our Governments to strengthen the capacity of public institutions, including criminal justice systems, to address crime and violence; to address the risk factors that contribute to crime, for example: poverty, urban decay, social inequality and exclusion, family disintegration, poor parenting, lack of quality education and employment, poor housing, the proliferation of guns, drugs and gangs in the region, and to employ related preventive measures. We stand ready and urge our faithful and all people of good will to work together to this end." She said Pope Francis has repeatedly called for the abolition of the death penalty, which, he says, "is an offence to the inviolability of life and to the dignity of the human person." "He is urging nations to realise that God's infinite mercy extends to everyone - including those who have committed heinous crimes," Ramdeen stated. "He has stated that, 'For the rule of law, the death penalty represents a failure, as it obliges the state to kill in the name of justice'." Ramdeen said there is discussion in some quarters about the method of killing, as if it were possible to find ways of "getting it right". "But there is no humane way of killing another person. The commandment 'thou shall not kill' has absolute value and pertains to the innocent as well as the guilty." (source: Trinidad Express) IRELAND: Women and the death penalty in IrelandThe stories of the only 2 women hanged for murder in 20th-century Ireland and those who were sentenced to death only to be given a last-minute reprieve 100 years ago Countess Markievicz was sentenced to death for her part in the Easter Rising, but was recommended for mercy "solely and only on account of her sex". She was one of a large number of women who had the ultimate punishment imposed on them in 20th-century Ireland but as was the case for the vast majority of women she would see her death sentence commuted to imprisonment at the last minute. 2 women would pay the ultimate price for murder after 1900, however. Mary Daly lived in Crettyard, Co Laois in the early part of the century and was married to John. The couple had 2 children but their marriage was said to be far from harmonious. The Dalys were at loggerheads constantly and Mary was even said to have attacked her husband with a hatchet on one occasion. At some point in their marriage she began having an affair with her neighbour, Joseph Taylor, although he was about 15 years younger than she was. She complained about her
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 9 GLOBAL: World Day Against the Death Penalty On October 10, 2016, the 14th World Day Against the Death Penalty is raising awareness around the application of death penalty for terrorism-related offences, to reduce its use. Running against the abolitionist worldwide movement, some governments have in recent years resorted to use of the death penalty following terrorist attacks on their countries, in the name of protecting their countries and peoples. In the last 10 years, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Tunisia and others have adopted laws that expanded the scope of death penalty, adding certain terrorist acts to the list of crimes punishable by death. More recently, Pakistan and Chad resumed executions in the name of the fight against terrorism, putting an end to moratoriums that had lasted for years. The death penalty in practice: -- 104 countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes. -- 6 countries have abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes. -- 30 countries are abolitionist in practice. -- 58 countries and territories are retentionist. -- 25 countries carried out executions in 2015. -- The 5 top executioners in 2015 were China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the USA. -- 65 countries and territories retain the death penalty for terrorism. Of these: - 16 countries are abolitionist in practice; - 1 country is abolitionist in law for ordinary crimes (source: merinews.com) CHINA: Former China provincial party boss sentenced to death A former Chinese provincial Communist Party boss has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve as part of the country's ongoing crackdown on corruption at all levels. The Anyang City Intermediate People's Court in Henan Province said Sunday that Bai Enpei was found guilty of taking "a huge amount of bribes" and possessing a large amount of income from unidentified sources. Bai had been a senior lawmaker with the national legislature and formerly served as the top ranking official in the western provinces of Qinghai and Yunnan. Suspended death sentences are usually reverted to life imprisonment after 2 years with good behavior. Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to end corruption and government waste, although critics have accused him of using the campaign to attack political rivals. (source: Associated Press) LEBANON: EU Urges Lebanon to Abolish Death Penalty, Lauds Moratorium Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon, Ambassador Christina Lassen, called on Lebanon on Sunday to abolish the death penalty, on the occasion of the European and World Day against the Death Penalty that will be marked on Monday. "The European Union and Lebanon have a regular and open dialogue on human rights. Abolition of the death penalty is one of the issues that figure prominently in the agenda of our bilateral talks," Lassen said in a statement distributed by her press office. "Although the last execution in Lebanon took place in 2004, death sentences are still being handed down," the ambassador lamented. She called on Lebanese authorities to adopt a law "confirming the existing moratorium on the death penalty with a view to its abolition, as well as to ratify the 2nd Optional Protocol on the International Convent on Civil and Political Rights aiming at its abolition." "We are glad to see that many of our partners in Lebanon share our views. This includes many civil society activists, but also policy makers, judges, religious leaders and citizens from all across the Lebanese society," Lassen said. "On this day, we stand by them and share their hopes to make abolition a reality in Lebanon," she added. (source: naharnet.com) TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: RC Bishops: Abolish death penalty The Roman Catholic Bishops of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) in the Caribbean has issued a statement calling for the abolition of the death penalty in the region. In a release yesterday from the Catholic Commission for Social Justice it was reported that the statement was issued on September 21, 2016 and tomorrow (October 10) the world will observe World Day Against The Death Penalty. The Bishops in their statement reaffirmed that "the prophetic voice of the Church must be heard especially in times of moral and social crisis. Thus, while we are appalled by the rise of violent crime in our region and express solidarity with the victims of crime and all those affected by crime, we urge politicians and citizens in our region to abolish capital punishment, that is, the death penalty and embrace a restorative justice approach to crime and violence." "The key watchwords of a restorative justice approach lie at the heart of Christian living, for example, repentance, conversion, reparation, restoration, restitution, reconciliation, rehabilitation, forgiveness, empowerment, and re-integration with a sense of responsibility - as opposed to revenge,
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 8 JAPAN: Japanese lawyers urge country to abolish death penalty Japanese bar associations have formally adopted a policy against the death penalty for the first time, demanding the government abolish execution by 2020 when Japan hosts the Olympics and an international conference on criminal justice. The Japan Federation of Bar Associations urged the government Friday to introduce life imprisonment to replace execution. Japan has one of the world's lowest murder rates, making the need for capital punishment unconvincing, the federation said. It also cited the risk of wrongful convictions and the lack of evidence that the death penalty reduces crime. Nearly 130 prisoners are on death row in Japan, according to justice officials. Crimes subject to a possible death penalty in Japan include murder and acts such as arson or sabotage that cause death, usually in the most egregious cases or involving multiple victims, as well as terrorist attacks and attempted coups. "We should face the fact that the death penalty ... is a serious and grave violation of human rights by the state," the group said in a statement, adopted after heated debate and objection by opponents at a convention in Fukui, western Japan. The statement said the possibility of mistrials and wrongful accusations could not be denied. "Once carried out, the death penalty is irreversible and fundamentally different from other punishment." Four death row prisoners have been found innocent and released after being granted retrials since the 1980s, including former professional boxer Iwao Hakamada, who won release in 2014 after nearly 50 years on death row for a wrongful murder accusation. Japan and the U.S. are the only Group of 7 members that maintain the death penalty, while 140 nations have ended the practice that opponents consider cruel. The prospect of any change is unclear as the majority of Japanese still support the death penalty. Some lawyers favor keeping the capital punishment as a way to address the victims' feelings. At Friday's convention, a group of lawyers handed out leaflets, unsuccessfully trying to vote down the federation-wide policy. Membership in a local bar association is compulsory for Japan's more than 37,000 lawyers, and its members include a few hundred other people, such as foreign lawyers. (source: Associated Press) INDONESIA: ICJR calls for death penalty moratorium A legal think tank, the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR), has called on the government to include a moratorium on the death penalty in its reform packages aimed at rejuvenating the country's legal system. ICJR executive director Supriyadi Widodo Eddyono said a moratorium on capital punishment must be put in place if the government was serious about reforming the country's legal system, given that numerous executions, including that of drug trafficker Zainal Abidin in April last year, had been carried out without fair trials. Zainal filed a case review in 2005 over the ruling on his execution with the Palembang District Court in South Sumatra. He had to wait 10 years, only to have the Supreme Court reject his appeal. "President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo has to ask the Attorney General's Office [AGO] to stop handing down death sentences before the country's penal law system is reformed," Supriyadi said in a statement on Friday. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Minister Wiranto has announced a plan to issue legal reform packages that revolve around efforts to simplify overlapping regulations, to create more effective legal enforcement institutions and to improve legal culture. Details of the reform packages, as well as their date of introduction, however, remain unclear. (source: The Jakarta Post) MALAYSIA: Let the rope fall, says Amnesty International Malaysia It is time for Malaysia to demonstrate its commitment towards reforming death penalty laws and put forward amendments to abolish the mandatory death penalty in the next Parliament session, Amnesty International Malaysia says as the world prepares to observe the 14th World Day Against Death Penalty on Monday, Oct 10, 2016. In recent years, Malaysia has shown some positive signs in rethinking capital punishment including abolishing the mandatory death penalty for drug-related offences. The government needs to urgently put forward amendments to death penalty laws in the next Parliament session after several unexplained postponements. Former law minister Nancy Shukri had announced last year that death penalty reforms would be put forward in the March 2016 Parliament session. However, this did not come to pass. "Our concern when it comes to the use of the death penalty is not just that Malaysia remains one of 25 countries to still employ this archaic method of punishment, but also that does so with a lack of transparency. The public rarely has information on who is
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 7 NIGERIA: Prescribe death penalty for kidnappers, NUT urges N'Assembly The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has urged the National Assembly to passed into law the bill prescribing death penalty for kidnappers. This was stated by the NUT National President, Michael Alogba-Olukoya after the abduction of 2 teachers and 4 pupils from the Lagos Junior Model College, Epe on Thursday. Olukoya who spoke with Punch said, "It is a bad omen and the security operatives should swing into action. We believe in the ability of the Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, to secure the release of the pupils, their teacher and the vice-principal. "Let us prescribe the death penalty for kidnappers. If anyone attempts kidnapping, let the person be killed. We have to go a little bit harsh on them. Yesterday, it was Kaduna and today it is Lagos. Now that bunkering and robbery are no longer viable, criminals have resorted to kidnapping. The Nigerian government has to rise to the occasion." 6 gunmen had stormed the school and kidnapped the Vice-Principal, Mr. A.O. Oyesola; the English Language/Civil Education teacher, Mr. Lukman Oyerinde; and 4 Junior Secondary School 1 pupils. (source: YNaija - The Internet Newspaper for Young Nigerians; ynaija.com) ZIMBABWE: And the Zimbabwean coalition against the death penalty The event will celebrate: --The Life and Dignity of all Zimbabweans --Zimbabwean Traditional Culture which found the death penalty abhorrent --The ZANU 1980 Manifesto declaring the party's intention of abolishing this colonial relic --The draft Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Africa, drawn up while our President was Chairman of the AU and SADC Zimbabwe has not carried out any executions for over 10 years, putting it on the list of countries that have a de facto moratorium on executions. BUT Zimbabwe has not formally abolished the death penalty, and the moratorium does not spare condemned prisoners the horrors of awaiting execution on death row. This event will encourage all Zimbabwean to think about what the death penalty means. Is it a deterrent to murder? Are errors made in the trial and sentencing? - execution is irrevocable. Are more poor people condemned to death than rich people? Does putting people to death brutalise the whole of society? What impact do prisoners on death row have on the prison system? We hope that this event will encourage all Zimbabweans to work for the total abolition of the death penalty. (source: The Zimbabwean) SAUDI ARABIA: U.N. Body Calls on Saudi Arabia to End Execution of Children A U.N. human rights watchdog has called on Saudi Arabia to end "severe" discrimination against girls and to repeal laws it said allowed children to be executed by stoning or punished with amputations and floggings. The Committee on the Rights of the Child on Friday issued the conclusions of its review of the kingdom's record of compliance with the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. States which ratify the pact are reviewed every few years. Children over 15 years are tried as adults in Saudi Arabia and can be executed, "after trials falling short of guarantees of due process and fair trial", the report said. The UN convention defines children as under-18s. "The possibility of imposing the death penalty on children is still in place and that is a very serious concern," Jorge Cardona, a member of the committee, told a news briefing. "But also the possibility of sanctions and mistreatment, including torture, such as the possibility of being flogged or other punishments that are especially harsh." Committee chair Benyam Mezmur said it had received consistent reports that the death penalty was applied for offences committed by under-18s. "It's a very serious issue and there are only four or five countries in the world that we engage with this issue on and unfortunately Saudi Arabia is actually one of them," he said, naming the others as Iran, Pakistan, China and the Maldives. The 18 independent experts who make up the committee also condemned air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in the war in Yemen, which it said had killed and maimed hundreds of children. There was no immediate reaction from the Saudi government to the conclusions issued on Friday despite multiple attempts by Reuters to reach officials. Many of the recommendations have been repeated since Riyadh ratified the convention 20 years ago, Cardona said. Bandar Bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, chairman of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, who led a Saudi delegation to the committee's review, told the body that "Islamic sharia (law) was above all laws and treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child", according to a U.N. summary of the review last month. But the
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 7 UNITED KINGDOM: Muslim preacher who endorses beheading of gay men gives lectures in LondonHe also suggested burning gay people to death, throwing them off a cliff, and crushing them under a falling wall Islamic cleric Shaykh Hamza Sodagar who has previously called for the brutal slaughter of gay men is currently conducting lectures in the UK. On Monday, Sodagar started his classes at the Islamic Republic of Iran School in Maida Vale, north-west London, and will carry on until 12 October. According to Mirror, the school is a small independent mixed Muslim school catering to students aged 6 to 17 and is run by the Iranian government. Sodagar is born and raised in Washington D.C. and has spent the past 14 years in Iran studying Islamic law and principles, reports Express. His violent views towards the gay community were revealed in a video believed to have been recorded sometime in 2010. In the clip, he preaches about the death penalties that should be used to punish gay men. "If there's a homosexual man, the punishment is 1 of 5 things,' says Sodagar. 'One - the easiest one maybe - chop their head off, that's the easiest. Second - burn them to death. Third - throw them off a cliff. Fourth - tear down a wall on them so they die under that. Fifth - a combination of the above.' Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has urged the Home Secretary to 'revoke the visa' of the preacher. 'In a free society, Hamza Sodagar has a right to believe that homosexuality is sinful but not to preach about ways to kill lesbians and gay men,' Tatchell said. 'Many people with far less extreme views, who have never advocated violence, have been banned from entering the UK. Calling for death to LGBT people crosses a red line.' He added: 'The Home Office was wrong to grant him a visa and should now revoke it. The cleric should be ordered out of the country.' According to a speaker biography, Mr. Sodagar regards himself as a 'role model' for 'young Muslims all around the world.' The event is organised by a group called the Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission, which also hosted Mr. Sodagar in 2014. 'Ahlulbayt... is a pro-Iranian regime organisation,' Tatchell warned. 'Iran has the death penalty for homosexuality.' (source: Gay Star News) PAKISTAN: Asia Bibi Blasphemy Case: Rights Groups Urge 24/7 Prayer as Christian Mother Faces Last Chance to Overturn Death Sentence A Christian charity is urging believers worldwide to unite in prayer for Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian mother who has suffered in prison since she was arrested in 2010, as she faces her final chance to overturn the decision which sentenced her to death under the country's blasphemy laws. Next week, Bibi will have her final appeal heard by the Supreme Court, according to International Christian Concern (ICC), which notes that the hearing is the final legal avenue available to avoid execution. Advocate Said-ul-Malook, Bibi's lawyer, told the persecution charity, "I will appear before the Supreme Court of Pakistan and argue her case while she will remain in prison...I hope the result will be an acquittal." As the deadline looms, religious freedom charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is urging supporters to join in a 24-hour prayer movement on October 12 to pray for her release: "She needs our prayers now more than ever," CSW said. The organization has asked believers to pray that Bibi would not only be acquitted, but that she would have strength and restoration during and after the hearing. It is also asking for prayers for Bibi's lawyer; for the wider Christian community who may face a backlash whatever the outcome of the appeal; for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Pakistan to maintain calm in the country; for justice for others accused of blasphemy; and that the government would urgently amend the blasphemy laws. Critics have argued that Pakistan's blasphemy laws are often misused to "settle personal scores" with minority groups such as Christians and Ahmadis. "Pakistan has never executed anyone for blasphemy, but some people accused of the offense in the past have been lynched by crowds," BBC News wrote. "Lawyers, judges and those seeking to reform the blasphemy laws have also been threatened, attacked or even killed." As earlier reported, Bibi was first arrested in 2009 after getting into an argument with two Muslim field workers when the women refused to drink from a bucket of water she had touched because she was not Muslim. In turn, Bibi was accused of defiling the name of the Prophet Muhammad, a serious charge which carries the death penalty. Later the women told a local cleric that Bibi had blasphemed against Islam by saying: "My Christ died for me. What did Muhammad do for you?" She was sentenced to death in 2010 by a local court in Punjab, but her death sentence was suspended 5 years later. If Bibi's final appeal is overruled, her
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 6 VIETMAN: 3 Vietnamese face death for trafficking meth Vietnam's tough laws have not managed to stop drug trafficking crimes from getting rampant. Photo by Vietnam Plus The ring mailed 5 kilos from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City using an express courier in April 2015. A court in Hanoi sentenced 3 Vietnamese to death for mailing 5 kilograms of methamphetamine from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, last year. Dam Trong Thang, 53, Hoang Bich Ngoc, 31, and Nguyen Huy Thong, 34, received the death penalty for drug trafficking. Ta Chung Thanh, 25, received a life sentence for the same crime; another woman received 18-months imprisonment for failing to report the criminal activity. Investigators say Thang and Thong first met in March 2015. Roughly a month later, Thang gave Ngoc VND670 million (approximately $30,000) and told him to use it to buy methamphetamine from Thong and Thanh in Hanoi. Once in the capital, Ngoc parcelled the drugs out and express mailed them to Ho Chi Minh City. Thong and Ngoc were stopped with thousands of ecstasy pills at Noi Bai Airport in late April 2015. Investigators say Thang has ties to another drug ring currently being investigated in HCMC. Vietnam has some of the world'-s toughest drug laws. Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine face the death penalty. The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death. (source: e.vnexpress.net) TAIWAN: UK group seeks to sway opinions on death penalty A group of UK human rights experts yesterday said that it requires strong political leadership to steer a nation toward completely doing away with capital punishment. Leading a delegation of 3 people on a 3-day visit to Taiwan, British Member of Parliament Keir Starmer told a news conference in Taipei that strong public disapproval is an issue that confronts every nation that moves away from the use of the death penalty. "It certainly confronted the UK when we abolished the death penalty," Starmer said. "At that time public opinion was in favor of death penalty." "Almost every country made the argument that there is something special about their cultural traditions which require it to keep the death penalty," said Starmer, cofounder of a London-based law firm that specializes in civil liberties and human rights. With President Tsai Ing-wen's administration pledging to be a government guided by public opinion, Starmer said that there were 3 things that helped prompt changes in the UK 5 decades ago to restrict the use of capital punishment. "The first was strong political leadership, which said: 'This sentence is wrong in principle and we will have nothing more to do with it,'" he said. As most people only talk about the death penalty in the abstract, he said the 2nd motivator was to offer the public a glimpse into how capital punishment was actually carried out. When people saw how it worked in practice, they were very uncomfortable with the death penalty, he added. Starmer said the third element was that capital punishment has become an indicator of whether a country is progressive, forward-looking and wanting to join the family of countries that have gotten rid of the death penalty. "Or, whether it wants to be seen by others as being stuck in the past with countries that are unwilling to change," Starmer said, adding that courageous political leadership combined with a better understanding of the death penalty could cause public opinions to change. Starmer declined to reveal details of his meeting with Vice President Chen Chien-jen and Minister of Justice Chiu Tai-san on Wednesday, saying only that the discussions were "constructive." As one of three democracies worldwide that still carry out death sentences, Taiwan has executed 33 death-row inmates since 2010, with the last one being Taipei MRT killer Cheng Chieh in May last year. There are 41 people on death row. Death Penalty Project co-executive director Saul Lehrfreund, who is a member of the delegation, said research he has done with academics, universities and criminologists show that public perceptions of capital punishment are not black-and-white. "For example, if you ask the public an abstract question: 'Do you support the death penalty?' It is very probable that the vast majority of people would support the death penalty," Lehrfreund said. "However, if you ask people how strongly they support the death penalty, you will find the majority of people do not come back and say they support the death penalty strongly," Lehrfreund said. "They may support it, but not so much that they would not accept changes." (source: Taipei Times) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO:: Ugandan rebels face death for crimes against humanity 10 rebels get death sentence for killing innocent civilians in
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 6 INDONESIA: Pakistani convict Zulfiqar Ali is innocent, must be released soon: Komnas HAM The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) is calling for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to pardon Pakistani death row inmate Zulfiqar Ali, saying he is innocent and should be released after already having been imprisoned on a drug conviction for a decade without any concrete evidence. "We ask the President to pardon Zulfiqar Ali for the sake of justice and humanity and release him from all punishment as soon as possible," Komnas HAM commissioner Hafid Abbas said in a statement on Wednesday. Komnas HAM had also conveyed a set of recommendations to Jokowi on Sept. 27, one that had also been given to then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono more than 2 years ago. Ali escaped the 3rd round of executions of drug convicts on the Nusakambangan prison island in Cilacap, Central Java, on July 29. Hafid noted that the judges had succumbed to public pressure and went beyond the demands of prosecutors, who had sought a life sentence, for the mere sake of their public image, since public opinion deemed corruption, terrorism and drug-related offenses to be extraordinary crimes. "That also influenced the atmosphere of the trial, so the judges imposed a more severe punishment than the prosecution demand for the death penalty," he said. Police arrested Ali based on a statement from Gurdip Singh, an Indian national arrested on allegations of heroin possession at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Aug. 24, 2004. Gurdip retracted his statement against Ali. However, the court went on to sentence him to death in June 2005. (source: The Jakarta Post) SINGAPORE: Greater support for death penalty among higher educated: Poll About 80 % of people in Singapore believe that the death penalty should be retained, according to a survey conducted by the Government. The survey also found out that there was greater support for the death penalty among the higher educated, with 68 % of residents with university or postgraduate education saying that they support the death penalty. Reach - the Singapore Government's citizen-engagement agency - said in a statement today (Oct 6) that a computer-assisted telephone interview poll was conducted between June 13 and 17 this year. A total of 1,160 randomly selected Singapore residents aged 15 or above were polled. Only 10 % of respondents felt that the death penalty should be abolished. The other 10 % of respondents either did not give a definite answer, or refused to answer, Reach said. Reach said that "82 % of respondents agreed that the death penalty was an important deterrent that helped keep Singapore safe from serious crimes". Among those who supported the death penalty, there was higher support for it as the maximum sentence for violent crimes (as high as 81 % for murder). Only 67 % of respondents think it should be the maximum sentence for drug trafficking. Close to 2/3 of respondents believed that there were enough safeguards in Singapore to ensure that no person was wrongly sentenced to death, Reach said. Reach said in the statement "where the sample was not demographically representative of the national population by gender, race, or age, it was weighted accordingly to ensure representativeness". (source: asiaone.com) INDIA: Suspense Over Death Sentence Of VS Dupare As SC Hears His Review Petition In Open Court The Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, Rohinton Fali Nariman and Uday Umesh Lalit today heard the review petition of the death-row convict, Vasanta Sampat Dupare, currently lodged in Nagpur Central Jail, in the open court. As hearing of the review petitions of death-row convicts by a three-Judge bench is mandatory after the SC judgment in Mohd. Arif case, Dupare's senior counsel, Anup Bhambhani got the opportunity to make his submissions before the bench. Background: Dupare's death sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court's 3 judge bench on November 26, 2014. Dupare was convicted and sentenced to death for the offence of rape and murder of a minor girl in 2008. In 2010, the trial court found him guilty and sentenced him to death under section 302, life imprisonment under section 376(2)(f), and rigorous imprisonment of 7 years under sections 363 and 367 and rigorous imprisonment of 3 years under section 201 of the IPC, along with fines and imprisonment in default. On March 24, 2011, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court, at the confirmation stage, held that Dupare had not received a fair trial as the legal aid lawyer appointed on his behalf was absent when 4 important witnesses were to be cross-examined, and Dupare himself had been asked to cross-examine those witnesses. The high court, therefore, set aside his conviction and sentence, and remanded the case back to the trial court. On remand, the trial court again convicted and sentenced
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 5 INDIA: Murderer-cum-serial killer finally reconciles to the noose On October 3, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition against the death penalty handed down to Umesh Reddy, a former constable. That name still sends shivers down the spines of those who know about his case. A 40-year-old man, Umesh is believed to have raped and murdered at least 10 women, in a spree that is believed to have spanned the country. He now sits on death row in Hindalga jail in Belagavi. On hearing the apex court's decision, sources inside the prison say that Umesh has almost a tranquil air of resignation about him now; as though he has finally accepted the inevitability of the hangman's noose. Umesh carefully chose his targets -- lonely women. After identifying his victim, he attacked them in their own homes between 11am and 3pm (when it was likely they'd be alone). Like most serial killers, Umesh always took a souvenir from his victim ... in his case it was their undergarments. In spite of being arrested on a number of occasions, he always managed to escape his custodians. He was finally thrown into prison after he was arrested on May 17, 2002, in Yeshwantpur. Portrait of a killer behind bars "Reddy has been kept in a separate high-security cell and has not been given a work detail. He is not allowed to leave his cell. He wakes up at 5.45am every day, does his yoga, and reads two newspapers and law books. His meals are given to him in his cell. He has asked to be shifted to another jail, but we have denied his request. On Monday, after he found out about the apex court's decision, he just went silent. He continued with his yoga and then started studying books like the IPC, CrPC and also evidence act books ... all related to his cases. I think he was looking for any other chance to appeal," a jail official said. "I think there is a slight chance if he appeals to a constitution bench. Otherwise, he has to be hanged. Once the date is fixed, we will decide who will hang him," the official added. A gruesome legacy The High Court of Karnataka confirmed the death sentence handed down to Umesh by a local court in a case pertaining to the rape and murder of 37-year-old housewife, Jayashree Maradi Subbaiah, in Peenya on February 28, 1998. The Supreme Court upheld the HC???s decision. In all, Reddy faced 21 cases. He was convicted in 9 and acquitted in 11, while one case is still pending in Hiriyur. Umesh escaped 4 times from judicial and police custody. On the run, he raped and murdered women across the state and it is believed, even in other parts of the country. In 1998 when the police apprehended him in Yeshwantpur, they recovered a bagful of women's garments: 10 bras, 18 panties, 6 saris, 2 nightgowns, 8 trousers and 4 blouses. Reddy escaped the 1st time when he was being shifted from Bellary jail, in March 1997. He was later arrested on July 7, 1997, while attempting to steal women's undergarments, but he escaped within 24 hours. He was picked up by the Peenya police on February 28, 1998, while trying to escape after killing Jayashree. He escaped again while being brought to court. Reddy was finally arrested on May 17, 2002 by Yeshwantpur police, after he was spotted in a salon. Umesh Reddy alias Rajulu, alias, Ramesh alias Venkatesh, was born BV Umesh in Basappamalige, Hiriyur taluk, Chitradurga district. After completing his pre-university course in 1995, Reddy joined the District Armed Reserve police (DAR) in Chitradurga in 1996. In November 1996 Reddy attempted to rape a girl in KEB Colony, Chitradurga. The girl later identified him, by chance, at a police parade, after which a case was registered against him. He was later dismissed from service. That same month, he allegedly raped and murdered Roopa, also from KEB Colony in Chitradurga. Police believe that several of his crimes will never see the light as victims didn???t approach the police fearing social stigma. (source: Bangalore Mirror) *** Hoshiarpur boy's killers try last resort to save neck Their death warrants are out. Vikram Walia and Jasvir Singh, who kidnapped and murdered a Hoshiarpur boy, Abhi Verma (16), in 2005, have moved the Supreme Court yet another time for a stay on their execution. A Hoshiarpur court has directed the Patiala jail authorities to hang them on October 25 . The President has denied them mercy. Supreme Court lawyer Balwant Singh Billowria, who filed the latest review petition, will appear before the Chief Justice of India to request for an urgent hearing on Wednesday morning. He has cited a constitutional-bench judgment in case of 2000 Red Fort bombing convict Mohammad Arif "that deathrow convicts shall seek opencourt hearings of their review petitions, irrespective of the fact that their curative petition has already been dismissed". In 2006, the Hoshiarpur district court had awarded death penalty to Jasvir's wife, Sonia, too,
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 5 ZIMBABWE: Artistes call for death penalty abolishment Playwright Getrude Vimbayi Munhamo yesterday urged government to urgently consider the abolishment of the death penalty as it was an archaic mode of punishment in modern civilisations. Munhamo told NewsDay ahead of a concert to commemorate the World Day Against the Death Penalty through art set for October 10 at Theatre in the Park. The concert will feature an array of local artists across genres with Munhamo's play, The Dead Are Alive, also to be staged during the concert. Munhamo said she was inspired to write the play to add her voice against the death sentence. "While some developed countries have banned this kind of penalty, it is still in use in many other countries around the world, which we are saying must come to an end," she said. Munhamo said the The Dead Are Alive juxtaposes and explores cultural and traditional justice systems against the backdrop of modern methods. The story revolves around the character of Taizivei Murambadoro who is sentenced to death for robbery and murder although he was not present when his colleagues committed the crimes. Munhamo said she was happy that artists have joined hands to advocate for the abolishment of the death sentence. She expressed gratitude to Daves Guzha for allowing the play to be staged at Theatre in the Park. Tehn Diamond, Chirikure Chirikure, Everson Ndhlovu, Stewart Sakarombe and DJ Naida are expected to perform. Choreographer Lionel Tendai Guzha described the death penalty as an unfair law. (source: newsday.co.zw) BELARUS: Statement by the Spokesperson on the decision of the Belarus Supreme Court to uphold the death sentence against Siarhei Vostrykau Today, 4 October, the Belarusian Supreme Court upheld the death sentence against Siarhei Vostrykau. This is the fourth confirmation by the Belarusian Supreme Court of a death sentence in 2016. It follows the execution of Syarhey Iwanow in April as well as 2 other death sentences this year.The European Union reaffirms its strong opposition to capital punishment. The death penalty is an inhumane and degrading treatment, does not have any proven deterrent effect, and makes judicial errors irreversible. The continued application of capital punishment runs counter to Belarus' stated willingness to consider the introduction of a moratorium on the use of the death penalty. This is also a commitment made by Belarus in response to recommendations made by the UN Human Rights Council in the Universal Periodic Review. Belarus, the only country in Europe still applying capital punishment, should introduce a moratorium on the death penalty as a first step towards its abolition. (source: europa.eu) IRAN: Prudent Use of Death Penalty Necessary, according to Justice Minister On October 3, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reported on comments made by the Iranian regime's Justice Minister, Mostafa Pour-Mohammad, regarding abolishing death penalty for drug traffickers in Iran. He said, "One of the punishments for a corrupt person is execution." The Justice Minister was allegedly a member of the Death Committee responsible for the 1988 massacre of tens of thousands of political prisoners in Iran. Pour-Mohammadi expressed in an interview with the state news agency IRNA on September 30, that he doesn't believe that the death penalty can be ruled out, saying, "There are cases in which someone is a source of corruption and his existence will bring about nothing but corruption." Reacting to the rising numbers of executions in Iran, Pour-Mohammadi pointed out, "the type of punishment in any situation should be proportionate to its effect. Scholars, jurists, experts, psychologists and criminologists should join hands to determine what kind of punishment will be the most effective." Sadeq Larijani, the Chief Justice of the Iranian regime, has stated that it is not the Judiciary's policy to eliminate executions for drug smugglers, "When did we have such an inclination? ... This claim that executions were not useful is irrelevant. I urge all prosecutors across the country not to delay the implementation of the verdicts, and carry them out once they are issued. We are not allowed to delay carrying out the verdicts for 3 years and let the criminals begin praying in prison and then argue that since they pray we should cancel their executions. We cannot do away with executions in general because it undermines the judiciary's deterrence. Executions are a means for establishing security in society, claimed the Chief Justice. He stressed, "One of the reasons for the effectiveness of these punishments is their prompt, expeditious and decisive implementation. It is against the interests of society and the Judiciary to prolong the prosecution process." He criticized "giving opportunity during the prosecution" to those accused of drug smuggling and said,
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 4 IRAN: Iran, Which Executed Nearly 1,000 Last Year, Considers Cutting Back Iran, which puts more people to death every year than any other country in the world but China, is debating a measure that could significantly cut the number of executions, local news outlets reported on Tuesday. But the bill seems certain to face considerable opposition from hard-liners in the judiciary. A newly installed Parliament, thought to be more liberal than its predecessor but, until now, unwilling to take any unorthodox steps, is considering a bill that would abolish the death penalty for drug smugglers, who account for a large majority of those executed. While the government does not release figures on capital punishment, the local news media said that 950 people had been hanged in 2015. Human rights groups say the total could have been as high as 1,500, and the United Nations put the number at nearly 1,000. Possession of as little as 30 grams of heroin is enough under Iranian law to face execution by hanging. Nevertheless, drug addiction and smuggling are rampant, officials acknowledge. "We want to eliminate the death penalty for those criminals who act out of desperation," Yahya Kamalpour, a reformist lawmaker, told the semiofficial ISNA news agency. "We need a scientific and not an emotional approach to this problem." In a sign of changing attitudes toward capital punishment, public hangings have become rare, and those that do take place are usually sparsely attended. Representatives of the conservative judiciary have signaled that they will resist any effort to change Iran's penal code, which they believe reflects Islamic values and culture. They emphasize that these values supersede even universal human rights and cannot be changed. Anticipating the bill's introduction, the head of the judiciary, Sadegh Larijani, called criticism of capital punishment "inappropriate." Speaking with the semiofficial Fars news agency last week, he said, "If the judiciary had not taken a tough stance, the situation would have been very bad, and drugs would have been available even at traditional medicine stores." Even if it were to win approval from the Parliament, the bill would still need to be confirmed by the Guardian Council, which is dominated by hard-liners. The position of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the last word on such changes, is unclear. Conservatives said they doubted that the measure could survive the determined opposition of the judiciary. "Be sure they won't accept such a bill when the judiciary opposes it," said Hamidreza Taraghi, an analyst with strong ties to the hard-line faction. "The only wish of the parliamentarians is to please the West." The proposal is one of the first provocative plans to emerge from the new Parliament, which was installed in August after elections in May. Although no political faction holds a majority, the consensus was that the influence of hard-liners on the assembly was not as strong as it had been. (source: New York Times) MALAYSIA: Let us pause to focus on how to end crime, not lives I became opposed to the death penalty when I realised that many desperately poor people are being sentenced to death for drugs, that these were not crimes of malicious intent, but rather crimes of desperation, and that this penalty does not address the problem which it originally intended to address: problematic drug use and societal instability. Currently we have 1,064people on death row for drug-related offences. They are on death row even though there is a growing recognition that their execution will not reduce the amount of drugs on the street. We know that because many executions have taken place already in the region. None have resulted in a fall off in drug use. On the contrary, data from the Indonesian Drug User Network (known by its Indonesian acronym PKNI) shows that after the 1st and 2nd wave of executions due to drug trafficking, drug use actually spiked. The fact is, overwhelmingly, those sentenced to death for drug related offences are not running the drug business, and in the larger scheme of things, their execution has no impact on reducing the drug problems we face. We know their socio-economic status because as part of my work with Harm Reduction International four or five years ago, I collected data on the names, ages and employment status of the people sentenced to death for drugs in Malaysia. They sell vegetables at wet markets; they are car mechanics, food hawkers, or unemployed persons. You don't see the sons or daughters of millionaires being arrested for drug trafficking, nor persons gainfully employed as doctors, lawyers, academics. That's not because people such people do not use or sell drugs, but because arresting them would result in more complications than arresting low-level street suppliers and drug mules. Like law enforcement agents, the
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 4 INDONESIA: Death row prisoners in limbo in Indonesia after unexplained stay of execution A condemned Pakistani man has spoken of his suffering as his life remains in limbo more than 2 months after he was mysteriously spared from an Indonesian firing squad. Garment trader Zulfiqar Ali was among 14 convicted drug offenders slated to be executed on April 29 as part of Indonesia's so-called "war on drugs". But 10 prisoners, including Mr Ali, were given a last-minute stay of execution for reasons never explained by the Indonesian government. "I am in darkness until now," Mr Ali told Fairfax Media via his lawyer. "I am suffering for a long time and still this is a time of suffering for me." Mr Ali was arrested on drug trafficking charges in 2004 after an Indian acquaintance, Gurdip Singh, named him as the owner of 300 grams of heroin. An internal probe into Mr Ali's case, ordered by the Indonesian government, found he was a victim of conspiracy and likely to be innocent. The investigation by then director-general of human rights Hafid Abbas, which found evidence of human rights violations and abuse of power at all levels, was ignored by former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. "I have sent a very strong letter to President Jokowi 3 days ago and strongly advised the president to immediately provide clemency to Zulfiqar Ali," Dr Hafid, who is now a commissioner with the National Commission for Human Rights told Fairfax Media. However a spokesman for the Attorney-General, Muhammad Rum, said the executions would still be carried out. "The plan is still on, it was only postponed," he told Fairfax Media. "We haven't decided on the time." Since his death was mysteriously postponed, Mr Ali, who has cirrhosis, has been ferried between hospital and a jail on Nusakambangan, the island where Indonesia carries out its executions. He and another of the condemned prisoners, Indonesian Merri Utami, have repeatedly asked to be transferred back to the jails where they were incarcerated prior to July's executions. Ms Utami, whom supporters say was a victim of human trafficking, has been kept in an isolation cell at a jail in Cilacap, the closest town to Nusakambangan. "She is in isolation 24/7 except for 2 hours of church time each week," her lawyer, Afif Abdul Oyim told Fairfax Media. "Her daughter spoke to her and told us her health has been impacted by the isolation. Emotionally, she is still traumatised by the execution day. Sometimes she will hear her cell doors opening, like the one she heard during execution night. She has no activities all day in isolation. It adds to the stress." But Mr Rum said the 9 male prisoners would remain on Nusakambangan and Ms Utami would stay at the women's jail in Cilacap. "They are already there, so they stay there," he said. Mr Ali's wife, Siti Rohani, is worried this means her husband will be taken away from her again soon. "We are hearing there is going to be another round of executions by the end of the year," she said. Mr Ali said he was forced to confess to the heroin after being tortured by police: "They beat me like an animal. They showed me we will shoot you with a gun. Many things they did to me. They didn't allow me to talk to my embassy and talk to my lawyer." He was sentenced to death in June 2005 even though the prosecution had only demanded life imprisonment. Dr Hafid said the sentencing was shortly after the arrest of the Bali 9 on drug smuggling charges. "There was emotion in Indonesian society at that time that narcotics cases should be punished much more." He said he had provided four main reasons why Indonesian president Joko Widodo should grant clemency. These included that Gurdip Singh had recanted his allegations of Mr Ali's involvement, Mr Ali had been in hospital the day the prosecution alleged he had bought the heroin, prosecutors had only requested a jail sentence and another accomplice had received a much lighter sentence. Former president Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie also wrote to Mr Joko asking that he save Mr Ali's life. But the couple have been told nothing officially of Mr Ali's fate since the night of the July 29 executions when he was asked what he wanted done with his remains. "They asked me in front of my wife, in front of my children, where do you want to be buried?," Mr Ali said. "[They said] better you are buried in Indonesia. [They] do not want to allow me to go back to Pakistan." Ms Siti wept as her husband recounted telling his family "it was better to let him go" in the lead up to the executions. "I am tired because of this system, these people, this everything," he told her. "Better ok, if you want to kill me, shoot me, finish this problem." On July 29, executioners took from his cell "one black guy in front of me", a Nigerian, who was later shot. Mr Ali, waiting in his isolation cell on Nusakambangan, told himself "This is my
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 3 PAKISTAN: Pakistani Christian mother Asia Bibi's death sentence sparks protest in Australia The death sentence handed to Pakistani Christian mother Asia Bibi over a blasphemy charge has sparked a protest in Australia calling on the government to intervene in the case and help save her from being executed. In a letter to be submitted to the Parliamentarians in New South Wales, the demonstrators are demanding that the Australian government guarantee the continuous enforcement of the principle of "one law for all" in their country. They are also asking the government to consider once again donating $49 million in aid to Pakistan. BPCA chairman Wilson Chowdhry also released a statement decrying Pakistan's failure to protect Bibi and other Christian minorities. Echoing the demands of the protesters, he said Australia can be a significant player in the case, pointing out that the United Kingdom, the United States, and other major donors have started donating aid to help improve human rights in Pakistan. "Australia's official policy involves tackling poverty by generating sustainable growth and employment, as well as focusing on education and health, all worthy goals," said Chowdhry. "Some of the poorest Pakistani citizens are Christians, and unfortunately they are typically kept there by a combination of debt-slavery and direct and systematic religious oppression, frequently including systematic sex slavery and targeting of Christian girls and women for kidnap, rape, forced conversion and marriage." Last month, prominent Christian lawyer Sooba Bhatti appealed to the President of Pakistan to grant Bibi pardon for the capital punishment. He also asked the president to order Christian mother's immediate release and acquittal, Christians in Pakistan reports. Bibi was arrested in June 2009 over blasphemy charges and was given a death sentence by a local judge the following year. She was also handed down a penalty amounting to around US$1,100. (source: Christian Daily) IRELAND:/EGYPT: UK Body Builds Cairo Court, as Irish Student Faces Death Penalty in Egypt A state-owned Belfast business is helping to furnish an Egyptian juvenile court, despite concerns over mass trials and death sentences in the country - including in the case of an Irish juvenile. New research by human rights organization Reprieve has revealed that, since March 2015, Northern Ireland Cooperation Overseas (NI-CO) - a state-owned UK business that has contracts with the Foreign Office - has been involved in a 10 million euros EU-funded project to support "the Administration of Justice" in Egypt, in partnership with the country's Ministry of Justice. According to documents relating to the deal, unearthed by Reprieve, the 4-year project includes the provision of equipment by NI-CO for Egypt's court system. Tender documents, apparently provided by the Egyptian government, outline a need for steel structures, security bars and benches for courtrooms, and surveillance equipment for 'interview rooms'. The documents also outline detailed plans for a courtroom for children, including a 'secure waiting area' made out of steel bars, and 'soft chairs for children', which the documents say should be waterproof, and provided in red, white and black - the colours of the Egyptian flag. The project has reportedly included a workshop with 98 judges from Egypt's Court of Cassation, the highest court in Egypt, which has final say over death sentences. NI-CO's EU-funded work in Egypt will raise fears over UK and European complicity in abuses associated with Egypt's justice system. Since July 2014, Egypt's government has come under heavy criticism for human rights abuses that have seen protestors, journalists, opposition activists, and juveniles arrested, with reports of torture common. Egyptian courts have handed down thousands of death sentences, in mass trials that have failed to meet international fair-trial standards. Among the juveniles who have been arrested is Ibrahim Halawa, a student from Firhouse, Dublin, whose trial alongside 493 other prisoners was postponed yesterday for the 15th time since it began in 2014. Ibrahim - who was 17 when he was arrested - is facing a potential death sentence along with hundreds of others, who face identical charges relating to protests. Repeated hearings in the mass trial since 2014 have proved chaotic, and seen hundreds of defendants held in purpose-built pens, where they can neither see nor hear the proceedings, nor talk to the judge or their lawyers. Ibrahim has reported being regularly tortured, and forced to witness others being abused. In a letter published by his family last week, he said that he shares a dormitory cell with 30 other prisoners, and has a sleeping space just over 1 foot wide. The Irish government and the European Parliament have both called for Ibrahim's release, while the UK government has told
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 3 IRAN: Iran Judiciary Chief Statement Sparks Fears of New Wave of Mass Executions of Drug Offenders in Iran Iran's head of Judiciary, Sadegh Amoli Larijani, recently said that the Judiciary has no plans to abolish the death penalty and called on Iranian judicial officials to not hesitate in carrying out the execution sentences for alleged drug offenders. Amoli Larijani's official remarks were made on Thursday September 29 in Mashhad, at the 13th annual conference for Iran's revolutionary, military and public courts. According to Iranian state run media, Fars, in his remarks Amoli Larijani referred to drug traffickers as "merchants of death" and rejected calls for the complete abolition of the death penalty for crimes related to drug trafficking. "Executions are not necessarily desirable, but narcotics are a great detriment to society and also shatter families. We have no choice but to confront the issue quickly, swiftly, firmly, and decisively. We want prosecutors in the country to not to hesitate in implementing the (death) sentences," said Amoli Larijani. "We should not wait 3 years (before carrying out the execution sentences), until the prisoner learns how to pray in order to get amnesty...It is offensive to say that the death penalty is ineffective. If it wasn't for the strictness of the Judiciary, the situation would be much worse." Amoli Larijani's execution order comes 2 weeks after Mohammad Javad Larijani, Iran's chief of the Judiciary's "human rights council", visited several countries in Europe, including Italy, for human rights dialogue with European officials. Just last month, the deputy of the Judiciary Chief, Mohammad Bagher Olfat, said that executing drug offenders in Iran has not decreased the volume of drugs: "The reality is that the death penalty for drug traffickers has not acted as a deterrent so far. We fought against many drug traffickers in accordance to the law, but, unfortunately, the volume of drugs entering and transiting through the country has increased...It is important to note that the individuals who are being executed are not the main drug traffickers, because the main drug traffickers are not involved in the shipment of drugs." Iran Human Rights warns against mass executon of drug offenders after the Judiciary chief's statements. "Iran may be entering a new period of a high number of executions," says Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, spokesperson for Iran Human Rights. In 2015, Iranian authorities executed nearly 1000 people on Sadeq Amoli Larijani's orders. According to Iran Human Rights, majority of the prisoners were executed on drug-related charges. "When the Judiciary Chief instructs prosecuters to not hesitate in carrying out the execution sentences for drug offenders or to wait until the prisoners gain eligibility for amnesty, he is actually giving the execution order of thousands of prisoners at a much higher speed than before. The international community must take Mr. Larijani's execution order seriously. One option is that the UNODC could halt its anti-narcotic cooperation with Iran," says Amiry-Moghaddam. "While several top Iranian officials, among them Mr. Olfat, have admitted that executions are not a deterrent against drugs, Mr. Amoli Larijani, without presenting any new evidence, has claimed the opposite." According to Iran Human Rights, Iranian authorities have executed at least 65 people in the past month. 51 of these executions were reportedly carried out for drug-related offenses. (source: Iran Human Rights) *** People in Ahvaz protest against execution of 2 youths On Thursday, September 29, a group of Ahvazi youths staged a protest at night against the Iranian regime by setting up fire and chanting anti-government slogans in Enqelab Avenue in the south-western city of Ahvaz to show their protest against the execution of 2 young ethnic Arabs of the city. The 2 youths were Adnan Mazban al-Amouri and Ali Sharif al-Amouri, residents of Ghaleh Chan'an in Khuzestan province (south-western Iran), who were executed on Wednesday September 28 in Gohardasht Prison (north-west of Tehran) allegedly on the charges of "armed robbery" and "acting against national security." According to the regime's state-run Tasnim news agency, these two young people were charged with "Moharebeh (enmity against God)" and sentenced to death by Branch 15 of Tehran's revolutionary court. Their sentences were then confirmed by Branch 14 of Supreme Court and implemented on Wednesday morning in Gohardasht (Rajai-Shahr) Prison in Karaj. 1 of the relatives of the al-Amouris pointed out that the men did not receive due process and there was discrimination in the implementation of the sentence. The relative said: "Discrimination is evident in all the affairs of this country. Why the 1st and 2nd row defendants were not executed but the 3rd and 4th row defendants were executed, because they were
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Oct. 2 INDIA: 2 to be hanged for Hoshiarpur boy's murder Punjab's Department of Prisons will execute the death penalty awarded to Vikram Singh Walia and Jasvir Singh for the kidnap and murder of Hoshiarpur boy Abhi Verma. Their plea for a lighter sentence was turned down by the President's office on September 27. Along with a woman accomplice, the 2 had kidnapped Abhi, a goldsmith's son, for ransom in February 2005 and had later killed him. "This is to authorise and require to carry the said sentence into execution causing the said ... to be hanged by neck until he be dead on 25th day of October 2016 at 9 am in your jail ... with an endorsement certifying that the sentence has been executed," reads an order issued by the District and Sessions court, Hoshiarpur. The department now has to arrange for a hangman. It has none on its rolls. There have been no hangings in Punjab after June 16, 1989, when hangman Kaloo was called from the Tihar Jail to execute brothers Gurcharan Singh and Pritam Singh of Sangrur. As per the Punjab Jail Manual, 1896, in the absence of an official hangman, the jail authorities can get a hangman from another jail or else the Deputy Jail Superintendent has to perform the task. (source: tribuneindia.com) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 30 INDONESIA: Death sentences a warning for drug offenders in West Jakarta Indonesian President Joko Widodo's tough on drugs stance and his resolve to push ahead with the execution of convicted drug smugglers is filtering down to the courts. The West Jakarta District Court is leading the charge. This week alone it sentenced 5 foreigners to death after the prosecutors demanded the highest penalty. They include Li Fuzhang and Li Hezhang from China, who were convicted of smuggling 20 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine into Indonesia. Toor Eng Tart, Ooi Swee Liew and Phang Hoon Ching from Malaysia received the same sentence this week for smuggling 51 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 140,000 ecstasy pills. Reda Mantovani was appointed to the chief prosecutor position in West Jakarta in 2015. He said he demanded the death sentence for 25 defendants found guilty of drug crimes during his 1st year in the job. "When I got this job, I saw the number of drug related crimes kept increasing in West Jakarta," Mr Mantovani said. "The criminal law enables me to demand the highest penalty, which is death, and that is what I am doing." In the past 12 months the West Jakarta District Court has dealt with 1,320 drug cases. "Do not mess around with drugs in West Jakarta, you will get the death sentence," Mr Mantovani said. The last round of executions of convicted drug smugglers took place in July this year, when 4 prisoners faced the firing squad at Nusakambangan prison. 10 prisoners - who had been due to be executed - where spared at the last minute, although the Indonesian Government never provided an explanation for why. According to the Jakarta based Institute of Criminal Justice Reform, 17 prisoners had already been sentenced to death up until June this year. "I am sure there are some people who do not like the fact that the death sentence has been handed down, especially human rights groups," Mr Mantovani said. "But I am merely implementing the law and the way I see it there are more people that support me than are against me." 37 defendants were sentenced to death in 2015. (source: abc.net.au) INDIA: Man gets death for killing parents and daughter A court in Visnagar town of Mehsana district sentenced to death a 33-year-old man, who had brutally hacked to death his parents and 3 year-old daughter in April last year. Additional district judge PS Kala awarded the death penalty to the convict Nagjiji Thakor, terming the crime as 'rarest of rare' case. . The ghastly murders had rocked Malarpura village, some six km from Kheralu town on April 15 last year. Public prosecutor PK Dave said Thakor had resorted to the savage assault as he suspected an illicit relationship between his wife Daksha and father Babuji Thakor (55). He first attacked his father with an axe and then hacked his mother Mancha (55) who tried to stop him. Thakor then attacked his wife Daksha and daughter Dhatri. While his parents and Dhatri died on the spot, Daksha fell unconscious. Thakor thought she had died and locked himself in another room taking his son along. When Daksha regained consciousness in the morning, she stealthily went out of the house and informed police and other villagers. However, when police reached his house Thakor again went berserk and furiously started wielding the blood-soaked axe. He also started throwing stones at police, which left one cop injured. 3 other villagers were also injured when he hit them with stones. Villagers and policemen had a tough time controlling him. Ultimately, he received some blows of sticks and fell unconscious. Thakor was rushed to Mehsana Civil Hospital and arrested later. In his 116-page order, judge Kala also ordered him to pay Rs 500 as penalty (source: The Times of India) MALAYSIA: Tertiary student among 2 nabbed in Kuching with 1.5kg of ganja Police have arrested 2 suspects, 1 of them a tertiary student, and seized 1.5kg of ganja worth over RM26,000 in an operation here. Acting on a tip-off, police picked up the 19-year-old female student who had 1,019.48gm of ganja at a car park in Jalan Song, here, shortly after midnight Thursday. Kuching OCPD Asst Comm Abang Ahmad Abang Julai said police also arrested a 26-year-old man who had 11gm of ganja on him. "The suspects led us to a house in Jalan Cenderawasih where we found 475.31gm of ganja, weighing scales and a knife. This was where they processed the ganja into 10gm packs to be sold at RM150 each," he told a press conference Friday. He said both suspects had been remanded for 4 days and were being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction. "What worries us is that a student was involved in this case. If our students get involved in drugs, what will happen to our country? "We all need to work together in the fight against drugs,"
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 30 GHANA: Rationalising Lucas Agboyie's libido propelled act? "Therefore, if any man is dangerous to the community and is subverting it by some sin, the treatment to be commended is his execution in order to preserve the common good ... therefore, to kill a man who retains his natural worthiness is intrinsically evil, although it may be justifiable to kill a sinner just as it is to kill a beast, for, as Aristotle points out, an evil man is worse than a beast and more harmful". TEARS HAVE WELLED IN MY EYES as I write this piece. The story is weird, incredible and obscene; the act is unconscionable, vicious, outrageous, impious and sinister. Some of us cannot stand the sight of Lucas Agboyie's ogre-like picture in the Daily Graphic of Friday, 23rd September, 2016. It is abominable, reading: "I killed girl, 7... and had sex with body; Man, 22, confesses." He was like Grendel in 'Beowulf', like the Beast in 'Beauty and the Beast', like Polyphemus, like the Cyclops in 'Homer's Odyssey', like the Cyclops in 'Sinbad the Sailor', and like the Giant Despair in John Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress'. I may be pardoned for not writing as a sociologist or for not writing as a criminologist or for not writing as a lawyer ... but writing as a parent, as grand - parent of that little girl whose mother had sent her on an errand only to be lured by Agboyie who asked her to bring his towel hanging behind his house. What were there on the girl to attract Agboyie - her face, her legs, her boobs? And Agboyie confesses: "On her return I told her I wanted to sleep with her but she refused. I held her hand and she began struggling with me. She begged and told me to let her go and started screaming. So I strangled her. I then took her to my room and slept with the body. Afterwards, I took the GHc20 she had in her possession and used it to buy ganja." Haba - apologies to I.K. Gyasi. The incident which occurred on April 19, 2015 with the accused arraigned before the court on April 23, 2015, had the docket sent to the Attorney General's Department for advice in June 2015. Naturally, the judge at the Accra Central District Magistrate's Court, Worlanyo Kotoku, Esq. could only be alarmed, and he expressed this in very few words: "I don't know why the case is still delaying. The accused person's story has been consistent since the first day he was brought to court. These are committal proceedings and not the actual trial." Kudos to the lawyer who volunteered to follow up to the Attorney-General's Department - in the absence of the Prosecutor. Some of us lawyers are, likewise, going to follow the case which we hear has been adjourned to October 4, 2016. At the trial, we are likely to be told that Section 46 of the Criminal Offences Act spells out: "A person who commits murder is liable to suffer death???, and Section 47 says: "A person who intentionally causes the death of another person by an unlawful harm commits murder ..." Section 304(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code states: "Every sentence of death shall direct that the person condemned shall suffer death in accordance with the provisions of this section ... Section 304 (3). The execution may be either by hanging or shooting by firing squad. During the full trial the accused person may have to be represented by a lawyer who could plead insanity, intoxication, ignorance of fact or the law. No argument here, for the accused has the right to be represented. Even where he declares that he has no money to engage a lawyer, the State will have to obtain one for him, my friends at 'Legal Aid' may have to prepare themselves for a good battle of wits. Already, Sociologists and Psychologists have jumped into the fray. When Sigmund Freud propounded his theory of the 'Id', 'Ego' and 'Superego', he explained that the 'id' contains a person's 'libido' - which is the primary source of instinctual force that is unresponsive to the demands of reality. The 'id' "...knows no judgments of value: no good, no evil, no morality" it is compelled by the 'Oedipus Complex' or dictatorial: "Thou Shalt...". Libido, is colloquially known as 'sex - drive' the overall sexual desire for sexual activity. Did the 'ganja' the accused smoked drive him into hyper - sexuality? Should we allow lust, sadism or masochism to disturb the social order? Social order refers to the way in which a society is organized along with certain sets of social structures, practices and institutions that maintain and set methods for relating and behaving. Bruce Fein thinks communities would be plunged into anarchy, if people were allowed to go scot - free after committing crimes. The Good Book tells us in Exodus 22:18, thus: "Wrongdoers you shall not suffer to live" and the question is how many people are we to allow to be murdered while we wait for the wrongdoer to repent of his sins? The accused confesses to smoking 'ganja'. Perhaps he is talking
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 29 AUSTRALIA/PAKISTAN: Australian Government urged to intervene on behalf of Asia Bibi Government of Australia implored to intervene on behalf of Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman on death row. Her appeal case is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in October. In the face of the eminent case hearing, international pressure grows on Pakistan for acquittal of the Christian respondent. For this reason, a demonstration has been scheduled in the Australian capital calling for release of Asia Bibi. The demonstration is scheduled to be held on October 8, 2016 - the rally being termed as the "Anti- Sharia Law Rally." The rally will start at 11am, the assemblage will start a march towards the Pakistani Consulate at 109 Pitt St Sydney starting from the Parliament House of NSW 6 Macquarie St Sydney. The rally is intended to urge the Australian Government to intervene on behalf of Asia Bibi, there are calls for engaging the Pakistani authorities on diplomatic level for release and acquittal of Asia Bibi who has been awarded a death penalty over blasphemy conviction. The protesters are demanding for a fair trial for the Christian respondent. They are also calling for fail safe security for the legal team representing Asia Bibi and her family. The organizers and demonstrators also would urge the Australian Government to put pressure on Pakistan to make sure that the rule of 'one law for all' is maintained in their country. In this regard, Michael Andjelkovic, the Australian Justice of the Peace stated: "This case demonstrates the cruelty, un-equality and divisiveness of Blasphemy Law ..." While remarking in this regard, Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association a Christian advocacy and charity group said: "Asia Bibi has suffered the ignominy of 7 years of imprisonment on trumped up charges because her faith was offensive to Muslims. People of good conscience everywhere have demanded justice for Asia, moved by the plight of an innocent mother of 5. "Pakistan's government have failed in their duty to Asia and the Christian minority among them as a whole, their failure has been a blight on Pakistan's already tarnished reputation. Please pray that this appeal is expedited and that the judge is able to reach a rational verdict, based on evidence heard without any duress," he said. (source: christiansinpakistan.com) PHILIPPINES: Manny Pacquiao admits drug use as he backs Duterte's crackdownThe boxing star says it is unfair to blame the president for the more than 3,000 deaths in his war on dealers. Manny Pacquiao has admitted he took "all kinds of drugs" - but supports a crackdown on dealers which has led to more than 3,000 deaths in the Philippines. The boxing star, who was elected as a senator in May, said he backed president Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs and claimed that the leader was chosen by God to "discipline the people". Since taking office in June, Mr Duterte has put the crackdown at the core of presidency and said it will not stop "until the last drug manufacturer is killed". According to police, 3,171 drug dealers and users have been killed - 2/3 by unknown assailants and the rest in police operations. Pacquiao, 37, said: "The president, he doesn't know my experience with drugs. "I tried drugs ... many kinds of drugs, all kinds of drugs." The boxer said his substance abuse happened for years "before I became a champion". He added it was unfair to blame the drugs-related death toll on Mr Duterte. Pacquiao said: "God put him there for a reason, for purpose - to discipline the people. "In the past administrations, people didn't respect the law, the leader, the authorities. "What Duterte is trying to do is let the people know - and put it in their heart and minds - that you need to respect the laws of the land." The boxer, who is the godfather of Mr Duterte's grandson, is a close ally of the president. In his 1st speech in the senate, Pacquiao backed Mr Duterte's drugs crackdown by calling for the death penalty to be reinstated for dealers. Pacquiao also fronted a motion to oust the chair of a high-profile committee examining the president's links to vigilante death squads in Davao. The 37-year-old's comments come after Mr Duterte sparked outrage by calling Barack Obama a "son of a whore" while warning the US president not to question him about extrajudicial killings. Despite the fall-out, Pacquiao asserted that the Philippine president is "a nice guy". He said: "(Mr Duterte) is a respectful person, a hospitable person, a friendly person." (source: inquirer.net) SUDAN: Trial of Christian pastors facing death penalty over spying charges in Sudan adjourned The trial of 2 Christian pastors facing death penalty in Sudan over espionage charges has been adjourned until next month due to the prosecution's lack of preparation for the
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 29 CHINA: Death penalty upheld for bus arsonist The Higher People's Court of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on Wednesday rejected the appeal of an arsonist who was sentenced to death by Yinchuan Municipal Intermediate People's Court on July 3. The court upheld the arson conviction and death sentence of Ma Yongping. Ma set a bus on fire using a bottle of gasoline on January 5 in Helan County, motivated by anger over a personal dispute. The fire, which quickly burned the bus into an empty shell, killed 18 people and left 32 injured. (source: Shanghai Daily) IRANexecutions 8 Prisoners Executed on Murder and Moharebeh Charges 8 prisoners sentenced to death for murder and Moharebeh (enmity against God) charges were reportedly hanged at Karaj's Rajai Shahr Prison (Alborz province, northern Iran) on Wednesday September 28. According to close sources, on Thursday September 22, 11 prisoners at Rajai Shahr were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions. The execution sentences of 8 of them were reportedly carried out on Wednesday. The other 3 prisoners were returned to their cells after their executions were stopped by the complainants on their case files. A close source who asked to be annonymous has confirmed the names of the prisoners: Ali Rabizadeh, Majid Gonjehali, Adnan Anwar, Hossein Karimi, Mohammad Jafari, Karim Hatamzadeh, Farajollah Hatami, and Mehdi Alizadeh. According to the source, Karim Hatamzadeh was executed on Moharebeh charges related to armed robbery, the other 7 were executed on murder charges. Additionally, on Sunday September 25, a Baluch prisoner, Mehdi Nazari, sentenced to death for drug related offenses, was transferred from his prison cell to an unknown location. There has been no information on his whereabouts or condition since then. 7 Prisoners Executed for Drug Offenses 7 prisoners sentenced to death for drug related offenses were reportedly hanged at Minab Central Prison (Hormozgan province, southern Iran). According to close sources, the executions were carried out early morning on Tuesday September 27. Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and the media, have been silent about these 7 executions. The prisoners were reportedly transferred from their wards to solitary confinement on Sunday September 25 and were permitted to have their immediate family members see them for the last time on Monday. The names of the prisoners have been confirmed to Iran Human Rights by close sources as: Khodabakhsh Balouch, Ali Balouch, Chaker Balouch, Mohammad Mohammad Zehi, Majid Nariman, Mehdi Moradi, Mohammad Ghourchizadeh. Iranian authorities continue carrying out executions for drug offenses, even though last month, a top judicial official claimed that the death penalty is not a deterrent against drug crimes. "The death penalty for drug traffickers has not acted as a deterrent so far. We fought against many drug traffickers in accordance to the law, but, unfortunately, the volume of drugs entering and transiting through the country has increased," said Mohammad Bagher Olfat, who is in charge of social assistance and crime prevention in the Iranian Judiciary. "Normally, the drugs are sold for cheap to individuals who do not have sufficient financial income." (source for both: Iran Human Rights) INDONESIA: Leader of Indonesia gang which raped, murdered girl sentenced to death An Indonesian court on Thursday sentenced to death the leader of a gang of men and boys who raped and murdered a schoolgirl in a case that prompted the president to take steps to impose harsher punishments for attacks on children. The gang leader, Zainal, was sentenced to death in a court on Sumatra island. 4 other men were jailed for 20 years for their roles in the April attack on the 14-year-old in the western island by a group of 14 males, including eight boys. Sexual violence against women and children is common in Indonesia but gang rape is unusual. The case shocked the world's fourth most populouscountry and prompted President Joko Widodo to sign a regulation allowing for harsher punishments for child rapists, including death and chemical castration. The regulation is pending approval in parliament. "Because of the sadistic nature of the crime ... the court sentences Zainal to death," said presiding judge Henny Faridha. The youngest member of the gang was 13 years old. They attacked the girl as she was on her way to school. Her battered body was found in a rubber plantation a few days later, after her parents reported her missing. 7 gang members were earlier jailed for 10 years, while 1 was ordered into a rehabilitation program for a year. 1 suspect is on the run, according to police. The victim's parents, who were in court, said the sentencing was inadequate. "They should all get the death penalty," Yana, the victim's
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 28 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Pakistani brothers in Dubai get death penalty for murder 2 Pakistani brothers were sentenced to death on Wednesday as the Court of First Instance convicted them of the premeditated murder of their brother-in-law for marrying their sister without their family's approval. One of them, a 34-year-old, killed the victim, also Pakistani, after he lured him to a sandy yard in Satwa, where he beat him up and strangled him with a plastic rope. He was charged in absentia with premeditated murder. The other, a 26-year-old working as a driver, denied in court an aiding and abetting charge by planning the murder in revenge against the victim, who married their sister against their will. According to prosecution records, the eldest brother fled the UAE about 6 hours before the crime was discovered. A police lieutenant said that the cab company, for which the victim worked, reported him to the police after he failed to give back his car and was unreachable on his phone. The police found his car with his body inside shortly afterwards by tracking the device installed in the cab. "The victim's brother said that he suspected the two brothers as they held grudges against the victim for his marriage with their sister. The victim had lots of problems back in his home country because of that," the lieutenant said. The victim's brother added that the victim told him about being contacted by the runaway accused the day before the crime and was to go meet him in Satwa to work out their differences. "Later on that day, the victim's brother tried to call him several times but could not reach him," the officer said. The lieutenant said they learnt that the first accused left the country through the Dubai International Airport. "We arrested the other brother in the same area of the murder. He confessed that he knew his brother was the perpetrator of the crime. He told us that there was a dispute between his family and the victim as the latter convinced their sister to elope with him and marry him after the family did not approve of that marriage," the lieutenant told the prosecutor. He confessed that the plan was to kill the victim in their home country but his brother killed him in Dubai without telling him, the officer said. The forensic expert said he examined the body around 10 pm on November 19, 2014, in the crime scene. "The injury marks found on the victim's neck showed he died of strangling with a plastic rope. The dirt on the body and on the back seat was a reason to believe he was killed outside of the vehicle and was then pulled inside," the expert said. The ruling remains subject to appeal. (source: Khaleej Times) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 27 IRANmass execution Mass Execution: 17 Prisoners Hanged at Vakilabad Prison 17 prisoners sentenced to death on drug related charges were reportedly hanged at Mashhad's Vakilabad Prison (Razavi Khorasan province, northwestern Iran) on Sunday September 11, 2016. "There are currently about 400 prisoners in Vakilabad Prison who are on death row for drug related offenses, and their execution sentences have been confirmed," a close source tells Iran Human Rights. Close sources say these 400 prisoners are all relatively new individuals who were arrested by Iranian authorities within the last 2 or 3 years. The hundreds of other death row prisoners who were detained in Vakilabad prior to this have reportedly been executed. Iran Human Rights (IHR) has previously reported about the secret executions of several hundred prisoners in the Vakilabad prison. Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and the media, have been silent about these 17 executions. In 2015, 61% of the executions carried out in Iran (approximately 596 executions) were not reported by Iranian official sources. (source: Iran Human Rights) SINGAPORE: 6 Bangladeshi men charged with murder of compatriot near Tuas View Dormitory 6 men from Bangladesh were on Tuesday (Sept 27) charged with the intentional murder of a compatriot near Tuas View Dormitory at 70 Tuas South Avenue 1 on Saturday night (Sept 24). The foreign workers - Ripon Hasan Shahidullah Bhuiyan, 34; Ahamed Fahad, 32; Ahmed Kayes, 31; Sohel Rana Abdul Kadir, 30; Miah Mohammad Rasal, 28; and Goni Osman, 23 - are accused of taking part in an unlawful assembly with several other unknown people between 9.30pm and 9.47pm on Saturday. The group's intention was allegedly to cause hurt to Mr Munshi Abdur Rahim, 32, also a Bangladeshi national, who later died. The 6 men's charges did not state how Mr Munshi was killed. The men will be remanded for one week at Central Police Division for investigators to probe the involvement of other accomplices. The 6, who were arrested on Sunday (Sept 25), may also be brought out of remand. The case will be mentioned again on Oct 4. Under the law, an assembly of 5 or more people is considered unlawful under certain circumstances, such as if the group's intention is to commit a crime. If a crime is indeed committed by a member of an unlawful assembly, every member of the group is then liable to be punished for that crime. The punishment for murder with intention is the mandatory death penalty. (source: straitstimes.com) PHILIPPINES: Duterte seeks death penalty in war on crimPhilippine president seeks restoration of capital punishment in his fight against drug traffickers and users. President Rodrigo Duterte has made a case for the restoration of the death penalty in the Philippines, saying the law had previously lost its effectiveness because it was not fully implemented. Duterte told reporters on Monday that past presidents had succumbed to the pressure of the Catholic church and other "bleeding hearts" who argued against capital punishment "because only God can kill". "The problem with that is, I ask you, 'What if there is no God?'" Duterte said at the presidential palace in the capital, Manila. "When a 1-year-old, an 18-month-old baby is taken from the mother's arms, brought under a jeep and raped, and killed, where is God," he asked. "People in the Philippines no longer believe in the laws, because the fear is not there," Duterte said in a mix of Filipino and English. "That is why I said, give me back the death penalty." While professing that he personally believes in God, the Philippine leader said, the existence of a higher being is a "perpetual question" for him, when he sees "heartaches, sorrows and agony" around him. Since he took office in June end, more than 3,500 people have been killed as part of Duterte's war on drug traffickers and users. And he has not taken kindly to the global condemnation of the spiralling death toll. Last week the Philippine president lambasted EU after it called for "strict monitoring of human rights abuses" in the country. Earlier this month, Duterte directed profanities at UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and US President Barack Obama, after they made similar comments about the mounting death toll in the the Asia Pacific nation. On Friday, in a speech to police officers, Duterte made a similar comment while talking about illegal drugs in the country, and the rules of engagement in dealing with suspected drug criminals. "Maybe God doesn't want all these killings. But nevermind, God is not my enemy. I'll talk to him when I get there," he said, drawing laughter from the officers. "I'll ask him, 'If you are really God, you didn't do anything, and the Filipinos are going crazy'" with illegal drugs "by the millions", he said. During the campaign, Duterte had promised to re-impose the
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 26 IRANexecutions 4 Prisoners Executed on Drug Charges 4 prisoners on death row for drug related offenses were reportedly executed at Tabriz Central Prison early morning on Saturday September 24. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, the names of the prisoners are: Abdolkarim Bapiri, Mehdi Molaie, Salah Ghaderian, and Ali Mohtabipour. These 4 prisoners were reportedly arrested by Iranian authorities in 2013 on drug related charges. Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and the media, have been silent about their executions. Prisoner Hanged on Drug Charges A prisoner sentenced to death on drug related charges was reportedly hanged at Taybad Prison early morning on Sunday September 25. According to a report by the unofficial news agency, HRANA, the prisoner is Hadi Oskouie, 31 years old. The report says that 1 of Hadi's brothers was recently executed at the same prison on similar charges. Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and the media, have been silent about Sunday's execution. *** 7 Prisoners in Imminent Danger of Execution for Drug Offenses 7 prisoners in Minab Prison were reportedly transferred to solitary confinement on Sunday September 25 in preparation for their executions. According to close sources, the 7 prisoners, who range from ages 25 to 30, are on death row for drug related offenses. Close sources identify the prisoners as: Kodabakhsh Balouch, Ali Balouch, Chaker Balouch, Mohammad Mohammad Zehi, Majid Nariman, Mehdi Moradi, and Mohammad Ghourchizadeh. (source for all: Iran Human Rights) UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Obaida's killer admits murder but denies rape in 1st appeal court hearing A man sentenced to death for the rape and murder of an 8-year-old boy has appeared in court for a first appeal hearing. Jordanian Nidal Eisah Abdullah Abu Ali on Sunday again admitted to murder and drinking alcohol but denied kidnapping Obaida Al Aqrabawi from outside his Sharjah home in May and raping him. Under UAE law, people sentenced to death are automatically referred to the Court of Appeal. Ali, 48, is not challenging the sentence. He was sentenced to death on August 15 after being found guilty of kidnapping the boy before raping and killing him. On Sunday, he appeared with a long, white beard, surrounded by 4 police guards. The father of the victim was the only member of Obaida's family present. When confronted with the charges by appeal court presiding judge Eisah Mohammed Al Sharif, the killer confessed to murder. "Yes, I killed him and I did drink alcohol but I didn't rape him nor did I kidnap him," said the 48-year-old. During the trial, the murderer claimed he suffered from a mental illness but the court found there was no evidence to support it. Ali's lawyer submitted an application to reduce the charge from premeditated murder to assault leading to death. That was dismissed because Ali had the "intention to murder" at the time. When he was handed the death penalty at the criminal court, about 10 members of the victim's family screamed "Allahu Akbar" and thanked the UAE and its legal system. The boy's father said then he would visit his son's grave and tell him justice had been served. "Thank you UAE, your just law gave us peace," he said, adding that he is "always grateful to God". In court on Sunday, Obiad Al Mazmi, the lawyer representing Obaida's family's civil rights, submitted no requests and said they will be submitted once a lawyer has been assigned to defend the murderer. Obaida was kidnapped on May 20 while playing outside his father's garage in one of Sharjah's industrial areas. His body was found 2 days later in Academic City Road, Al Warqa, Dubai. The next hearing will be on October 9. (source: The National) PHILIPPINES: Duterte: Death penalty for heinous crimes in case there's no God President Duterte wants to reimpose the death penalty to ensure that criminals pay for their sins in case God does not exist. Duterte said "bleeding hearts" like priests and human rights groups claimed that the death penalty did not deter crime when it was in effect for years. But he said the problem was past presidents did not have the political will to use it strike fear in the hearts of criminals. "Every president along the way didn't impose it only because the Catholic Church and all the bleeding hearts would say that only God could kill. But what if there is no God?" said Duterte in a speech in Malacanang Monday afternoon. "When a 1-year-old baby, 18-months-old baby is taken from the mother's arms brought under a jeep and raped and killed. So where is God? My God, where are you?" asked Duterte. "I believe in God but that is my perpetual question to him. Where were you when we needed you? It's not enough to say that at the end of the world, he will judge the living and the dead. What would be
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 25 ZIMBABWE: Death Penalty Violates Human Rights Capital punishment has been a contentious issue in Zimbabwe for many years. While the new Constitution must be hailed for giving reprieve to women and men aged under 21 or over 70 years of age at the time of committing the crime, a lot of people still believe the death sentence should be removed from our statutes. The debate over this controversial issue comes to the fore once again this week when the Constitutional Court sits to hear the third case of death row inmates who are fighting to have their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment. Zimbabwe has not carried out any executions in more than a decade, with the last hangings being that of Edmore Edmund Masendeke and Stephen Chidhumo way back in 2003. The 13-year break has been lauded by human rights defenders and calls are now for Zimbabwe to declare an official moratorium on executions and to abolish the death sentence altogether. Amnesty International describes capital punishment as "the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment". Farai Lawrence Ndlovu and Wisdom Gochera will have their fate decided by the highest court in the land in a case where they are represented by Tendai Biti. The two were sentenced to death shortly before the new Constitution, which gives reprieve on murder convicts, came into force in 2013. Section 4.1 of the constitution has the encouraging sub-title "The right to life", but this fundamental human right is almost immediately erased when, in subsection (2), the death penalty is announced. "A law may permit the death penalty to be imposed only on persons convicted of murder committed in aggravating circumstances . . ." the section reads. We share the view that before we advocate for the death penalty, we need to take into cognisance the old adage that two wrongs do not make a right and that two murders do not bring back a life. We should not pretend that capital punishment is not murder because of the legal technicality behind it. While we do not condone criminals, including murderers, we think the death penalty is morally wrong. Section 4.5 of the constitution has the sub-title "Freedom from torture or inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment" and it clearly states: "No one may be subjected to physical or psychological torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." The cruel irony is that there is no worse torture than being on death row; living each day knowing that someone has the legal power to take away your life any time. By allowing the death penalty, the constitution in its present form is presupposing the infallibility of the judicial system, which is not always the case. Judges and juries, like any other human beings, are prone to mistakes and globally, there are documented cases where people have been wrongly executed by the State. In this country, we have had people wrongfully accused of murder; Cain Nkala's case quickly comes to mind. We are all aware of how the justice system is prone to manipulation by politicians in this country and it might not be surprising to have innocent people hanged for political expediency. In a country like ours, where the police are known for lack of professional ethics, forced and falsified confessions can easily lead innocent people to the gallows. It is also a shuddering thought that the State would employ a professional murderer in the name of a hangman. By implication, the executioner is a murderer who deserves to be executed as well. A convicted murderer deserves severe punishment, but he or she is still a human being who deserves the chance to be corrected and rehabilitated, which is central to the modern-day prison system. Research has shown that although the death sentence represents a strong condemnation of brutal and violent crimes, it does not necessarily deter people from perpetrating violent crimes. Those who clamour for the death penalty do not know that they have literally descended to ancient times where an eye for an eye was central to legislation and this, as Mahatma Ghandi once said, will make the whole world blind. It will only serve the purpose of advancing the murderous cycle. Most Southern African countries have abolished the death penalty. Zimbabwe has carried capital punishment on its statutes from a Constitution inherited from the colonial era and has executed many people since 1980. It is refreshing the Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is also the Justice minister, is himself a strong proponent for the abolition of the death penalty. We rest in the hopeful comfort that Mnangagwa will prevail in his fight against capital punishment so that we as a country can stop playing God. (source: Opinion; Zimbabwe Standard) TAIWAN: Former U.N. rights head suggests death penalty moratorium Louise Arbour, the Tang Prize winner for the rule of law, suggested
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 24 INDIA: SC sets free death row convict A death row convict was today set free by the Supreme Court saying the prosecution has not proved the charge against him of murdering his wife and five daughters on the basis of evidence on record. \Justices Ranjan Gogoi and U U Lalit acquitted the man, even as Justice P C Pant, who was also part of the bench, dissented with their view and upheld the conviction. Justice Pant, however, commuted to life imprisonment, the death penalty awarded to the Chhattisgarh native, saying the trial court and the High Court were influenced by the brutality and the manner in which the crime was committed. The 2:1 verdict came on the man's appeal against his conviction and sentence. \According to the prosecution, Chhattisgarh-native Dhal Singh Dewangan, killed his wife and 5 daughters on February 19, 2012. In the majority verdict, delivered by Justice U U Lalit, the apex court held that the appellant deserved to be acquitted as the prosecution had not proved its case. "We allow these appeals, set aside the judgments of conviction and sentence recorded by the Courts below against the appellant and acquit him of all the charges levelled against him. The appellant be set at liberty immediately unless his custody is required in any other case," the majority bench said. The majority bench held that the circumstantial evidence, based on which the trial court had convicted the man, "did not form a complete chain of evidence." "In our view, the circumstances mentioned do not form a complete chain of evidence as not to leave any reasonable ground for the conclusion consistent with the innocence of the appellant, nor do the circumstances exclude every possible hypothesis except the guilt of the accused," they said. Justice Pant, in his minority view, said "the State has failed to show that the appellant is a continuing threat to the society or that he is beyond reformation and rehabilitation. Both the courts below, in my opinion, appear to have been influenced by the brutality and the manner in which the crime is committed." "But this Court cannot ignore the fact that there are no criminal antecedents of the appellant. Also, it cannot be said that he is continuing threat to the society or that he cannot be reformed or rehabilitated," he said. Justice Pant also observed that the convict belonged to a "socially and economically disadvantaged strata of the society" and considering the facts, it found that life imprisonment would meet the ends of justice. (source: Press Trust of India) JAPAN: Japan's bar federation targets abolishing death penalty for 1st time The Japan Federation of Bar Associations will propose for the 1st time to its members next month that they work for the abolition of capital punishment so that even the worst offenders can be rehabilitated. The proposal comes at a time when more than 2/3 of nations have abolished the death penalty by law or in practice. It also reflects concerns over miscarriage of justice, given that 4 death row inmates were exonerated in the 1980s through retrials and another death row inmate was freed in 2014 following 48 years behind bars after a court reopened his case. The decision has been appealed by prosecutors. "If an innocent person or an offender who does not deserve to be sentenced to death is executed it is an irrevocable human rights violation," said Yuji Ogawara, a Tokyo-based lawyer who serves as secretary general of a JFBA panel on the death penalty. The proposal will be submitted to the federation's annual human rights meeting on Oct 7 in Fukui for formal adoption as a JFBA declaration. The federation is targeting abolition of the death penalty by 2020, when the U.N. Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice will be held in Japan. In its 2011 declaration, the federation urged the government to immediately start public debate on the death penalty, but stopped short of clearly calling for its abolition. Since then, the federation has carried out more in-depth discussions on the issue by organizing symposiums, exchanging views with lawmakers, Justice Ministry officials, journalists and diplomats as well as those in religious circles. It has also sent delegations overseas to research penal systems in countries including Britain, South Korea, Spain and the United States. "There are still lawyers who support the death penalty, but I think we have developed an environment that enables us to seek its abolition," said Ogawara, who was involved in drafting the proposal. As an alternative to the death penalty, the federation proposes whole life sentences without parole should be considered as 1 option. But even if whole life sentences without parole are given, there should be scope for subsequently reviewing the sentence if an offender has truly been rehabilitated, as it would be inhumane to allow no possibility of such
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 23 CANADA: Feb. 3, 1953: Last hanging at Hamilton's Barton Jail Harry Lee, last man to hang in Hamilton, was convicted of murdering Mary Rosenblatt. The last person sentenced to the death penalty in Hamilton and hanged at the Barton Jail was a man named Harry Lee, a synagogue caretaker who was convicted of the rifle-slaying of Mary Rosenblatt, a married Jewish mother of two. Rosenblatt's body and Lee were found by police in a car on a side road near the village of Sheffield. Lee was wounded by the same weapon that killed Rosenblatt. He claimed the pair had been kidnapped, driven to a secluded area and shot. But the jury didn't buy it. SIGNIFICANCE Lee, who was deeply religious, held out he was innocent right to the end - saying, "No ... I did not (kill her). They're hanging the wrong man." He refused a Crown offer to plead guilty to manslaughter, which would not have carried the death penalty. There was a letter-writing campaign and petition to try to save him. But Lee was hanged on Feb. 3, 1953. Many still contend Lee - whose mother was black and father was of Spanish background - was victimized for racial reasons. "It was racism. There was no doubt about it, as far as I am concerned," Allison Gowling told The Spectator in 2013. Her father knew Lee in the small village of Canfield in Haldimand. Lee grew up in the community before moving to Hamilton in the late 1930s. "The general consensus was, I remember my mother talking about it, is that he did not do it. He was set up. They were a target because she was a Jewish girl running around with a black man." Hanged in Hamilton A total of 8 people were hanged at Hamilton's Barton Street jail for murder from 1876 to 1953. All were men. March 14, 1876 Michael McConnell, 38, was hanged for the murder of Nelson Mills. Mills was a tenant of McConnell, and a dispute escalated to a fit of rage on the part of McConnell, who stabbed Mills to death. June 23, 1899 Benjamin Parrott, 30, was hanged for the murder of his 60-year-old mother, Bridget. During a drunken argument, Parrott split his mother's head open with an axe. Dec. 7, 1900 George Arthur Pearson, 20, was hanged for murdering Annie Griffin. He claimed he meant only to threaten her with a revolver when the gun went off and the victim was struck in the head. After this, and realizing the "enormity" of what had taken place, he said he panicked and shot her a 2nd time. Dec. 27, 1907 Jacob Sunfield was hanged for shooting and killing Andrew Radzik. Sunfield claimed he was innocent. His last words were, "I have been warned not to make a statement. Goodbye, gentlemen." Dec. 19, 1919 Paul Kowalski was hanged for murdering Ignace (Knot) Trembluk during a robbery of $700. 2 weeks before his hanging, Kowalski murdered 2 of his jailers. He was not charged in those cases because it was argued he was being hanged and no further punishment could be inflicted on him. Jan. 12, 1927 John Barty, 50, was hanged for the hammer killing of Nancy Cook of Welland. It's said that "he took his last hours as calmly as if he were settling down before the fireplace for an evening's smoke." July 8, 1930 Mike Smith, 46, was hanged for the brutal murder of John Iwanetz, who was shot and pushed down some stairs at his Winona home during a robbery. F4 faced charges in the robbery, but Smith was the one to go to gallows. He claimed he was not the robber who fired the shot. Feb. 3, 1953 Harry Lee, 37, was hanged for murdering his girlfriend, Mary Rosenblatt. Lee claimed innocence but the Crown held that Rosenblatt died during a murder-suicide attempt that Lee managed to live through after shooting himself. Capital punishment in Canada Between 1867 and 1962, 702 executions were carried out; 691 of them were men. The last Canadian execution took place on Dec. 11, 1962, at the Don Jail in Toronto. Ronald Turpin and Arthur Lucas hanged for separate murders. Crimes that have been punishable by death at various times included murder, rape and treason. Only 2 people have been executed for treason, 1 of whom was Louis Riel in November 1885 for leading an uprising. After years of commuting death sentences, the House of Commons abolished capital punishment on July 14, 1976, in a free vote. 1st-degree murder became punishable by life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for 25 years. (source: The Hamilton Spectator) SINGAPORE: Singapore tells world leaders to take balanced view as it defends death penaltyDeath penalty has deterred major drug syndicates from setting up in Singapore. Singapore has come out strongly backing capital punishment for drug-related offences, telling world leaders to respect the alternative views held by other countries. The city-state held itself up as a poster-boy for the effectiveness of the capital punishment deterrent, saying it has helped keep the nation drug-free and safe. Speaking at a
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 22 JAPAN: Lawyers to campaign for abolition of capital punishment in Japan The Japan Federation of Bar Associations will launch a campaign next month for the abolition of capital punishment, arguing that even the worst offenders stand a chance of reintegration in society. It will ask its members to approve the move at a meeting on Oct. 7. The JFBA has recently conducted a flurry of research into the death penalty, including hearing from a wide range of people and comparing Japan's system with that in other countries. Japan stands out among developed nations in clinging to the punishment, as more than two-thirds of nations have either abolished the death penalty or uphold a de facto moratorium on its use. The United States is the only other advanced nation that executes prisoners, although campaigners say it is tending toward abolition. There have also been serious concerns about wrongful conviction resulting in execution in Japan, underscored by the exoneration of four death row inmates in the 1980s in retrials and the freeing of another in 2014 after he spent 48 years behind bars. "If an innocent person or an offender who does not deserve to be sentenced to death is executed, it is an irrevocable human rights violation," said Yuji Ogawara, a Tokyo-based lawyer who serves as secretary general of a JFBA panel on the death penalty. The proposal will be submitted to the federation's annual human rights meeting in the city of Fukui for formal adoption. The federation is targeting abolition of the death penalty by 2020, when the U.N. Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice will be held in Japan. In its 2011 declaration, the federation urged the government to initiate a public debate on the death penalty, but stopped short of clearly calling for its abolition. Since then, the federation has explored the matter by organizing symposiums and hearing from lawmakers, Justice Ministry officials, journalists, diplomats and faith representatives. It has also sent delegations overseas to research foreign penal systems, including in Britain, South Korea, Spain and the United States. "There are still lawyers who support the death penalty, but I think we have developed an environment that enables us to seek its abolition," said Ogawara, who was involved in drafting the proposal. The federation wants the death penalty to be replaced with other options such as life without parole. But it argues that even life without parole needs to include the possibility of release in cases when prisoners achieve rehabilitation. Failure to offer that possibility would be inhumane, the group says. Ogawara said those who commit crimes are often the socially disadvantaged who stand a good chance of rehabilitation with the right approach. "The penal system should contribute to promoting social reintegration of offenders, rather than satisfying the desire for retribution," he said. It is also important to give victims of crime and their families better support, the JFBA says in its proposal, adding that continued assistance is a "primary responsibility of society as a whole." In 2014, the U.N. Human Rights Committee urged Japan to "give due consideration to the abolition of the death penalty." The government justifies its policy by citing a survey that found more than 80 % of people in Japan support executions. Critics say the questionnaire was flawed. Moreover, critics have assailed the secrecy surrounding executions in Japan, with neither death-row inmates nor their lawyers and families given advance notice of hangings. It also remains unclear what criteria authorities use in deciding when inmates are to die. Japan hanged 2 death-row inmates in March, bringing to 16 the total number of people executed since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to power in December 2012. (source: The Japan Times) SUDAN: Christian pastors face death penalty if convicted in Sudan Last December, 2 evangelical pastors from the Church of Christ in Sudan were taken from their churches and thrown into jail. Last month, the Rev. Abdulraheem Kodi and the Rev. Kuwa Shamal Abu Zumam were charged with numerous offenses, including waging war against the state, espionage and undermining Sudan's constitutional system. Their trial has begun. They could get the death penalty if they're found guilty. 2 other men, Czech missionary Petr Jasek and Darfuri human rights activist Abduelmoneim Abdulmwlla, have also been detained. They, too, are accused of conspiring against the state, provoking hatred against or among sects and spreading false information. (source: worthynews.com) MEXICO: How Mexico Saves Its Citizens From U.S. Executions The Mexican government runs a fund to train poorly resourced American defense lawyers. This piece was reported through The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization that covers the U.S. criminal-justice
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 21 TOGO: Statement by the Spokesperson on Togo's accession to the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR aiming at the abolition of the death penalty Togo's official accession to the 1989 Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on the abolition of the death penalty on 14 September is a welcome step. In doing so, Togo reinforces the global trend towards the abolition of the capital punishment, by becoming the 82nd state party to this important treaty. Togo's accession should encourage other countries to follow this example and also marks the remarkable abolitionist trend in Africa, as part of which many countries have done away with the death penalty in law or practice. The European Union reaffirms its objective of working towards universal abolition of the death penalty. (source: europa.eu) SUDAN: Sudan bishop urges UN to intervene to save Christians facing death sentence Sudanese Bishop Andudu Adam Elnail, pictured in New York with actor George Clooney, has called for international action to save the imprisoned pastors who are facing the death penalty. A prominent Sudanese bishop has appealed for the international community to intervene to save the lives of pastors who are facing the death sentence in a court in Sudan. Bishop of Kadugli diocese, Andudu Adam Elnail, had to flee himself from Sudan to South Carolina in the US in 2011 after his property was torched when he refused to tell his Christian flock to endorse Sudan President Omar al-Bashir. He called for the United Nations and the US to step in to help the 4 men on trial in Khartoum. Bishop Elnail told FoxNews.com the charges were "concoted". Pastors Hassan Abduraheem and Kuwa Shamal, on trial with Czech Christian Petr Ja???ek and human rights activist Abdulmonem Abdumawla face capital charges including espionage and waging war against the state. Jasek is also charged with the propagation of false news. One charge against the pastors is that they propagated news about churches being burned down in Khartoum and bombed in the Nuba mountains, where Christians are classed as "atheists". Bishop Elnail told Fox News: "We call for their protection and immediate release and urge that the UN, US government - including Congress - and other world communities demand the freedom of these two men of God and other prisoners." Bishop Elnail said the 2 pastors are being held in solitary confinement. He said he had known Shamal, who has 7 children, for many years and described him as a "humble and good man" in his mid-40s who has dedicated his life to God. He said: "The government is not interested in the Christian religion. There is no freedom for us, we cannot build churches, we are treated as second-class citizens. We need the international community to pressure the government of Sudan to give us our freedom of religion." The US State Department has been tracking the case and is lobbying Sudan, designated a country of "particular concern", to show greater respect for religious freedom. "We are committed to working with countries to make tangible improvements in respect for religious freedom and continue to look for opportunities to address these issues with the government of South Sudan," a spokesperson said. World Watch Monitor Christian Today has followed the case of the pastors and the 2 other accused men, and reported recently that their lives were at risk. According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) which is campaigning on behalf of the men, the charges against the Czech man are central to the case. Part of the case against Jasek is based on the financial aid given for the medical treatment of a young man from Darfur, Ali Omer, who was injured in a demonstration in 2013. Jasek donated $5,000 towards Omer's medical treatment, which was signed for by Abduraheem and Abdumawla. The Czech was arrested when he left Sudan and the other 3 arrested 9 days later. The prosecution alleges that the $5,000 Jasek donated to Omer's treatment was in reality support for rebel movements in the South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur regions, according to CSW. Shamal was not involved in fundraising for Omer but appears to have been included because of his position in the Sudan Church of Christ. Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of CSW, said: "The case against Rev Hassan Abduraheem, Mr Abdumawla, Rev Kuwa Shamal and Mr Petr Jasek is an example of NISS's manipulation of the criminal justice system to harass ethnic and religious minorities. "The evidence clearly shows that Rev Abduraheem, Mr Abdumawla and Mr Jasek attempted to provide medical care for Mr Omer. As a consequence of their acts of kindness, these men have been detained in terrible conditions and are now enduring an unjust trial. "RevKuwa Shamal, meanwhile, is being targeted simply because of his position as a senior church leader, his ethnicity and
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 20 SUDAN: Christian pastors face death penalty if convicted in Sudan Last December, 2 evangelical pastors from the Church of Christ in Sudan were taken from their churches and thrown into jail. Last month, the Rev. Abdulraheem Kodi and the Rev. Kuwa Shamal Abu Zumam were charged with numerous offenses, including waging war against the state, espionage and undermining Sudan's constitutional system. Their trial has begun. They could get the death penalty if they're found guilty. 2 other men, Czech pastor Petr Jasek and Darfuri human rights activist Abduelmoneim Abdulmwlla, have also been detained. They, too, are accused of conspiring against the state, provoking hatred against or among sects and spreading false information. Kodi and Zumam hail from the Nuba Mountains, a region that continues to be bombed and brazenly targeted by Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, in what human rights and Christian groups say is an effort to rid the country of the Nuba people - indigenous groups who do not fit the regime's vision of an Islamic nation and are accused of supporting anti-government rebels. According to Elnail, FoxNews.com that the pastors were arrested not only to silence but to intimidate Sudan's Christian minority, which stands at around 1.5 %, as the Khartoum government increasingly pushes to enforce full-scale Shariah law in the country. Al-Bashir, the 1st sitting head of state to be indicted by the International Criminal Court - there is an outstanding warrant for his arrest in connection to war crimes in Darfur - took power in a 1989 coup and has long taken a stance of "1 language (Arabic), 1 religion (Islam)." Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has imposed strict Islamic rule on his people. Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Services have accused the pastors of exposing state secrets. But their defenders say the claims against them have been concocted, and that they are being persecuted by al-Bashir and the Sudanese government. They are appealing desperately to the international community to intervene. "We call for their protection and immediate release and urge that the U.N., U.S. government - including Congress - and other world communities demand the freedom of these 2 men of God and other prisoners," said the Rev. Andudu Adam Elnail, bishop of Kadugli Diocese. Elnail fled from Sudan five years ago after he refused to endorse al-Bashir and government forces allegedly burned down his property. Now based in South Carolina, he said Kodi and Zumam are in solitary confinement and are not allowed visits or phone calls with family members. He described Zumam whom he has known for many years, as a "humble and good man" in his mid-40s, a father of 7 who has dedicated his life to family and faith. "The government is not interested in the Christian religion. There is no freedom for us, we cannot build churches, we are treated as 2nd-class citizens," Elnail lamented. "We need the international community to pressure the government of Sudan to give us our freedom of religion." "The pastors are accused of sharing evidence of the government burning down churches in Khartoum and bombing churches in the Nuba Mountains," said Philip Tutu, a native of the Nuba Mountains, who now resides in the U.S and advocates for the rights of the Nuba people. "The government says its security policy is to keep this information confidential to avoid pressure from the international community. "Clearly, the pastors are unfairly targeted. The hearings are postponed repeatedly. A lot of people are showing up for the hearings and not everyone is able to attend, including some attorneys for the pastors." The attorneys, who asked not to be identified, fearing government retaliation, stressed that more action is needed to support the pastors and to protect Christians in the Nuba Mountains, where they are deemed to be "atheists." A spokesperson from the U.S State Department said senior officials at the U.S Embassy in Khartoum have been tracking this case since the pastors were arrested and have repeatedly raised concerns about the matter. "We are committed to working with countries to make tangible improvements in respect for religious freedom and continue to look for opportunities to address these issues with the government of South Sudan," the spokesperson said. Christian persecution is nothing new in war-torn Sudan, where churches are routinely razed and church leaders are targeted and taunted. And though Sudan has been designated a "Country of Particular Concern" by the U.S. State Department since 1999, the situation has worsened. "Members of Sudan's minority Christian community have been arrested, their religious buildings attacked, churches and educational institutions closed and their religious literature confiscated," said the Rev. Thomas J. Reese, S.J, chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 20 IRAN: "Hands Off Cain" urges Italy to raise the issue of death penalty in Iran at UN Human Rights Council in Geneva In an open letter to Italian Foreign Minister on September 14, the "Hands Off Cain" community has asked Paolo Gentiloni to raise the issue of death penalty in Iran during the current session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. According to "Hands Off Cain", following Italy's decision to strengthen its political and economic ties with Iran and during the days when Mohammad Javad Larijani, Secretary General of the Iranian regime's Human Rights Council, is at the top of a delegation staying in Rome to participate in a seminar on comparing criminal justice systems, it is essential that Italy, as a leading country in fight against the death penalty, show a powerful figure and put international pressure on Iran to end the death penalty. The "Hands Off Cain" community continues: "It is quite possible in Iran to be sent to the gallows for blasphemy, apostasy, non-violent crimes or for totally political reasons." In their letter, the "Hands Off Cain" community asks the Italian Foreign Minister to boost the pressures on the Iranian regime and to discuss the sharp deterioration of human rights violations and the use of mass executions by the Iranian regime during the current session of the UN Human Rights Council which is underway in Geneva. (source: NCR-Iran) KENYA: Ol Kalou residents want defilers, drug traffickers handed death sentences Nyandarua residents have proposed that defilement be made a capital offense punishable by death. They also want death penalty resulting from treason, robbery with violence, attempted robbery with violence, administering of oath purported to bind a person to commit a capital offence be abolished. Residents spoke during a public debate on capital offences and punishment. The debate was convened by the Power of Mercy Advisory Committee at the ACK hall in Ol Kalou on Friday. Residents said defilement and rape tops the list of crimes in Nyandarua county. "Defilement of minors and raping people living with disability has become an issue of concern in Nyandarua. The culprits need to be killed for us to be safe," resident Jackline Apeta said. Githunguri assistant chief Pascal Gathima said defiling minors is equivalent to killing the nation's future. (source: the-star.co.ke) PHILIPPINES: Death penalty call for accused Australian child sex predator Peter Scully in Philippines Prosecutors in the Philippines have revealed they will call for the death penalty to be re-introduced in the case of alleged Australian child sex predator and 'dark web' mastermind Peter Scully. Chief prosecutor Jaime Umpa told Fairfax Media that the 52 year-old Scully's deeds were the most shocking cases of child abuse and trafficking officials had seen. Prosecutors allege that Scully directed a video involving torture and horrific injuries to an 18-month-old baby and participated in many debased acts against children. Prosecutors said he was for several years the mastermind of a worldwide syndicate selling extreme videos of child sex and torture. On Tuesday, Scully was led handcuffed into a court in the southern Philippines to face the first 6 of 75 charges that could see him become the 1st person to received the death penalty in the Philippines in more than a decade. During the hearing he laughed and joked with his co-accused. While naked and masked, 1 of Scully's 2 Philippine girlfriends is alleged to have inflicted the pain on the baby girl in a video called "Daisy's Destruction" that Scully is alleged to have sold to internet clients for up to $10,000. In it, the baby girl is tied by her feet upside down while she is sexually assaulted.The girlfriend also allegedly bashed the baby,who survived and has been returned to the care of her parents, but remains deeply traumatized and becomes hysterical when memory of her abuse is triggered. Prosecutors will allege another 11-year-old girl whose body was found in a shallow grave under a house rented by Scully was repeatedly sexually abused by him and then strangled. 8 other girl victims aged up to 13 at the time of the alleged offences are being held in witness protection while Scully pleads not guilty in court hearings that are expected to take years to be completed in the Philippines' log-jammed judicial system. Scully has decided to contest the charges - putting his alleged victims through the ordeal of testifying in court - despite repeatedly telling Philippine media last year he was "remorseful" for what he had done to children. Wearing a yellow prison T-shirt and runners, Scully looked tense and ignored questions from Fairfax Media as he was led into a special court set up in Cagayan de Oro's city hall on Tuesday. Prosecutors allege that Scully was the white male person, whose face was pixilated or hidden, captured in
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 19 PAKISTAN: Supreme Court delays hanging of mentally-ill man Supreme Court on Monday delayed for 1 week the execution of a man who had been declared insane by government doctors, after rights groups urged the government to halt the hanging. "A mentally ill prisoner who was due to be hanged Tuesday morning has received a seven-day stay from the Supreme Court of Pakistan," Justice Project Pakistan, an independent rights group, said in a statement. Imdad Ali had been scheduled to die at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday in a prison in the city of Vehari despite having been diagnosed with schizophrenia, it said. "His execution was stayed pending a hearing on 27 September, but he could still be executed as early as next week," it said. Human Rights Watch also urged Pakistan on Monday to halt the hanging, saying the execution would violate its international legal obligations. Ali, who is aged around 50, was sentenced to death for the murder of a religious cleric in 2002. HRW opposes the death penalty in all circumstances, its country representative Saroop Ijaz told AFP. "But in this case it also violates Pakistan's international legal obligations," Ijaz said, referring to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which Islamabad ratified in 2011. "Imdad (Ali) has no insight into his punishment or condition or the idea of penalty. Executing someone who does not understand the punishment he or she is being awarded is simply harrowing and serves no criminal justice aim." (source: The News) CHINA: Imprisoned engineer invents his way off death row Li Hongtao's love for tinkering landed him in prison. It also aided in his jailbreaks. Facing a death sentence in Yunnan Province for fraud and several other offenses, Li leaned on his ingenuity to escape from police custody, twice. But it was the last-minute success of an electric motor he developed behind bars that earned him a death row pardon in 1993 - and later a job as a police consultant. A Kunming native and college educated engineer, Li was apprehended by police in 1992 on 180,000 yuan ($27,000) in forgery charges. But while his arresting officers were having dinner that night, he gave them the slip. Li then stole a car, which he ditched for a squad car. Police caught up with him, but didn't hold him long. He fled again by digging through a prison wall, then called police from the outside to rub it in. He was caught again, but rather than make another escape attempt, he instead put in an unusual request. The Zhejiang University graduate wanted permission to design and develop a brushless DC motor. The warden agreed. Miraculously, the day before his death penalty - his invention worked. The success won Li a stay of execution. In 1995, the motor earned Li awards, a patent and most importantly - a reduced sentence. Before his release in 2009, Li helped the prison develop their surveillance system to prevent future jailbreaks. (source: Global Times) IRAN: Iran official defends execution and torture The Secretary General of Iran's "human rights" council has attempted to hit back at comments by the UN regarding "fundamental problems" in regime's judicial process, by defending the execution of prisoners including juveniles. Mohammad Javad Larijani wrote an open letter to the UN Commissioner, dated September 16, in which he tried to justify the executions He wrote: "It should be pointed out that the commitment to abolish the death penalty has not been accepted by the international community as a hard or soft commitment and there is no consensus in this regard." He continued: "Besides, the international covenant on civil and political rights does not completely rule out the death penalty. Rather, it even allows the member states to use it under certain conditions." Now, the UN's opposition to the death penalty should be applied fairly, across all countries that use it, so in that - and that alone - Larijani made a good point. However, Iran currently has the highest execution rate per capita in the world. He goes on to claim that the death penalty is "not a human rights issue", despite the right to life and the right to freedom from torture being enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Zeyd Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, addressed the 33rd session of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, on September 13th. He said: "Regarding the Islamic Republic, my office has not been allowed to have any kind of access from 2003 ... Our proposal to start technical talks about the death penalty has been, like other cooperation proposals, systematically ignored. This is unfortunate, especially considering the ongoing reports we receive on fundamental problems with the judicial administration of criminal justice, on the execution of so many people including juveniles, on prosecuting and discrimination against
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 19 PAKISTAN: Mentally ill death row inmate Imdad Ali to be executed tomorrow Pakistan must not hang a mentally ill man suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, a rights group said, after a court issued a warrant for his execution next week. Death row prisoner, Imdad Ali, who is around 50 years old, was sentenced to death for the murder of a religious teacher in 2002. "Imdad Ali is mentally ill and has suffered years without proper treatment," a report by local watchdog the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) said, adding he had been diagnosed as a "paranoid schizophrenic". JPP said it had filed an appeal against a Lahore High Court decision last month which dismissed pleas that Ali could not be executed on the basis of his mental illness. His medical condition should be looked into, as well as the extenuating circumstances that had aggravated his mental illness during his lengthy time on death row, the organisation argued. Ali's execution has been scheduled for September 20 (Tuesday), it said. Prison authorities have sent a letter - seen by AFP - to his relatives asking if they want a final meeting with him the day before his execution in the town of Vehari. JPP executive director Sarah Belal said Pakistan would violate its international legal commitments if it executed a mentally ill person. "Executing Imdad will exemplify Pakistan's failure to abide by its international legal commitments that forbid the death penalty for persons suffering from mental disabilities," Belal told AFP. "Knowing what they do about his condition would make his hanging a most serious crime." The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD), which Pakistan ratified in 2011, guarantees the "inherent dignity" of individuals with disabilities, she said. Pakistan reinstated the death penalty and established military courts after suffering its deadliest-ever extremist attack, when gunmen stormed Peshawar's Army Public School in 2014 and killed more than 150 people - mostly children. Hangings were initially reinstated only for those convicted of terrorism, but later extended to all capital offences. The country has executed over 400 people since resuming hangings in December 2014, according to new research by Reprieve, a British anti-death penalty campaign group. (source: Agence France-Presse) * Imdad Ali's death penalty: a travesty of justice? The execution of Imdad Ali, which is scheduled for Tuesday, would be a great travesty of justice. Imdad Ali is a 50-year-old death row inmate who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, but his defence for insanity has, unfortunately, been rejected due to a technicality in judicial precedent, according to which if the accused flees the scene of the crime he is not considered mentally unfit. This judicial precedent is woefully inadequate to define mental illness, to say the least, and the rejection for Ali's plea on that basis against the face of numerous medical examinations declaring him to be suffering from paranoid schizophrenia casts serious doubts over the ability of precedent to evolve in Pakistan's judicial system. The fact that even jail authorities are sympathetic to Ali's case, and an examination carried out by the head of psychiatry of the Nishtar Hospital on the request of the superintendent of district Vehari jail formally diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia must be enough to merit a revision of Ali's death sentence. Moreover, there are testimonies of not just family members but also neighbours regarding Ali's behaviour that is characteristic of paranoid schizophrenia. Unfortunately, Imdad Ali's case is symptomatic of the faulty criminal justice system of Pakistan for which even the otherwise most ardent supporters of death penalty would not, in good conscience, be able to support the death penalty. And even amidst a narrative in which the death penalty has been deemed an imperative to eliminate militancy in the country, the execution of a mentally unstable person finds not even an iota of justification. Ranging from incompetent public defence counsel to forced confessions, the problems plaguing the criminal justice system of Pakistan are glaringly apparent. And as those with access to resources are able to evade punishment, it is often the poor who are left to face the gallows. While there is good reason to doubt the veracity of most convictions, but even if there is the slightest chance that an innocent individual would lose his life then the ostensible grounds for the death penalty are lost, and carrying it out turns into the gravest of injustice and one that is wholly irreversible. In any case, advocating death penalty during present times is an anachronism, and there are plenty of studies that have shown that it does not act as an effective deterrent. The philosophical underpinnings of state sanctioned punishment are based on the need for
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 19 EUROPEAN UNION/PHILIPPINES: EU joins call for halt to killings in drug war The European Union has joined the global call on the Philippine government to "put an end to the current wave of extrajudicial executions and killings" of drug suspects. Alarmed at the rising death toll in President Duterte's brutal crackdown on drug syndicates, the EU Parliament directed its delegation in the Philippines and the embassies of 28 European countries in Manila to monitor rights abuses following his declaration on Sept. 3 of a "state of national emergency on account of lawlessness." Mr. Duterte placed the entire country under a state of national emergency after a bomb exploded at a night market in his hometown, Davao City, on Sept 2, killing 15 people and injuring 69 others. In an extraordinary intervention, the EU lawmakers passed a 5-page resolution expressing concern over the appalling number of drug suspects killed by police and vigilantes since Mr. Duterte launched a crackdown on illegal drugs upon taking office on June 30. More than 3,000 people have been killed in just over 2 months. Mr. Duterte has pledged to eradicate the drugs scourge in 3 to 6 months of his presidency. The EU members represent the largest bloc of Western democracies, including Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Sweden, Portugal and Finland. The EU intervention aligned with a number of states (including the United States), the United Nations and international human rights watchdog organizations that have called on the Philippines to end the extrajudicial killings. This growing concerted global demand to end the extrajudicial executions has put the Philippine government at risk of inviting international sanctions, including either diplomatic or economic, and isolation if it continued to defy or ignore the calls. Without directly blaming the government, the EU lawmakers said they believed Mr. Duterte's incendiary public statements had encouraged mass murders involving drug traffickers and users. "President Duterte repeatedly urged law enforcement agencies and the public to kill suspected drug traffickers who did not surrender as well as drug users," the EU resolution said. "President Duterte publicly stated he would not pursue law enforcement officers and citizens who killed drug dealers and who resisted arrest," it added. No to death penalty According to wire services reports, the EU Parliament adopted the resolution dealing with extrajudicial killings in the Philippines based on the Partnership Cooperation Agreement signed by the European Union and the Philippines in 2014, to advance engagement on political, trade, security, environment and human rights issues. The agreement commits the Philippines to uphold the rule of law, social democracy, as well as international human rights conventions. The EU Parliament also emphasized that ending the extrajudicial killings of drug suspects was vital to the Philippines' holding the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in 2017. The lawmakers pointed out that "President Duterte has announced that during the Philippines' chairmanship, we (the government) will highlight Asean as a model of regionalism and global player, with the interest of the people at its core." They also called on the Philippine Congress "to abstain from reintroducing the death penalty (which Mr. Duterte has endorsed) and from lowering the minimum age of criminal liability." The EU Parliament said that based on "all empirical evidence, the death penalty does not reduce the drug delinquency and would destroy a great achievement of the Philippine justice system." It directed its delegation in the Philippines to provide wide assistance to the Philippine government to implement measures in line with its commitment to international human rights obligations. Lack of understanding On another front, Mr. Duterte came under fire from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for speaking against and opposing human rights institutions and investigations. Speaking at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, High Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said, "The President of the Philippines" statements of scorn for international human rights display a striking lack of understanding of our human rights institutions and principles which keep societies safe." Al Hussein pointed out that "fair and impartial rule of law is the foundation of public confidence and security" and "empowering police forces to shoot to kill any individual whom they claim to suspect of drug crimes, with or without evidence, undermines justice." He emphasized, "The people of the Philippines have a right to judicial institutions that are impartial, and operate under due process guarantees; and they have a right to a police that serves justice. I strongly recommend the Philippines to extend
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 18 INDIA: Left goes against its grain, wants noose for killer A day after the Supreme Court commuted the death penalty of Govindachami, the sole convict in the Soumya murder case, the Left in Kerala has found itself caught in an ideological war of its own making. On one hand, the CPM-led state government announced its plans to seek a review or revision of the Supreme Court verdict and seek the death sentence for the convict. However, this is contrary to the Left's pre-declared stand against capital punishment, which had them pitching for legislation to remove the death penalty from the Constitution. CPM Politburo member M A Baby, a staunch opponent of capital punishment, stated that the Left was against the death penalty. "In general, the Left is opposed to capital punishment and we feel it should be removed from our system and Constitution through legislation. "The Left believes that capital punishment is highly primitive and should be done away with," said Baby. "This is not a specific stance for Govindachami alone. We would have held the same view even if Nathuram Vinayak Godse, who killed Mahatma Gandhi, was on trial today." Rejecting Baby's view, Kerala's Law Minister and CPM Central Committee member A K Balan said: "We will approach the court seeking maximum punishment under Section 302 (murder). There is no point in going for life imprisonment for Govindachami, as he has already been sentenced for a life term once," said Balan. Despite their opposite views, both Baby and Balan reiterated that there was no contradiction in the stance of the party and the Kerala government on the issue. Balan added that the party and the government are seeking death for Govindachami considering the grave crime he committed. Balan, who is in Delhi to attend a 3-day CPM Central Committee meet, will meet legal experts on what the immediate and best mode of approach in the court will be - to finalise whether the government should file a review petition or a revision petition. Since capital punishment is only for rarest of rare offences, the government's attempt will be to ensure the court awards punishment to Govindachami for murder, too. As if sensing the dilemma within Left parties, BJP state chief Kummanam Rajsekharan lambasted the government, accusing it of foul play. Meanwhile, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan tried to downplay the controversy, insisting that there was no irony in the matter. "The CPM has demanded that Govindachami be given maximum punishment as per the existing law. As of now, there is capital punishment in the law. Hence, the government will demand the same," he said. "The Left's stance is not specific to this particular case. There is no need to link the 2." The CPM had finalised its stance on doing away with capital punishment after earlier discussions within its Politburo and Central Committee. (source: newindianexpress.com) INDONESIA: Tragic story of death-row maid caught up in Asia's war on drugs Mary Jane Veloso says she was duped into smuggling heroin into Indonesia as she fled an attempted rape in Dubai She has become a cause celebre in both the country of her detention and that of her birth. Condemned to death on drug-smuggling charges, she was temporarily reprieved hours before her execution, but still languishes on death row in an Indonesian prison. And last week the skies darkened again over Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino maid whose plight has captured the imagination of 2 populations that know all about the vulnerability of migrant workers. After the Philippines' president, the newly installed Rodrigo Duterte, visited Jakarta, it was reported that he had given his Indonesian counterpart, Joko Widodo, the go-ahead to execute her. Duterte has begun a ferocious and bloody war on drugs in the Philippines. That change of political direction has, it seems, led to yet another twist in the tortured tale of a woman who lost control of her life from the moment she entered Indonesia in 2010, hoping, she has said, to take up a job in domestic service. Born to an impoverished family in the northern city of Cabanatuan, Veloso married at 17 but later separated from her husband. She moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2009 to earn money for her 2 young sons in the Philippines. Veloso says that she had to flee Dubai after an attempted rape and was then duped into smuggling drugs into Indonesia. Her case has become the focus of sympathy in both the Philippines and Indonesia, where many families have loved ones working abroad, often in poor conditions with abusive employers. Before the original date set for her execution last April, more than 200,000 signatures from 127 countries were collected for a #SaveMaryJane petition. Veloso says that a woman called Maria Kristina Sergio, the daughter of one of her godparents, told her to move to Indonesia for a maid's job in 2010. In an account
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 17 SIERRA LEONE: Sierra Leone to reintroduce death penalty as violent crimes spike Sierra Leone's Minister of Internal Affairs has said the government would start implementing the death penalty to crack down on recent increase in gang-related killings in the country. "We will kill when the state demands it," Palo Conteh said on Thursday. "I have called on the Director of Prisons to clean the gallows so that we will not be found wanting when the situation arises." The gallows at the Male Correctional Center (Prisons) in Freetown have not been used since 1998 because President Koroma had put a moratorium on the death penalty, Conteh said. "The death penalty is still in our law books and if any one is found guilty of murder we will not hesitate to enforce the law," he said. Conteh pointed out that his ministry has instituted several methods to curb violence and the rampant killings in the country, in particular Freetown. Meanwhile, the Sierra Leone police have started the "stop and search" raids in communities that are presumed to engage in violence activities. The ministry of internal affairs has also set up special units comprising Operational Support Division Officers together with detectives to go after thugs and cliques. The minister also asked for the cooperation of the public with the police by informing them of any unusual activity in their community. (source: Global Times) KENYA: Court Faults Penalty for Violent Robbery The law stipulating the death sentence for robbery with violence is ambiguous, the High Court has ruled. Judges Jessi Lesiit, Luka Kimaru and Stella Mutuku made the declaration Thursday in a suit in which 12 death row convicts had challenged the law that prescribes the death penalty for robbery with violence offenders. The judges ruled that sections of the law do not meet the constitutional threshold of setting out precise and distinct differentiating degrees of aggravation of the offence of robbery and attempted robbery to adequately answer to charges as well as prepare a defence. They argued that for one to be handed a death sentence, one has to defend oneself after the hearing before the final verdict is made in what is known as mitigation. "Death sentence is not a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. However, it just cannot be meted to any person convicted of a capital offence," they said. The judges pointed out that it was necessary for the mitigating circumstances to be considered so as to ensure the accused person's right is not violated in anyway and that there is a fair trial. "If the court does not receive and consider mitigating factors and other statutory pre-sentencing requirements, it is not mandatory for the courts to pass a death sentence against persons charged with capital offences," they ruled. In Kenya, offences with a death penalty, include robbery with violence and murder. While noting that the verdict would consequently mean that several robbery with violence convicts would have to be set free, the judges temporarily suspended the decision for 18 months to enable the Attorney-General, the Kenya Law Reform and other relevant agencies to appropriately amend the impugned sections. The court asked Parliament to take into consideration international good practices on sentencing so as to accord similar facts to similar charges of equal gravity. But for those on death row after being convicted with the disputed sections of the law, the judges ruled that the AG with relevant authorities should find a remedy for the prejudice suffered and prescribe an appropriate solution in the same time frame. Even though the verdict was in favour of the 12 filed the objection in 2013, after being handed the death sentence, the judges declined to grant a request to have their convictions looked again by the trial court. They were all separately charged with offences of robbery with violence and attempted robbery. With their petition, which challenged the death penalty as contrary to Bill of Rights, human rights and a right to a fair hearing, they first appeared before Justice Mohamed Warsame (now a Court of Appeal judge), who dismissed their suit. The appellate court referred them back to the High Court to be heard on merit by a 3 - judge bench. (source: Daily Nation) ZIMBABWE: Mnangagwa rekindles call for abolition of death penalty Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday rekindled his call for the abolition of the death penalty, saying those insisting that it be maintained need divine intervention. The Constitution bars capital punishment for women, but men aged below 21 and 70 can be sentenced to death. Addressing a constitutional advocacy meeting in Bulawayo, Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans must continue advocating for capital punishment to be struck off the country's statutes. Mnangagwa has been at the forefront of the campaign against capital
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 16 PAKISTAN: Rights group urges Pakistan not to hang mentally ill man Pakistan must not hang a mentally ill man suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, a rights group said today, after a court issued a warrant for his execution next week. Death row prisoner, Imdad Ali, who is around 50 years old, was sentenced to death for the murder of a religious teacher in 2002. "Imdad Ali is mentally ill and has suffered years without proper treatment," a report by local watchdog the Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) said, adding he had been diagnosed as a "paranoid schizophrenic". JPP said it had filed an appeal against a Lahore High Court decision last month which dismissed pleas that Ali could not be executed on the basis of his mental illness. His medical condition should be looked into, as well as the extenuating circumstances that had aggravated his mental illness during his lengthy time on death row, the organisation argued. Ali's execution has been scheduled for September 20, it said. Prison authorities have sent a letter -- seen by AFP -- to his relatives asking if they want a final meeting with him the day before his execution in the town of Vehari. JPP executive director Sarah Belal said Pakistan would violate its international legal commitments if it executed a mentally ill person. "Executing Imdad will exemplify Pakistan's failure to abide by its international legal commitments that forbid the death penalty for persons suffering from mental disabilities," Belal told AFP. "Knowing what they do about his condition would make his hanging a most serious crime." The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD), which Pakistan ratified in 2011, guarantees the "inherent dignity" of individuals with disabilities, she said. Pakistan reinstated the death penalty and established military courts after suffering its deadliest-ever extremist attack, when gunmen stormed a school in the northwest in 2014 and killed more than 150 people -- mostly children. Hangings were initially reinstated only for those convicted of terrorism, but later extended to all capital offences. The country has executed over 400 people since resuming hangings in December 2014, according to new research by Reprieve, a British anti-death penalty campaign group. (source: Business Standard) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 16 MALAYSIA: South African engineer faces death A South African electrical engineer found behaving suspiciously at the airport and later allegedly excreted capsules containing cocaine at the Penang Hospital, has been charged with drug trafficking. Brits Shaun, 30, was indicted in a magistrate's court here with trafficking in 810gm of cocaine at a toilet in the hospital between 3.45pm on Sept 3 and 3.30pm on Sept 5. No plea was recorded from Shaun who faces the mandatory death penalty if convicted. Magistrate Mohamad Amin Shahul Hamid fixed Nov 23 for mention pending the chemist report. It was reported recently that a South African gambled with his life when he swallowed more than 60 cocaine capsules to avoid getting caught. He was earlier taken aside to be searched after being spotted behaving suspiciously by the airport police at about 9.30am on Sept 3. An X-ray examination at the Penang Hospital revealed the capsules in his stomach and he subsequently passed them out in stages. (source: The Star) ZIMBABWE: Mnangagwa rekindles call for abolition of death penalty Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday rekindled his call for the abolition of the death penalty, saying those insisting that it be maintained need divine intervention. The Constitution bars capital punishment for women, but men aged below 21 and 70 can be sentenced to death. Addressing a constitutional advocacy meeting in Bulawayo, Mnangagwa said Zimbabweans must continue advocating for capital punishment to be struck off the country's statutes. "We have reduced the age of majority from 21 to 18. What are we saying? We are saying anybody below the age of 18 cannot be sentenced to death. Those above 18 except women, women cannot be sentenced to death. Women cannot be hanged. "But men, any men above age of 18 up to the age of 70 can be hanged. I am above 70 so I cannot be hanged again. I have no doubt that we will continue advocating for total abolishing of the death penalty, but we still have strong views both from men and women who want people to be hanged, but we pray to God so that they see the light," he told various stakeholders including legislators, residents and service chiefs who attended the meeting. Mnangagwa has been at the forefront of the campaign against capital punishment after he faced the hangman's noose during the liberation struggle under the Rhodesian regime. The push to abolish capital punishment is now at the Constitutional Court where Tendai Biti, who is representing death row inmates, seeks the court's intervention to drop the death penalty. The case will be heard at the Constitutional Court on September 28. Meanwhile, Mnangagwa said the ministry had managed to translate the Constitution into 8 vernacular languages. The Constitution recognises 16 official languages and the VP said it will be translated in all languages. "The government has made great strides towards the production of the constitution in vernacular languages. I am glad to report that we now have abridged versions of the constitution in Ndebele, Shona, Tonga, Chewa, Sotho, Kalanga, Venda and Braille for the blind," he said. (source: Newsday) SIERRA LEONE: Sierra Leone to apply death penalty once again Sierra Leone's Internal Affairs Minister Paolo Conteh has told a local radio in Freetown that the death penalty should be reactivated for people found guilty of murder in order to curb gang violence. Sierra Leone still has the death penalty by hanging for those found guilty of murder and treason. But no one has been put to death since 1998. "I have given instructions to the prison officers to clean and ready the tools and machines used to kill people, as reckless killing is on the increase. We have lost a lot of people through reckless killing and ended wasting resources feeding such prisoners for several years. This is unacceptable," the minister told Radio Democracy in the capital Freetown. The minister's comments come in the midst of an increase in gang and political violence in the country. Last week, 2 Sierra Leoneans were sentenced to death by hanging after they were found guilty of murdering a popular radio DJ in Freetown. Conteh, who is also a retired major in the country's military, said the death penalty will scare others who think taking others lives carelessly is justifiable. "It's in the bible, an eye for an eye. Our local people say kill a dog in front of another to know that death is real," the Minister said. This week, the Sierra Leone police issued a public notice to offer a cash payment of $400 to anyone providing information leading to the capture of any gang leader. (source: World Bulletin) PHILIPPINES: Rep. Veloso says death penalty bill of Speaker Alvarez almost done Representative Vicente "Ching" Veloso of the 3rd district of Leyte said the imposition of death penalty will soon be revived in the
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 15 INDIA: Soumya murder: SC scraps Govindachamy's death penalty The Supreme Court on Thursday set aside death sentence given to convict Govindachamy in Soumya murder case. The apex court, however, held him guilty of rape.Soumya, an employee of a shopping mall in Kochi, was raped and pushed out of a running train in February 1, 2011. Sowmya, who was 23 then, was pushed down from the Ernakulam-Shoranur passenger train while she was returning from Ernakulam after work to Shoranur and raped and murdered by Govindachami. The Thrissur Fast Track Court in November 2011 awarded death penalty to the accused which was upheld by the Kerala High Court in December 2013. (source: sify.com) PHILIPPINES: CBCP opposes revival of death penalty The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has appealed to court judges to follow the teaching of the Church and not to impose death penalty. "We appeal to our Catholic judges to heed the teaching of the Church and to appreciate every possible attenuating or mitigating circumstance so as not to impose the death penalty," said CBCP President Archbishop Socrates Villegas in a statement entitled CBCP Ethical Guidelines on Proposals to Restore the Death Penalty. Likewise, the Lingayen-Dagupan prelate urged them not to support the reimposition of capital punishment. "We call on our Catholic jurists to study the issue and to oppose, through proper judicial proceedings, the re-introduction of capital punishment," he said. Villegas added, "It is time then to rid ourselves of the obsolescent notion that a person who commits a heinous wrong "forfeits his right to life". No one can forfeit the right to life, because life is at the free disposal of none, not even of the State!" The CBCP head also asked legislators not to vote for restoration of the the death penalty. "We ask Catholic law-makers to withhold support from any attempt to restore the death penalty," he said. Villegas pointed out that the country has a legal obligation not to restore the capital punishment. "This is an obligation in law that it took upon itself when our government ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Significantly, Article I of the Protocol cannot be clearer about our legal obligations:1. No one within the jurisdiction of a State Party to the present Protocol shall be executed. 2. Each State Party shall take all necessary measures to abolish the death penalty within its jurisdiction," he said. The Catholic bishop added, "And there is nothing in the Protocol that would allow the Philippines to denounce the international agreement. In fact, it would not be in our best interests to do so, in light of the fact that in respect to other aspects of our national life, we take refuge and seek legal relief under the norms of international law and international agreements." He also cited the existence of a law that was passed 10 years ago that repealed the imposition of death penalty. "Our position against the death penalty therefore rests not only on considerations of human dignity but has legal foundation. In the country's legislature R.A. 9346, the act repealing the death penalty and granting universal commutation to life imprisonment and reclusion-perpetua (June 24, 2006)," the Lingayen-Dagupan prelate added. (source: mb.com.ph) INDONESIA: We have permission to execute Philippine prisoner "He simply said: 'Follow your own laws, I will not interfere'". "You know this is in Bahasa and it might have been lost in the translation", Yasay said. Before leaving for a regional summit in Laos on September 5, Duterte said he "might just accept the system and plead for mercy". And so during their meeting during Duterte's working visit in Indonesia last week, it was a focal point of discussion. Duterte's officials have denied the report which quoted the state-run Antara News Agency which quoted Widodo. On Tuesday, Sept. 13, the president said that asking for clemency would be hypocritical because his administration has been fighting the issue of drugs. Duterte - who is waging a bloody crackdown on drugs in his country that has claimed almost 3000 lives in just two months - apparently gave Widodo the green light during a bilateral meeting last week in Jakarta. In a related development, two of Veloso's supposed recruiters have assailed the decision of a Nueva Ecija court to get her deposition in Indonesia. In 2010, she was arrested in Jogyakarta airport for trying to bring in 5.7 kilograms of heroin, and was given the death sentence later in October. Veloso says she was duped into smuggling the drugs into Indonesia. "We never mentioned about Veloso". But Agence France-Presse reported that in Jakarta, Mr Joko told reporters yesterday what Mr Duterte had told him. "This is assuming already that Veloso would have testified", Abella said. I said go ahead
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 15 UNITED KINGDOM: Priti Patel finally changes her mind on the death penalty 5 years ago Priti Patel was a strong supporter of the death penalty, arguing on TV that it would "act as a deterrent". Even if innocent people were killed. More recently, the Tory MP has wriggled out of saying whether she still wants to see a return to the gallows. In 2015 she ducked the question on Sky News by arguing that "it is not something that is relevant to today's political debate or discourse at all". But during a grilling by MPs today the new international development secretary insisted she no longer held the highly controversial view. Patel was being quizzed by the Commons international development committee about her approach to the new job, in which she is responsible for allocation 12billion pounds of taxpayers' cash to foreign countries - including some which still execute criminals. After repeated attempts to clarify whether she still backed capital punishment, Patel finally gave a straight answer. "The answer is no, I have made that very clear," she insisted, arguing she had raised human rights issues - including the use of the death penalty - abroad. Elsewhere during the select committee hearing, Patel also revealed that she no longer believed her department should be abolished. Back in 2011, Patel clearly supported the death penalty on Question Time - while also acknowledging that innocent people had been killed. She insisted: "I do think that when we have a criminal justice system that continuously fails in the country and where we have seen murderers and rapists ... reoffend and do those crimes again and again I think that's appalling. "On that basis alone I would support the reintroduction of capital punishment to serve as a deterrent." (source: totalpolitics.com) IRANexecution Prisoner Executed on Drug Related Charges A prisoner who was sentenced to death on drug related charges has been identified. 34-year-old Kamran Maleki was reportedly executed at Saqqez Prison (Kurdistan province, northwestern Iran) on Wednesday July 6, 2016. A source close to Mr. Maleki, who wanted to be anonymous, told Iran Human Rights: "Prior to his arrest, Kamran was a taxi driver. He was arrested by authorities and interrogated. About a kilogram and 250 grams of crystal meth were found in his car, but he told his interrogators he was not aware that the drugs were in his car. Even Kamran's close friends and relatives testified that Kamran was not involved in the buying and selling of drugs." Kamran Maleki was sentenced to death by the Saqqez revolutionary court October 10, 2015 and transferred to Sanandaj Prison. He was eventually transferred to Saqqez Prison where he was executed. Iranian official sources have been silent about Mr. Maleki's execution, and human rights groups just recently discovered his case. Iran Human Rights is concerned about the increase in cases of executions in Iran not announced by Iranian authorities, and is worried that the number of executions is even higher than what has already been confirmed. According to the latest annual death penalty report published by Iran Human Rights, more than 95% of the executions carried out in 2015 in Iran were not announced by official Iranian sources, including the Judiciary and the media. (source: Iran Human Rights) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 14 PHILIPPINES: VP, Senators appeal to save Mary Jane Veloso VICE President Leni Robredo on Wednesday appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to exhaust all available remedies and steps to save Filipina drug convict Mary Jane Veloso from Indonesian death row. "Mary Jane's case is emblematic of the hardships faced by millions of our OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers). We must keep her welfare in mind, along with the welfare of all OFWs, as they remain under our government's protection and support despite working overseas." Robredo said. Robredo also recounted how the past administration and the Filipino people were able to successfully spare Veloso from her scheduled execution. "A year ago, the Filipino nation came together in prayer and unity to appeal to the Indonesian government to spare Mary Jane's life. Our prayers were answered when she was given a reprieve, and as 1 nation, we rejoiced." Robredo said. Meanwhile, some Senators also expressed support for Veloso's plight. "It should be remembered that she went there with the sole intent of becoming an OFW, and her misfortune is the reason why every year, we set aside funds to help victims like her," Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto said Meanwhile, according to Senator Francis Escudero, Duterte was put in a difficult position during his meeting with Indonesia President Joko Widodo. "I totally disagree that Mary Jane should be put on death row. In fact, we should do everything we can to stop it, delay it. Remember the Flor Contemplacion case? We unrelentingly appealed for her case. But we are in a unique position now because the administration is batting for death penalty for drugs," Escudero added, referring to Duterte's tough war versus illegal drugs. (source: Sun Star) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 14 ZIMBABWE: Death penalty challenged People's Democratic Party leader and lawyer Tendai Biti is challenging the constitutionality of capital punishment several months after he appeared before the same court arguing for sentences of death row inmates to be commuted to life in prison. Biti confirmed that the Constitutional Court will hear the application this month. "This case is now set down in the Constitutional Court on September 28 and we are demanding an end to the death penalty," Biti said. Many human rights groups and lawyers, among them Southern Africa Litigation Centre (Salc), were looking forward to the hearing. "Case coming up arguing death penalty is unconstitutional under new Constitution - irrespective of its prior legality," Salc tweeted. In January when he appeared before the same court on behalf of 15 inmates on death row at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, Biti argued that their sentences be commuted to life in prison. Some of the inmates have been on death row for the past 18 years. Zimbabwe last executed prisoners in 2005. Notorious robbers Stephen Chidhumo and Edgar Masendeke were among the last inmates hanged at Chikurubi. Some in the government, among them Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, were openly against capital punishment having escaped such a sentence by a whisker during the liberation struggle. Amnesty International is also on record urging Zimbabwe to completely do away with the death penalty. Under the new Constitution, the death sentence can be handed down only to male offenders between the ages of 21 and 70 and only in cases of aggravated murder. Biti has of late been handling human rights cases and recently won an application against child marriages in the Constitutional Court. (source: Newsday.co.zw) IRAN: Call for indictment of all government officials A group of activist mothers and families of political prisoners and martyrs who lost their lives during 2009 uprising after the sham elections in Iran have announce in a letter that they would indict all government officials for their crimes. These families and mothers who are known as "Mothers of Laleh Park" in an open letter called for justice for the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran and indictment of all officials of the Iranian regime. The following is excerpts of their letter: Mass execution of political prisoners in the summer of 1988 in Iran is a political massacre in which the prisoners who had received prison sentences and were spending their prison terms or had finished their terms were executed by the "Death Commission" following a fatwa or decree [by the Iranian regime's then Supreme Leader Khomeini] and after retrial in closed and unfair courts while their families were unaware of their executions. Nearly 5000 of these Mojahed and Combatant human beings were executed and buried secretly in mass graves in Khavaran, Behesht-e Zahra and some other unknown cemeteries in Tehran alone. Based on the Statute of the International Tribunal at Nuremberg, the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran can be regarded as "crimes against humanity" or "genocide" and officials of the Islamic Republic as the perpetrators and accomplices of this heinous crime can be brought to justice in international courts, because more than 30,000 political prisoners, who had previously received prison sentences, have been massacred in absolute secrecy and in systematic and planned group executions by the Iranian regime's authorities after torture and rape and after secret and unfair retrials and with government decree. The regime of Islamic Republic during the past 28 years has remained silent about this crime to avoid disclosure of its secrets. But the mothers and families of the massacred political prisoners and other justice-seeking activists in Iran and abroad in all these years have tried in different ways to stand still and fight against this silence to hold the officials accountable and bring the government to respond. These activities include but not limited to a range of protests and sit-ins in front of Justice Department, writing petitions to the judicial authorities and other official bodies, going to the grave of their loved ones and interviews and writing and posting revealing contents, attending memorial ceremonies at home and in Khavaran cemetery and gathering together inside Iran as well as disclosure of this crime abroad via writing memoirs, books, articles, interviews, holding ceremonies and memorials and participating in various conferences and gatherings, etc., which did not allow the voice of Iranian people and their cry for justice be silenced. Following disclosure of Mr. Montazeri's audio file [and his speech during a meeting with the officials of "Death Commission" responsible for the 1988 massacre], the issue has become more clear than ever before. The important point in this file is
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 13 ETHIOPIA: UN Human Rights Chief 'Deeply Concerned' Over Ethiopia Abuses The UN's human rights chief has used a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council to criticise Ethiopia for a recent crackdown on opposition which has included the kidnapping and sentencing to death of a British man, Andargachew 'Andy' Tsege. Speaking this morning at the opening session of the Council, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: "While Ethiopia has made impressive gains in terms of economic development, we are deeply concerned about repeated allegations of excessive and lethal use of force against protestors, enforced disappearances, and mass detentions, including of children, as well as by worrying restrictions on civil society, the media and opposition." The High Commissioner said it was "mystifying" that the Ethiopian government refused to allow his office access to parts of the country where human rights abuses - including the recent shooting of protestors - have been alleged. Among the victims of a recent crackdown on dissent in Ethiopia is Andargachew 'Andy' Tsege, a British father of 3 who is held under a sentence of death, handed down in absentia in 2009. Mr Tsege was kidnapped from an international airport in June 2014 and 'rendered' to Ethiopia, where he has been held ever since. International human rights organization Reprieve, assisting Mr Tsege's family in London, has raised concerns about the UK's approach to the case, which has focused on a call for 'legal access' for him. In June, former UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond returned from a visit to Ethiopia claiming that he had "secure[d] legal representation" for Mr Tsege - however, last month it emerged that Mr Tsege has not yet been given a pen with which to write a request for a lawyer. American diplomats observing Mr Tsege's in absentia trial in 2009 said it "lacked basic elements of due process", and described it as "political retaliation." UN experts have said that Mr Tsege was sentenced to death "without due process" and in violation of his rights under the Convention Against Torture. UK MPs, the European Parliament, and members of Congress have called for his release. Commenting, Maya Foa - director of the death penalty team at Reprieve - said: "Ethiopia's ruling party has shown that it has no qualms about brutally crushing those who dare to oppose the government - shooting protestors, locking up journalists, and sentencing political opponents to death, in trials which US embassy officials have described as 'political retaliation'. This is a government which sentenced British father of 3 Andy Tsege to death whilst he was living in London, then kidnapped him from an international airport, and has held him illegally ever since. "The High Commissioner is right to sound an urgent warning over these terrible abuses. Countries that are close to Ethiopia - including the UK - must urge Ethiopian officials to end the repression, and release Andy and the many others who are unjustly imprisoned." (source: commondreams.org) * Boris Johnson Is 'Comfortable' With My Partner's Kidnap, Torture And Death Sentence My British partner, Andargachew "Andy" Tsege, has spent over 2 years on Ethiopia's death row for daring to speak out against one of Africa's most brutal dictatorships. Last week I went to the High Court in London with our three children for a hearing about how the Foreign Office has handled Andy's case. The court said it could not force the British government to do more to help Andy. "I am sad because I thought this judge would help us bring back my dad," our 9-year-old daughter told me afterwards. Every British passport says Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State promises to ensure that the bearer should receive "such assistance and protection as may be necessary." In other words, Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, has a duty to help British citizens like Andy when they are in peril abroad. We went to court because in 2 years the Foreign Office has not even called for Andy's release, something it has done in many similar cases. When Boris became Foreign Secretary, I hoped he would help Andy. After all, as Mayor of London, he wrote to me saying, "I am truly saddened to hear of Mr Tsege's situation with no foreign policy remit, any other intervention is beyond my powers as Mayor of London...I very much hope Mr Tsege safely returns to the UK in the near future." Now that Boris has the power to help, I was sickened to see his lawyers tell the court they were "comfortable" that Andy is not being ill-treated. How can they say this when British Embassy staff only visit Andy with a guard in the room? Andy would be forced to say he is the victim of torture in front of his torturers. Boris should listen to the UN, whose Special Rapporteur on Torture said in February that "Ethiopia, by subjecting
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 13 JAPAN: Death sentence upheld for killer of 5 in rural Japan The Hiroshima High Court on Tuesday upheld the death penalty for a 66-year-old man convicted of killing 5 neighbors and setting fire to 2 of their homes in a remote community in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 2013. In July last year, the Yamaguchi District Court found Kosei Homi guilty of killing a woman and a couple, all in their 70s, by hitting their heads with a wooden staff before setting fire to their homes in the mountainous community of Shunan in July 2013. He was also convicted of murdering 2 other elderly people. In the appellate trial, Homi's lawyers pleaded his innocence, arguing he shouldn???t be held criminally responsible due to insanity or diminished mental capability. Although the lower court acknowledged that Homi suffered from delusional disorder, it determined that Homi was fully competent to be held legally responsible. According to the lower court ruling, Homi was diagnosed with delusional disorder in a psychiatric test and committed the crimes in anger under the delusion that other residents were whispering about him. The lower court verdict said Homi was aware that he was committing a crime and thus deserved the death penalty. The lower court also said Homi's fingerprints were found on the wooden staff. (source: Japan Times) INDIA: IT executive Jigisha murder case: convict challenges death sentence Convict Amit Shukla, who along with accused Ravi Kapoor was handed down death penalty has approached the high court, saying the trial court has awarded him the capital punishment by "wrongly holding that the case falls in the category of rarest of rare". The trial court on July 14 held Kapoor, Shukla and Baljeet Malik guilty on various counts, including the murder of 28-year-old IT executive Jigisha. The court while sentencing Kapoor and Shukla to death on August 22, had said the girl was killed in a "cold-blooded, inhuman and cruel manner" and "brutally mauled to death". The 3rd offender Baljeet Malik was given reprieve from the gallows for his good conduct in jail. Malik has already challenged his conviction and sentence of life imprisonment by the trial court before the high court. Shukla through his counsel Amit Kumar said the trial court has committed error by awarding death penalty simply on the basis of biased jail/probation report about his client. "It has also not been noticed that for the similar offence one of the convict has been sentenced for life imprisonment," the appeal, which would come up for hearing on September 15, said. Meanwhile, the trial court, which has awarded death to 2 of the accused has sent the case file to the Delhi High Court for confirmation of the capital punishment. It is mandatory for a trial court to refer a death penalty case to a high court for confirmation of sentence within 30 days of the pronouncement of the verdict. (source: The Hindu) ** Allahabad HC Commutes Death Penalty In Rape-Cum-Murder Case The State has failed to show that the appellant is a continuing threat to the society or he is beyond reform or rehabilitation, the Bench observed. The Allahabad High Court has commuted the death sentence awarded by a trial court for a man accused of raping and murdering a 4-year-old girl, to life imprisonment. Upholding the conviction recorded by the trial court, the Bench comprising Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Vinod Kumar Srivastava said: "The prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt by chain of circumstances which led to only conclusion that the accused-appellant committed rape on the victim and, thereafter, she was strangulated to death by him, hence the conviction of the appellant by the trial court is perfectly justified and correct which is hereby upheld." However, the Bench also observed that the death penalty imposed on the convict needs to be reduced to imprisonment for life, citing following the reasons: "The State has failed to show that the appellant is a continuing threat to the society or he is beyond reform or rehabilitation. Secondly, accused appellant Ranjeet was aged about 20 years, when his statement was recorded by the trial court under Section 313 CrPC on 1.6.2013. Thirdly, there is no material shown by the State or the complainant to that there was a probability that the appellant would again commit criminal acts of violence as would constitute a continuing threat to the society." The court further observed: "In the instant case, a minor girl aged about 4 years was murdered after committing rape on her by the appellant, which is undoubtedly a grave and heinous offence for which the duty of the court is to impose adequate punishment depending upon the degree of criminality and desirability to impose such punishment, as a measure of social necessity and also as a means of deterring other potential offenders the sentence should
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 12 PHILIPPINES: Congress pressed on death penalty Amid criticism of his administration's ruthless anti-drug campaign, President Duterte pressed Congress yesterday to restore the death penalty "to instill fear of violating the law." Duterte lamented that previous leaders lacked the courage to fully implement the death penalty, which he said would have prevented the drug menace from reaching the current alarming levels. The President has asked his allies in Congress to work for the restoration of the death penalty. Capital punishment was abolished after Ferdinand Marcos was ousted in 1986 and a new Constitution was written, but it was retained for heinous crimes. During the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Congress abolished capital punishment. The failure to effectively implement the death penalty removed the "essence of criminal law," which Duterte said, is the "fear of violating the law." "No one died because there was no) ... you removed actually, the essence of criminal law, (which) is the fear to violate the law. What prevailed was not the fear of the law but impunity and the absence of accountability," he added. Duterte, a lawyer, said people in the corridors of power such as governors and mayors have refused to follow the law. He was referring to those who are engaged in illegal activities. "However, you bring the matter to a physical, medical or spiritual issue, for as long as the essence of fear is not there. Fear of accountability, that is why I want the death penalty. You answer for your deeds," he said. Pinoys divided Meanwhile, a pro-life lawmaker yesterday said an informal survey conducted by the House of Representatives had shown that Filipinos are divided on the issue of reviving the death penalty to deter heinous crimes. "Filipinos hunger and thirst for justice, not for blood. And this craving for justice may be satisfied only by profound and comprehensive reforms in law enforcement, prosecution service, the judiciary and our prisons," Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza said. "Offhand, many Filipinos who appear to favor the revival of capital punishment are merely venting their exasperation over the miserable performance of our criminal justice system," the senior deputy minority leader said. He issued the statement in response to results of an online poll by the House's official website, showing 50 % of participants favoring the renewal of capital punishment, 48 % rejecting it and 2 % undecided. He described support for lethal injection as "shaky, weak and shallow." "The ratings imply that the reinstatement of the death penalty is a highly discordant matter best deferred by Congress," he said. He blamed widespread corruption for the dismal functioning of the country's justice system, which has "deeply frustrated and angered" many Filipinos. (source: Philippine Star) IRAN: Ahwaz: Relative of Executed Brothers Demand Judges to Be Held Accountable for Judicial Wrongdoing A relative of 2 executed Ahwazi Arabs is calling on the international community to issue a warrant for the arrest of 2 Iranian judges for human rights abuses. Farzad Farhadi-Rad is the head of the Revolutionary Court in Khuzestan province and cleric Judge Rahmani works in branch 11 of the Ahwaz Revolutionary Court. Rahmani ordered the execution of Mehdi Nawaseri and Abdulreza Nawaseri in 2006. Meanwhile, Farhadi-Rad has presided over a judicial system that prevents the accused from accessing legal representation and falling well below international standards of justice. The relative, who fled to Australia after he served a 2 year prison sentence is arguing that serious human rights abuses had occurred. The 2 brothers were accused of involvement in bomb attacks in Ahwaz. At the time of their prosecution, human rights groups had highlighted the lack of evidence, the secrecy of the trials and the lack of independent and impartial observers. The lawyers did not have an opportunity to meet with their clients to discuss their case with them, but had to prepare a defence based on the prosecution file presented to them. Abdolreza Nawaseri was already serving a prison sentence for insurgency at the time of the bomb attacks for which the regime claims he was responsible. "These men are accused of serious crimes, but they clearly haven't had a fair trial," said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch, when the brothers were sentenced. "We always oppose the death penalty, because it is cruel and flawed. But sentencing people to death after such an inadequate trial is especially outrageous." Executions following dubious trials continue under the direction of the province's revolutionary courts. Recently 3 Ahwazi Arabs from Hamidiyeh were executed on the orders of Farhadi-Rad on unfounded allegations that they had attacked security personnel.
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 12 CHINA: Death penalty used on very small number of criminals: ChinaHuman rights groups say death sentences are often issued after unfair trials and that too much weight is given to confessions that are often obtained through torture. China, which is believed to execute more convicted people than the rest of the world combined, said Monday that it uses the death penalty only on "a very small number of extremely serious criminal offenders." In a report published Monday, China's government says authorities "trictly control the death penalty and employ it with prudence." Although China no longer executes people for most nonviolent crimes, its law allows for the death penalty for dozens of offenses, including treason, separatism, spying, arson, murder, rape, robbery and human trafficking. A legal revision last year removed a number of offenses from the list of those punishable by death, included smuggling arms and ammunition, counterfeiting currency, forcing others into prostitution and obstructing military personnel in the performance of their duties. The number of executions in China is not known because such data is considered a state secret. Amnesty International estimates that it executes more people than the rest of the world???s countries put together, which totaled 1,634 in 2015. Human rights groups say death sentences are often issued after unfair trials and that too much weight is given to confessions that are often obtained through torture. President Xi Jinping has made a priority of reducing wrongful convictions and reforming the justice system to restore public confidence in the ruling Communist Party. However, the party refuses to consider a Western-style separation of powers that would allow for a completely independent judiciary. (source: Indian Express) PHILIPPINES: Public 'split' on death penalty restoration People's support for restoration of death penalty is weak and shallow, a pro-life lawmaker said on Monday. "Offhand, many Filipinos who appear to favor the revival of capital punishment are merely venting their exasperation over the miserable performance of our criminal justice system," Rep. Lito Atienza of Buhay party-list group noted. "Filipinos hunger and thirst for justice, not for blood. And this craving for justice may be satisfied only by profound and comprehensive reforms in law enforcement, prosecution service, the judiciary and our prisons," according to Atienza, also House senior deputy minority leader. He was responding to results of an online poll on the House of Representatives' official website, which showed that 50 % of participants favored the renewal of the death penalty, while 48 % rejected the extreme punishment, with 2 % undecided. The ratings imply that the reinstatement of the death penalty "is a highly discordant matter that is best deferred by Congress," Atienza, a former 3-term city mayor of Manila, said. The lawmaker blamed "widespread corruption" for the dismal functioning of the justice system that he said has "deeply frustrated and angered" many Filipinos. "Many citizens still do not report crime victimizations simply because they do not have confidence in our justice system. And the primary reason for this lack of public trust is corruption, which we have to eradicate first," Atienza said. "In fact, many homeowners in middle-class subdivisions are extremely wary of opening their doors to Oplan: Tokhang precisely because they're scared that corrupt officers might put in false drug evidence," he added, referring to the operation plan implemented by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in connection with the Duterte administration's war on illegal drugs. The PNP has acknowledged that double-dealing officers have been reselling back into the market some of the illegal drugs seized in the course of police operations under Oplan: Tokhang. London-based Amnesty International and New York-based Human Rights Watch have repeatedly warned that the Philippine police still engage in unlawful methods and corrupt practices, including arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, intimidation and the use of planted evidence. In March this year, a Pampanga trial court handed down a historic ruling in which a police officer was convicted of torturing a bus driver falsely accused of a drug offense and other felonies in a case of mistaken identity. Police officer Jerick Dee Jimenez was sentenced to a maximum of 2 years and 1 month in prison, and ordered to pay P100,000 in damages to his torture victim, Jerryme Corre. It was the 1st-ever conviction under the country's 2009 Anti-Torture Act. Atienza said rotten police officers who resort to torture target only "impoverished people" who could not ably protect themselves. "Many police officers still use torture to extract confessions because they either lack basic criminal investigation skills, or they've been paid by
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 11 IRAN: Request from UN to prosecute Iran regime for 1988 massacre A number of families of the prisoners executed in 1988 massacre have sent a letter to Mr. Ahmad Shahid (Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran) asking him to get involved in regime's horrific crime during 1989 massacre and prosecute Iranian regime for committing this crime. Following is the text of their letter. Honorable Mr. Ahmad Shahid So far, we have individually sent you a number of letters asking you in each one to intervene, to reveal and ask the international community to prosecute those responsible in committing this horrific crime, the 1988 massacre. It should be pointed out that this is not only our request but the request of all mothers, fathers and families of those executed all over Iran. As we previously told you, they may not have the possibility to write you a letter since a lot of them live in villages and remote areas of Iran. We'd like to report a case to you which is related to one of regime's notorious agents named "Mohammad Ali Kazemi Jorakani". This murderer is one of those who got fired from the prison and was then employed by plainclothes suppression group who secretly commit inhumane acts against youth. He is currently serving the regime in Isfahan and has confessed that he has trapped and killed a member of People's Mojahedin Organization(PMOI/MEK) on the road leading to the airport. Mr. Shahid Now that this hired agent confesses to his suppressive and inhumane act, it is not clear how many similar acts he has committed, only to be transferred from his workplace so as not to be seen by local people and keep killing the children of people in a new location. As those responsible in the 1988 massacre, like "Pour Mohammadi" current minister of justice, who have confessed to their criminal acts and even committed additional horrific mass executions during this past month, they are going to keep suppressing and violating human rights even more freely if this massacre remains with impunity. We, the families of those massacred in Khuzestan province, are grieving so much and our families are also being harassed by these executioners. Once again, we are asking you to use all the mechanisms you have in hand to help put on trial all those responsible for committing this horrific crime in Iran's prisons. They are still ruling disgracefully while the international community is silent. We're hoping for that day to arrive With respect The families of massacred prisoners in Khuzestan province September 8, 2016 The facts: -- More than 30,000 political prisoners were massacred in Iran in the summer of 1988. -- The massacre was carried out on the basis of a fatwa by Khomeini. -- The vast majority of the victims were activists of the opposition PMOI (MEK). -- A Death Committee approved all the death sentences. -- Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi, a member of the Death Committee, is today Hassan Rouhani's Justice Minister. -- The perpetrators of the 1988 massacre have never been brought to justice. -- On August 9, 2016, an audio tape was published for the 1st time of Khomeini's former heir acknowledging that that massacre took place and had been ordered at the highest levels. (source: NCR-Iran) TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: The real issues relating to crime reduction The respective teams led by the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition met 2 Fridays ago on violent crime. The main promise afterward was that there would be co-operation on anti crime legislation, including the Government giving the Opposition early notice of the bills it intended to introduce and facilitating discussion to find out from the Opposition any area of concern about the contents of a bill. There was talk of greater use of a Joint Select Committee. The population was sceptical that legislative co-operation may make a dent in crime. "We have so much legislation already but it is not enforced". "The police don't hold anybody". These were 2 common expressions of the skepticism that legislative co-operation would bring down violent crime in an environment where if one citizen has a dispute with another he can then shoot, stab or chop the other to death and walk away with complete impunity. This column long ago identified the impunity factor as a major incentive to the perpetration of violent crime. I am amused to see that some persons living nice within the establishment have suddenly found their voice on this subject. A 2nd output of the joint talks was the ritual reference to the death penalty still being "the law of the land". I say the reference is ritual because the death penalty cannot be carried out currently for reasons that have been repeatedly identified in these columns. There are at least 4 such columns, entitled respectively The Fallacy of the Death Penalty, Remedies for a Murderous Land, Death Penalty Advice and Death
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
My regular postings to this listserve will resume on Sunday, Sept. 11 ** Sept. 8 JAPAN: Final appeal relating to Tokyo subway sarin attack dismissed by Japan's High Court It has been 21 years since 5 men released the deadly nerve agent in carriages of crowded commuter trains during Tokyo's morning rush-hour. Twelve people died, 50 people were left permanently injured, and thousands of others were temporarily blinded by the gas. The perpetrators were all members of a religious cult known as Aum Shinrikyo, which means "supreme truth". The cult had prepared for the attack at a remote sheep station it owned in Western Australia. The sarin gas attack in Tokyo is regarded as the first ever use of a weapon of mass destruction in an act of terrorism. The perpetrators of the crime thought they were carrying out a holy act in line with the beliefs of the doomsday cult. The prosecutors of the criminal trials believe that day was chosen to divert the attention of police who were planning a raid on the cult's headquarters. The head of the cult, Shoko Asahara, was found guilty of masterminding the attacks in 2004 and sentenced to death by hanging, but his execution was postponed while the appeals of his fellow criminals were heard. He is now 61 years old and spends his days in solitary confinement. Hiromi Shimada, the author of a book about Aum Shinrikyo, said the next question would be when the 13 men facing the death penalty would go to the gallows. "Since there are so many of them, I think it'll be difficult to execute all of them at once," he said. "The Minister of Justice has to make the decision but it can't be carried out just by the minister's decision. "I think the Government has to be involved also, so it's hard to the think the executions will happen all at once." Cult leader's execution may be delayed The gas attack crime in 1995 did not turn the cult's followers away from the faith. Asahara devised the religion in his one-bedroom flat in Tokyo and based his teachings on a mixture of Buddhism and Hinduism and declared himself to be the Christ. After his imprisonment, Aum Shinrikyo split into 2 distinct groups, and the Japanese Government now regards those groups to be branches of what it calls a dangerous religion. Some say the execution of the leader Asahara might now be delayed by the Government to prevent him being seen as a martyr by the remaining devotees. Hiromi Shimada said very little was known about Asahara's condition in jail. "We hardly hear what's going on inside the prison so I don't know in detail, but his daughter has published a memoir and wrote that perhaps her father has schizophrenia," he said. "I think his mental condition has become worse over time." Support for the death penalty in Japan has been falling over the years and there are usually only 2 or 3 executions carried out each year, and those are reserved for criminals who have committed multiple murders. Asahara and his fellow perpetrators join about 100 other criminals who currently wait on death row. (source: abc.net.au) SOUTH KOREA: Ruling party lawmaker seeks to apply death penalty for military corruption A lawmaker from the ruling Saenuri Party proposed a new bill on Thursday to classify military-related corruption as a form of aiding and abetting the enemy, paving the way for courts to hand out stricter punishment including the death penalty. Under South Korean law, any action benefiting the enemy can land a person in jail for at least f5 years, with more serious offences leading to capital punishment. "Irregularities in the military have an adverse impact on national defense that leads directly to the safety of the people," Rep. Sin Sang-jin said, adding the existing system cannot sufficiently root out military-related corruption due to ineffective punishment. The public has been speaking out on bolstering punishment for those involved in military-related corruption, especially amid increasing threats from Pyongyang. The 2 Koreas remain technically at war to this day, since the Korean War (1950-53) ended in a ceasefire, not a peace treaty. (source: Yonhap News) UNITED KINGDOM: Andy Tsege: High Court rejects 9-year-old's plea for UK to bring back British father kidnapped by EthiopiaExclusive: Father faces death sentence on terror charges 'that would not stand up in UK court' The High Court has rejected the case of a 9-year-old British girl demanding Theresa May's government do more to help her father, who has been kidnapped by the Ethiopian authorities and now faces an impending death sentence. British officials have failed to intervene in the case of Andargachew Tsege, known as Andy, a father of 3 from London who was granted political asylum in the UK in 1979 and has lived in Britain ever since. He was abducted in June 2014 while on route to
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 8 IRAN: Christian executed in Iran spoke of meeting Jesus before his death The moving last words of a man executed in prison in Iran a few days ago were of his profound faith in Jesus Christ. The brother of Alireza Asadi, 1 of 12 people executed near Tehran at the end of August, has posted his last words on Facebook. Asadi said the "best experience" he had was of meeting Jesus. The post was circulated widely by Pastor Saeed Abedini, a naturalised US citizen who converted from Islam to Christianity in 2000 and became prominent in Iran's house church movement. He was sentenced to 8 years in prison in 2013 in Iran and released in January this year. Alireza Asadi, speaking to his brother Mohsen, 1 day before his execution, said all was going well. He made clear his faith in life after death. He said: "And Mohsen, I truly believe that there is a new season starting for me. And this new season is much, much more pleasant that the worldly life. This is what I truly believe. "Even when I didn't repent I knew there is something. But now I believe surely about this new season and its existence. I can finally be in peace. I don't have any stress or bad feelings and everything goes well with me." He said he was still not completely sure he would be executed. He was with a group of about 10 people including 4 of his friends. "We were crying from laughing a lot." He said he had been talking to them of God and would continue to do so. "For many of you it was a question if I am a Christian or not. But now I say that I am a Christian. And now I have one or two days til I will die. And I hope it will never happen to you guys. During these moments you forgive all the bad that has happen to you. But the most I want tell you is the best experience that I had. And that was meeting Jesus. And I don't want to force you guys, But please start to get to know Him. If you just read two sentences from the Bible, you will never leave it again." His brother asked him how his faith had developed. Asadi said: "When I ended up here in prison I realized that God is the true God. I wanted God to show himself to me." He said Jesus was there when he needed Him. "I needed peace, He was there. I lost many friends, but I know that I could find my comfort in Him. And when I commanded the devil to leave, I saw that the evil didn't dare to come near me anymore. I felt and saw that the name of Christ is the name above all names. And that the enemy doesn't have any authority over me anymore." He said the majority of those facing the death penalty were using drugs. "But only because of Him (Jesus Christ) I stayed on the right track. Instead of drugs I am exercising every day." NCRI reported that the 12 individuals were executed in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj, north-west of Tehran on 27 August. UN expert and special rapporteur on Iran human rights, Ahmed Shaheed, had called repeatedly for the executions to be halted. He had said: "It is regrettable that the government continues to proceed with executions for crimes that do not meet the threshold of the 'most serious crimes' as required by international law, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is State party. It is also troubling that courts continue to issue death sentences in trials that not only breach international fair trial standards but even domestic due process guarantees." He renewed a call for Iran to institute a moratorium on executions and to restrict use of the death penalty for the "most serious crimes", or murder. Nine of the 12 executed were named as Alireza Madadpour, Bahman Rezai, Arman Bahrami, Alireza Asadi, Mohsen Eslami, Hosein Bayrami, Mehdi Rostami, Amir and Alireza Sarkhah. (source: christiantoday.com) BANGLADESH: Full High Court verdict in Ahsanullah Master murder published The 182-page full verdict was published on Supreme Court's website on Wednesday. The summery verdict upholding death sentence of six, including BNP leader Nurul Islam Sarkar, was pronounced on June 15. The High Court also acquitted 11 accused, who had been convicted to death or life in prison by a Speedy Trial Tribunal. The State could manage a stay order on the verdict initially but the regular bench lifted it. The legal bar on the release of the acquitted persons was lifted by an Appellate Division decision of July 17. Now after the publication of the full verdict, any aggrieved party can petition for appeal against the verdict. The family and supporters of Ahsanullah in Gazipur expressed dissatisfaction over the acquittal of the 11 convicts. Ahsanullah, a freedom fighter, had served as the Gazipur Upazila council chairman before being elected to the parliament in 1996 and 2001. He was a member of the party's national council and the executive president of the Awami League's labour affiliate. His son Zahid Ahsan Russel, who is now the MP from
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 7 TURKEY: Minister: No talks on death penalty in Turkish parliament Reinstating the death penalty in Turkey hasn't been put up for consideration by the country's parliament, the TRT Haber news channel quoted Turkey's Minister for the EU Affairs Omer Celik as saying Sept.7. The minister noted that for the present, Turkish parliament doesn't plan to consider this issue. Turkey cancelled the death penalty in 2001. Reinstating the death penalty was discussed after the military coup attempt in Turkey. On July 15 evening, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said the death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at 246, excluding the coup plotters, and over 2,000 people were wounded. Erdogan declared a 3-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20. (source: Trend News Agency) IRAN: Iran regime Supreme leader and former President were directly linked to the executions. Mohammad Mohaddessin, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran exposed identities of dozens of officials responsible for 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in Iran, according to intelligence obtained by the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI or MEK), most of the institutions of the Iranian regime are run by the perpetrators of the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners. About 59 of the most senior officials responsible for this massacre, whose names had remained secret for nearly three decades are currently holding key positions in the various institutions of the regime. These individuals were members of the "Death Commissions" in Tehran and 10 other Iranian provinces. cnsnews.com in an article by Faycal Benhassain covers the main topics of this conference, here is the full text: Iran Mass Execution Allegations: Khamenei, Rafsanjani Accused Iran's supreme leader and a prominent former president - who is sometimes described as a 'moderate' in the Iranian context - are the latest senior Iranians to be accused of involvement in themass executions of imprisoned dissidents almost 3 decades ago. The National Council of Resistance of Iran/People's Mujahedeen Organization of Iran (NCRI/MEK), an exiled opposition group, held a press conference in Paris Tuesday to make public the names of prominent Iranians allegedly involved in the killings. It said supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and former President Hashemi Rafsanjani were directly linked to the executions. The unpunished killings returned to the public eye last month when the son of a senior ayatollah, who dies in 2009, released an audio recording of a meeting between his father and members of one of the "death commissions" that oversaw the executions. In the recording released by Ahmad Montazeri, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri expressed his strong opposition to the executions, carried out in the late 1980s during the tenure of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. "Killing is the wrong way to resist against ideas," Montazeri said in the 1988 clip. "It is in my opinion the greatest crime committed during the Islamic Revolution for which history will condemn us." Montazeri had been nominated as Khomeini's successor until falling out with the clerical regime over his criticisms. After Khomeini's death the supreme leader post went to Khamenei, a former president, who holds it to this day. During Tuesday's press conference Mohammad Mohaddessin, chairman of the NCRI???s foreign affairs committee, said the executions of political prisoners occurred mostly in the weeks after a fatwa (religious edict) was issued by Khomeini in 1988. "A death commission was created in Tehran and in 10 other Iranian provinces to conduct the fatwa," he said. "Until now only the names of the members of the death commission in Tehran had been exposed, since Khomeini himself appointed them." "Now we have more names of members involved in the massacre and we are making them public." Mohaddessin said they included Khamenei - president and a key regime decision-maker at the time - as well as Rafsanjani, who at the time was parliamentary speaker, but went on to serve 2 terms as president, from 1989-1997. (Since then, Rafsanjani has headed 2 of the regime's most important institutions - the Assembly of Experts, a body of top religious scholars which nominates the supreme leader, and the Expediency Council, a body that advises the supreme leader. He still holds the latter post.) Another prominent Iranian implicated in the executions was Ali Fallahian, who at the time was a deputy intelligence minister, then went on to become intelligence minister during the
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 7 UNITED KINGDOM/ETHIOPIA: Government sued by daughter of man on Ethiopia's death row The 9-year-old daughter of a British activist facing execution in Ethiopia is suing the British government for failing to press for her father's release.Menabe Tsege's case against the Foreign Office will be heard at the High Court in London today. Her lawyers began judicial proceedings over ministers' handling of the case of her father, Andargachew "Andy" Tsege, a British citizen and exiled leader of Ethiopian opposition movement Ginbot 7. He was kidnapped in June 2014 while transiting through Yemen and illegally rendered to Ethiopia, where he had been sentenced to death at a trial in absentia in 2009. According to the lawyers, the illegality of Mr Tsege's kidnapping, detention and death sentence makes the British government's stance unlawful. The Foreign Office has not requested his release but has merely asked the Ethiopian government to allow him access to a lawyer. International human rights organisation Reprieve warned that Mr Tsege has no chance of receiving a fair trial. "It's clear that Andy faces no prospect of due process in Ethiopia, as he's already received an illegal in absentia death sentence which the Ethiopian government has confirmed he has no hope of appealing," said Maya Foa, director of the death penalty team at Reprieve. "The British government must not allow Andy's abuse to go on any longer. It must urgently call for his release, so that he can return to his family in London."During a visit to Ethiopia in June, then foreign secretary Philip Hammond said he had "received a commitment from the prime minister that Mr Tsege will be allowed access to independent legal advice," but this promise has yet to be kept. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson published an open letter on August 26 pledging that the government would continue to request that Mr Tsege be allowed access to legal representation and seek to ensure that the death sentence is not carried out. "Britain does not interfere in the legal systems of other countries by challenging convictions," Mr Johnson added. (source: The Morning Star) KENYA: No hanging since 1987: Is death penalty still relevant? As the state collects Kenyans' views on the death penalty and life imprisonment, the fact that no one has been executed since 1987, capital offences are increasing and prisons are congested, raises more questions than answers. Should the 2 punishments be abolished and replaced with alternative punishments that are lesser but equally deterrent? Should what constitutes capital crimes be redefined to include the corruption offences plaguing the country? While lawyers say the right to life is inalienable, some members of the public say capital punishment should be retained for serial killers, terrorists and sexual offenders. The public's views, collected since June by the Power of Mercy Advisory Committee (Pomac), will inform a policy on restructuring the country???s correctional system. There are about 3,000 inmates on death sentence and life imprisonment in various maximum correctional facilities. Currently, only murder, robbery with violence, some military offences, treason and oathing for crime by proscribed groups, including terrorist groups, are classified as capital offences. They are punishable by death or life imprisonment upon conviction. Some sexual and drug trafficking offences attract the 2 forms of capital punishment, although they are not listed as capital offences in the penal code. During debates, some people said corruption offences should be classified among capital crimes that should attract capital punishment. "The last time a death row convict was executed was 1987, but judges and magistrates still hang convicts because legally, death sentence is the only punishment prescribed by the law for convicts of such offences," Pomac vice chairperson Regina Boisabi said at Nairobi West Prison. "Some of them have been pardoned and released by the President after our recommendations, but the number changes every day, depending on outcomes of judgments and rulings delivered on appeals on daily basis," she said. Search for answers Pomac, chaired by Attorney General Githu Muigai, has held public debates in 19 counties and intends to visit the rest in six months. It is also using the meetings to get public opinion on the legal, political and administrative measures necessary to manage capital offenders and administer capital punishment. Participants include the National Crime Research Centre, prisons and human rights defenders. Makau Masila, an inmate serving a 7-year jail term in Nairobi West Prison, said after 15 to 25 years in jail, a death row convict or prisoner on life sentence should be set free, depending on post-conviction behaviour. He said there are inmates serving capital punishment who get reformed and fully rehabilitated and
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide----CYP., PHILIP., INDON., MALAY.
Sept. 6 CYPRUS: Constitutional changes over death penalty part of House shake-up Plenary sessions of the parliament will be moved from Thursday afternoons to Friday mornings, House president Demetris Syllouris announced on Monday after a meeting with party leaders. Syllouris said Monday's meeting was the 1st with party heads to mark the new parliamentary term. Elections were held in May. "We discussed many issues, some of which will continue at the next meeting," he said. One of the first items on the new plenum's agenda this Friday would be a discussion on the removal of a provision for the death penalty that remains in the constitution even though Cyprus abolished it by law in 1983 for murder cases and in 2002 for all other offences. Article 7 states: "No person shall be deprived of his life except in the execution of a sentence of a competent court following his conviction of an offence for which this penalty is provided by law. A law may provide for such penalty only in cases of premeditated murder, high treason, piracy jure gentium and capital offences under military law." Cyprus is a signatory of the second optional protocol of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which provides for full abolition of capital punishment, even though it registered reservations at the time about abolishing execution for grave crimes in times of war. The last 2 executions by hanging were carried out in June 1962 for murder. British executioner Harry Allen - well known during the EOKA years - along with John Underhill came to Cyprus to carry out the executions. Syllouris said the fact the provision remained in the constitution gives lawmakers the power to vote again on reinstating the death penalty and that is why it needs to be removed. "This morning I spoke with the president and the attorney-general and briefed the party leaders and I will go to speak with the minister of justice in order to change the constitution because our laws abolished the death penalty," he said. He said the issue would be discussed at the Friday, September 9 plenary. Syllouris also said he had told the party leaders that he would be appointing an informal legal council attached to the parliament "composed of 3 eminent lawyers, unpaid and of recognised standing" as advisers to the body. On his reorganisation of the House workings, Syllouris said he had given out a new parliamentary committee programme to deputies so that if they were members of two or more committees, the schedules would not overlap. Party leaders' meetings would from now on also not take place immediately prior to the plenum as has been the practice up until now. "This caused delays to the start of the plenary and put pressure on discussion of the issues themselves," he said. Syllouris said that with his suggestions, parliament could double the amount of work it does. He also plans to find ways to make speech time more efficient during plenary sessions. He said this would involve planning ahead and not deciding at the last minute how much time should be given to what topic or what speaker. "They will know in advance the time limits for each party and MP," he said. (source: Cyprus Mail) PHILIPPINES: The Supreme Court and the Duterte presidency President Rody Duterte will be in office as head of state and head of government from 2016 to June 30, 2022, or for a period of 6 years. Within that span of time, 12 out of the 15 justices in the Supreme Court shall retire. Thus, the president shall have the opportunity to appoint no less than 12 members of the highest court of the land. That is a tremendous opportunity to fill up the Supreme Court with judges, prosecutors and lawyers who share the president's paradigm and perspectives on law and public policy. And so, even after he shall have left the presidency, the Duterte legal philosophies shall continue to animate the High Court. And that is tremendous power and influence. When we say Duterte legal philosophies, we mean the legal perspectives that favor death penalty, that is unforgiving and unforgiving when it comes to drug offenders, and drug-related murders, rapes, robberies, kidnapping, arson and other heinous crimes against persons, against properties and against humanity. The president will most probably appoint legal luminaries who are not hesitant to impose the capital punishment (once death penalty is reinstated in our penal code), and those prosecutors who have records of passionate drives against crimes and corruptions. Mindanao lawyers and San Beda law graduates will have better chances to be appointed to the highest court. 12 justices are retiring compulsorily upon reaching their respective 70th birthday. This year alone, 2 justices are retiring, namely: Jose Perez on 14th of December and Arturo Brion on December 29. 2 justices will retire in 2017, namely: Bienvenido Reyes on July 6 and Jose
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 5 INDIA: Jigisha: HC issues production warrant to death row convicts HC today issued production warrants to two death row convicts in the 2009 Jigisha Ghosh murder case on trial court reference for confirmation of capital punishment given to them. A bench of justices Gita Mittal and R K Gauba directed Tihar Jail authorities here to produce convicts Ravi Kapoor and Amit Shukla before it on September 15. The order came on submission of Delhi Police that the court could direct production of the convicts to know whether they are going to file an appeal against the trial court's judgement convicting and sentencing them in the case. On August 22, while awarding capital punishment to Kapoor and Shukla, Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav had referred the case to high court for confirmation of sentence. It is mandatory for the trial court to refer each death penalty case to a high court for confirmation of sentence within 30 days of the pronouncement of the verdict. The trial court had on July 14 held the duo guilty on various counts, including the murder of 28-year-old IT executive Jigisha Ghosh. The court while sentencing the 2 to death said the girl was killed in a "cold-blooded, inhuman and cruel manner" and "brutally mauled to death". It had said the magnitude and brutality exhibited by the convicts made the case 'rarest of rare', warranting capital punishment for Kapoor and Shukla. The third offender Baljeet Malik was given reprieve from the gallows and sent to life imprisonment for his good conduct in jail. Shukla has orally filed an appeal against the death sentence awarded to him while Malik has filed an appeal through counsel Amit Kumar in the high court challenging the conviction and sentence. "Let all the appeals filed by the state and the convicts be heard together on September 15," the High Court said. Ravi Kapoor has not yet challenged trial court judgement. Malik, in his appeal, has stated that the trial court "failed to appreciate that there have been contradictions and discrepancies in the depositions of the prosecution witnesses (PWs) and therefore conviction and sentence awarded to him is liable to be set aside". "The trial court has failed to appreciate that prosecution has planted PW-2... As a last seen witness with intent to falsely proving the presence of the appellant in the company of deceased (Jigisha) at about 4.45 AM on March 18, 2009 at SBI ATM at Mahipalpur," the appeal said. Malik's appeal further said, "The presence of PW-2, who has been falsely shown as a last seen witness, is extremely improbable and doubtful, and, therefore his deposition with regard to being last seen witness cannot be considered credible and probable evidence." The trial court had also imposed varying fines on the convicts, with Kapoor being slapped with a fine of Rs 1.2 lakh due to his incapacity to pay, while Shukla and Malik were directed to pay Rs 2.8 lakh and Rs 5.8 lakh respectively as pre-sentencing report suggested they were financially stronger. The trio are also facing trial for the murder of TV journalist Soumya Viswanathan, killed a year before Jigisha. The court had said leniency cannot be shown to these convicts as there was a rise of gruesome crimes against women which needed to be dealt with in an appropriate sentence. It had also directed that out of the total fine of Rs 9.8 lakh, Rs 6 lakh be paid to the parents of the victim, and an adequate compensation amount be decided by the District Legal Service Authority (South). It had held the 3 men guilty under several sections of IPC, including 302 (murder), 364 (abducting for murder), 201 (destruction of evidence), 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document). The additional sessions judge, however, held that the charge of criminal conspiracy (120-B of IPC) could not be proved against them. The police had filed the charge sheet in the case in June 2009, stating that Jigisha's post-mortem report revealed that she was killed by smothering. The trial in the case began in April 2010. Recovery of the weapon allegedly used in Jigisha's murder had led to cracking of the murder case of Soumya Vishwanathan, who was a journalist with a news channel. Soumya was shot dead on September 30, 2008 while she was returning home in her car from office in the wee hours. The police had claimed robbery as the motive behind the killings of both Jigisha and Soumya. (source: Press Trust of India) JAPAN: Bar federation's declaration to call for abolition of death sentence The Japan Federation of Bar Associations for the 1st time will clearly call for abolishing the death sentence in light of global trends against capital punishment and wrongful convictions of death-row inmates. The federation until now has taken measures to spur public debate about
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 4
GHANA:
Amnesty International quotes 137 inmates on death rowMr Lawrence Amesu, the
Director of Amnesty International Ghana, said a lot had been achieved towards
ensuring that Ghana gained the status as abolitionist in practice.
He said Ghana had not executed anyone over the past 23 years even though the
courts continued to sentence people to death, and "we have about 137 death row
inmates, including 3 women, in our prisons currently".
Speaking at the launch of Advocacy Toolkit for Abolition of Death Penalty in
West Africa, Mr Amesu said he believed that Amnesty International's submission
with support from other civil society organisations and the opinion of the
public had contributed to the recommendation that death penalty should be
abolished in Ghana.
He said though West Africa was leading that progressive forward march, however,
the Anglophone countries within the continent are dragging their feet while the
Francophone countries including Senegal, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, and Burkina
Faso had either abolished the death penalty or were doubling their steps
towards achieving that.
Mr Amesu said the toolkit was very useful for the media, civil society
organisations and para institutions which were advocating for the abolition of
the death penalty in Ghana as well as all government institutions which had a
stake in the process.
"The document will also be very useful for the youth not only as an advocacy
tool but also as a knowledge acquisition document because it highlights and
explains such terminologies as abolitionist, retentionist, clemency,
exoneration, and pardon, among others," he added.
The document, he said, traced the history and achievements of Amnesty
International's journey towards total abolition of the death penalty in the
world while focusing a little more on the situation in Africa and West Africa.
The toolkit also highlights the international instruments and bodies that
support the need for the abolition of the death penalty.
Dr Isaac Annan, a Director at CHRAJ, who chaired the function, said Ghana was
Human Rights compliant as it ratified most of the United Nations Conventions
and Resolutions, and reiterated the need for the country to abolish the death
penalty as a sign of commitment.
Ms Sabrina Tucci, of Amnesty International Secretariat, London, noted that West
Africa is a beacon of hope for the whole of Africa and urged civil society
organisations to continue the campaign.
She called on governments to engage the public in debates on the issue.
(source: newsghana.com.gh)
UNITED KINGDOM:
Hanging 'em high?The death penalty is dying out, but in 1946 it was thought
fitting
World-wide, ever more people are against the death penalty - in America, state
after state is removing execution from the statute books. But 70 years ago this
autumn, the judges at Nuremberg - where 'crimes against humanity' and
'genocide' were first properly defined - unanimously decided that a dozen of
the top Nazis should be sentenced to hang. Twenty four were tried, but 12, most
famously the mad Rudolf Hess and Hitler's architect, Albert Speer, got
custodial sentences.
The civilised world was in agreement that the heinous crimes committed by the
Nazis should merit the death penalty. And yet it was melancholy. "Though it
might be right to hang these men, it was not easy," wrote the journalist
Rebecca West. Several hangings were botched: Joachim von Ribbentrop, Hitler's
foreign minister, gasped and struggled at the end of a rope for 20 minutes, as
did Field-Marshall Wilhelm Keitel. The American hangman, John Woods, had
miscalculated the drop, and the hanged men suffered head injuries from the trap
door - which was too small - as they fell.
The British executioner, Albert Pierrepoint, was appalled at the lack of
professionalism. Pierrepoint took pride in his ability to hang a man, or a
woman, with the swiftest despatch and the minimum of suffering. He hanged
William Joyce ('Lord Haw-Haw') in 8 seconds.
At Nuremberg - where the main war trial ended on October 1, 1946 - the prime
prisoner, Hermann Goering, the Luftwaffe chief, cheated the hangman by biting
into a capsule of cyanide the night before he was to be executed. One of the
key lawyers at Nuremberg, Telford Taylor, wrote in his memoir that he was
certain Goering's American guard, Jack "Tex" Wheelis, had helped Goering to
obtain the suicide pill. Tex, a large, handsome Texan GI, had struck up a
sympathetic relationship with Goering and the Nazi chief had given him some
valuable gifts, including a gold cigarette case, a solid gold fountain pen and
a fancy Swiss watch. The authorities were furious to find that Goering had died
by his own hand, but he certainly avoided the extra torment, and humiliation,
of gradually choking to death: not that the Nazis, after their unspeakable
cruelties, didn't deserve the ultimate punishment.
Goering, like all his
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 2 BANGLADESH: Bangladesh death-row Islamist tycoon set to hang A wealthy tycoon who was a chief financier for Bangladesh's largest Islamist party refused Friday to seek presidential clemency against his death sentence, an official said, paving the way for his imminent execution by hanging. Mir Quasem Ali, a key leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was sentenced to death by a controversial war crimes tribunal for offenses committed during the 1971 independence conflict with Pakistan. After the Supreme Court rejected his final appeal on Tuesday against the penalty, Ali declined to seek a presidential pardon, which requires an admission of guilt. "Today (Friday) he announced his decision he won't seek mercy from the president," Prasanta Kumar Bonik, a senior official at the Kashimpur high security jail where Ali is imprisoned, told AFP. "The authorities will now decide when and where he will be executed," he said. The Supreme Court's decision was a major blow for the Jamaat-e-Islami party, which the 63-year-old Ali had helped to revive in recent decades. Security has been stepped up at the prison, located some 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Dhaka, after Ali announced his decision, local police chief Harun-or-Rashid told AFP. 5 opposition leaders including 4 leading Islamists have been executed for war crimes since 2013, all of them hanged just days after their appeals were rejected by the Supreme Court. Their families said they had refused to seek a presidential pardon as they did not want to legitimize the whole trials process. The war crimes tribunal set up by the government has divided the country, with supporters of Jamaat and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) branding it a sham aimed at eliminating their leaders. Ali, who after the war became a shipping and real estate tycoon, was convicted in November 2014 of a series of crimes during Bangladesh's war of separation from Pakistan, including the abduction and murder of a young independence fighter. His son Mir Ahmed Bin Quasem, who was part of his legal defense team, was allegedly abducted by security forces earlier in August, which critics say was an attempt to sow fear and prevent protests against the imminent execution. The executions and convictions of Jamaat officials plunged Bangladesh into one of its worst crises in 2013 when tens of thousands of Islamist activists clashed with police in protests that left some 500 people dead. The Islamist party, which is banned from contesting elections, called a nationwide strike Wednesday, labeling the charges against Ali "false" and "baseless" and accusing the government of exacting "political vengeance". A group of United Nations human rights experts last week urged Bangladesh to annul Ali's death sentence and to retry him in compliance with international standards. (source: interaksyon.com) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 2 GHANA: Ghana Has 137 Death Row Inmates - Amnesty International Mr Lawrence Amesu, the Director of Amnesty International Ghana, said a lot had been achieved towards ensuring that Ghana gained the status as abolitionist in practice. He said Ghana had not executed anyone over the past 23 years even though the courts continued to sentence people to death, and "we have about 137 death row inmates, including 3 women, in our prisons currently". Speaking at the launch of Advocacy Toolkit for Abolition of Death Penalty in West Africa, Mr Amesu said he believed that Amnesty International's submission with support from other civil society organisations and the opinion of the public had contributed to the recommendation that death penalty should be abolished in Ghana. He said though West Africa was leading that progressive forward march, however, the Anglophone countries within the continent are dragging their feet while the Francophone countries including Senegal, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso had either abolished the death penalty or were doubling their steps towards achieving that. Mr Amesu said the toolkit was very useful for the media, civil society organisations and para institutions which were advocating for the abolition of the death penalty in Ghana as well as all government institutions which had a stake in the process. "The document will also be very useful for the youth not only as an advocacy tool but also as a knowledge acquisition document because it highlights and explains such terminologies as abolitionist, retentionist, clemency, exoneration, and pardon, among others," he added. The document, he said, traced the history and achievements of Amnesty International's journey towards total abolition of the death penalty in the world while focusing a little more on the situation in Africa and West Africa. The toolkit also highlights the international instruments and bodies that support the need for the abolition of the death penalty. Dr Isaac Annan, a Director at CHRAJ, who chaired the function, said Ghana was Human Rights compliant as it ratified most of the United Nations Conventions and Resolutions, and reiterated the need for the country to abolish the death penalty as a sign of commitment. Ms Sabrina Tucci, of Amnesty International Secretariat, London, noted that West Africa is a beacon of hope for the whole of Africa and urged civil society organisations to continue the campaign. She called on governments to engage the public in debates on the issue. (source: peacefmonline.com) PHILIPPINES: 'EVIL GIVEN FOR EVIL DONE' -- PDEA chief pushes death penalty Calling it "evil given for evil done," the head of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency called for the restoration of the death penalty for drug manufacturers and peddlers, as well as those protecting the illegal trade. PDEA director general Isidro Lapena echoed President Rodrigo Duterte's description of capital punishment as "retribution" even as he maintained that "we are not promoting a culture of violence here." But those involved in the drug trade, he said, "have to pay. It is what is given in return for past good or evil that you have done." "Manufacturers, smugglers, pushers and all the more coddlers and protectors of illegal drugs in the country, both foreign and domestic, who (are) proven guilty in court, deserve nothing more than capital punishment," Lapena said. At the same time, he said, "harsher penalties" are a deterrent, a "strong signal" to drug traffickers "not to turn our country into a business hub for drugs." "Our judicial system must toughen up because foreign-led organized drug syndicates tend to capitalize on our laws, which still have loose ends," he added, noting that convicted drug lords continue to run their operations from prison. Since July 1, close to 2,000 lives have been lost in the course of the administration's war on drugs, a toll that has drawn criticism from human rights advocates here and abroad, as well as the United Nations. (source: interaksyon.com) INDONESIA: Convicted Filipina drug mule in Indonesia pleads for help from Duterte "I know you have a good heart. You are a parent as well. Even if my family is poor, I will not be involved in illegal drugs. Even if they put me behind bars. I cannot accept these accusations because I am innocent. I am innocent. I am innocent." These were the words of Mary Jane Veloso as she begged for the assistance of President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday through a recorded voice message from her family on July 31. The 31-year-old Cabanatuan native is currently in death row in Indonesia on drug trafficking charges. She was scheduled to be executed in April last year but was granted a reprieve following an international outcry to spare her life. As evidenced by her cracking voice, the sobbing Veloso pleaded for her freedom from the president, who
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 1 INDONESIA/PHILIPPINES: Death Penalty Hangs Over Duterte's Indonesia VisitThe case of Mary Jane Veloso puts the Philippine president in an awkward position. Recent weeks have seen speculation regarding the specifics of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's 1st visit abroad later this month. Initial chatter centered on which other ASEAN capitals Duterte would hit, in addition to Vientiane where he was expected to attend the next round of ASEAN summitry. He is now set to also visit Brunei and Indonesia. But as I hinted in my previous piece, the focus has now moved to what the agenda for each leg of this ASEAN voyage will be. For the Indonesia leg, despite other key issues which officials expect to be discussed - from subregional economic cooperation to trilateral patrols in the Sulu Sea - media attention has unsurprisingly dwelled on how Duterte will address the death penalty. Indonesia under Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has embarked on a series of controversial executions of foreign drug convicts on death row, and for the Philippines, the case of the Filipino woman Mary Jane Veloso in particular has been of interest. On this question, Duterte would appear to be in a pickle. On the one hand, some in the Philippine media, as well as Veloso's family, have been pressing him on whether he will say or do something about an issue that clearly affects the fate of a Philippine national, especially given the attention his administration has said it places on the fate of overseas Filipinos. Duterte's reputation for truth-telling and bold actions, to put it politely, would also suggest that he will not leave that stone unturned. But on the other hand, as I hinted at before, Duterte himself has embarked on his own controversial drug crackdown at home that has raised concerns about wrongdoing and rights. He is also pushing for a revival of the death penalty in the Philippines. That does not really seem to give him much room to give Jokowi an earful on this question. That perhaps explains why Duterte has been coy about the issue in public. At a recent press conference, he said he would rather be private about such "sensitive" issues, demonstrating a level of caution he is not used to. And this week, he turned to religion (months after calling bishops in Asia's largest Catholic nation "sons of whores") saying he was praying he could do something for Veloso. Duterte will probably end up addressing the issue in some manner, whether in public or in private or both, deliberately or inadvertently as he is prone to do in public engagements. His presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella even boldly suggested on Thursday that he could visit Veloso "given the opportunity." In any case, in spite of the hypocrisy that would be evident in any attempt by Duterte to give Jokowi an earful on this issue, consistency is an overrated virtue in international relations. The case in point is Indonesia itself, which has fought for the rights of its own citizens facing death row abroad - which number in the hundreds - but is killing foreigners at home. (source: Prashanth Parameswaran, The Diplomat) BANGLADESH: Man gets death penalty for killing wife A Mymensingh court on Wednesday awarded death sentence to a man for killing his wife. The convict was identified as Md Fakrul Islam, son of Abul Hossain of Fakirakanda village in Mymensingh sadar upazila, according to a news agency report. According to the court prosecution, Fakrul, got married Shirinaz Begum some 25 years ago and the couple has 4 sons. Later Fakrul married another woman Kaniz alias Tania as his 2nd wife some 17 years ago without taking permission of his 1st wife Shirinaz. Following the 2nd marriage, a serious family feud arose between Fakrul and Shirinaz, sources said. Following the feud, Fakrul killed his s2nd wife Tania in 2002. A murder case was lodged with Kotwali Police Station in this regard. Fakrul was sentenced for life imprisonment in the case and he suffered 11 years in jail and was released, source said. After his release from jail, Fakrul slaughtered his 1st wife Shirinaz with a sharp cutter on March 3 in 2012 while she was sleeping around 3.30pm. On information, police rushed to the spot, recovered the body and sent it to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. A murder case was lodged with Kotwali Police Station. Later police pressed a charge sheet against Fakrul. After examining 14 witnesses and evidences, Mohammad Amir Uddin, District and Session Judge of Mymensingh delivered the verdict. (source: The Financial Express) UGANDA: Court Upholds Death Penalty for Murderer The High Court in Kampala yesterday upheld a death penalty against a man who murdered a 5-year-old child in ritual sacrifice. Justice Wilson Masalu Musene maintained that Francis Mwanga, 39, be hanged for murdering Shamim Muhammad on Easter Day of April 1999. Mwanga's
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Sept. 1 GLOBAL: Mapped: The 58 countries that still have the death penalty ur recent round-up of interesting facts about Belarus - published to coincide with the 25th anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union - unearthed some remarkable things. The country is the booziest on Earth, it gave us Viber, and is home to some of the continent's last remaining bison. It is also the only nation in Europe that retains the death penalty. Every other European country has abolished it (Russia has abolished it in practice, and has not executed anyone since 1996). But in Belarus - often dubbed "Europe's last dictatorship" - it continues, with 12 executions taking place in the last 7 years and more than 200 since 1990. Just 4 countries considered to be industrialised still execute criminals: the US, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan. The most recent countries to abolish all capital punishment are Guinea (2016), Nauru (2016), Congo (2015), Suriname (2015), Fiji (2015), Madagascar (2012), Latvia (2012) and Gabon (2010). The 58 countries that have the death penalty 1--Botswana 2--Chad 3--Comoros 4--Democratic Republic of the Congo 5--Egypt 6--Equatorial Guinea 7--Ethiopia 8--Gambia 9--Lesotho 10-Libya 11-Nigeria 12-Somalia 13-Somaliland 14-South Sudan 15-Sudan 16-Uganda 17-Zimbabwe 18-Antigua and Barbuda 19-Bahamas 20-Barbados 21-Belize 22-Cuba 23-Dominica 24-Guatemala 25-Guyana 26-Jamaica 27-Saint Kitts and Nevis 28-Saint Lucia 29-Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 30-Trinidad and Tobago 31-United States 32-Afghanistan 33-Bahrain 34-Bangladesh 35-China 36-India 37-Indonesia 38-Iran 39-Iraq 40-Japan 41-Jordan 42-North Korea 43-Kuwait 44-Lebanon 45-Malaysia 46-Oman 47-Pakistan 48-Palestinian Territories 49-Qatar 50-Saudi Arabia 51-Singapore 52-Syria 53-Taiwan 54-Thailand 55-UAE 56-Vietnam 57-Yemen 58-Belarus Total executions in 2015 According to Amnesty International, 25 countries carried out at least 1,630 executions last year. At least 977 people were executed in Iran last year 19 Asian countries: Afghanistan (1), Bangladesh (4), China (exact number unknown), India (1), Indonesia (14), Iran (977+), Iraq (26+), Japan (3), Jordan (2), Malaysia (exact number unknown), North Korea (exact number unknown), Oman (2), Pakistan (326), Saudi Arabia (158+), Singapore (4), Taiwan (6), UAE (1), Vietnam (exact number unknown), and Yemen (8+). 5 African countries: Chad (10), Egypt (22+), Somalia (25+), South Sudan (5+), Sudan (3). 1 American country: United States (28). (source: telegraph.co.uk) IRAQexecutions Iraq executes 7 Arab men on terrorism convictions At least 7 men of different Arab nationalities were hanged Wednesday in Iraq on charges of links to al-Qaeda and convictions for terrorist crimes, officials said. "The death penalty has been carried out against 7 terrorists holding various Arab nationalities after the completion of their legal procedures," read a statement by the Iraqi ministry of justice. The 7 were captured at least 4 years ago and found guilty of terrorist activities with al-Qaeda in Iraq. "The blood of the martyrs will not go unpunished," Haidar al-Zamili, Iraq's justice minister, said in the statement. The executed were from Libya, Tunisia, Sudan, Palestine, Syria, Jordan and Egypt. They were all hanged at the Nasiriyah prison in southern Iraq, said a local official from Dhiqar province, also in southern Iraq. In June, the Iraqi Justice Ministry announced that in the 1st half of this year, it carried out 45 executions. Another 36 were hanged for their involvement in a massacre at the Speicher military base, where ISIS killed 1,700 Shiite cadets. The cadets were killed after ISIS took over large swathes of Iraq and seized Mosul, starting in June 2014. (source: rudaw.net) *** ISIS hack 9 teens in half with chainsaws in grim death penalty 9 young lads have been sliced in 2 by ISIS members using chainsaws in front of a packed city square. ISIS' sharia court passed down the sickening punishment The sick punishment was ordered by ISIS' sharia court after the youths were found to belong to an anti-ISIS faction. Tied to an iron pole in Tal Afar Square in the Iraqi city of Mosul, the youths were sawn to death as onlookers watched on, a source told Iraqi News on Wednesday. "The death sentence pronounced by ISIS sharia court stated that the men should be tied to an iron pole in the centre of Tal Afar Square in Mosul and then sliced into 2 with an electric chainsaw," added the source, who did not wish to named. Public executions using chainsaws mark another sickening low for ISIS. An ISIS executioner - called The Bulldozer - was captured on camera in June carrying out public executions. The world was shocked when pictures of him beheading a boy for listening to Western songs on a personal music player emerged earlier this year.
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 31 CHINA: 3 Pinoys in China death row At least 3 Filipinos are awaiting their death execution in China over drug-related offenses, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said yesterday. At yesterday's House Committee on Appropriations briefing on the DFA's proposed P16.63 billion budget for 2017, he said "2 or 3" Filipinos are facing death penalty in China for illegal drugs. "In Indonesia, we have 1. In China, 2 to 3 (Filipinos) are facing death sentence. They have not been scheduled for execution," he told the lawmakers. The government is flexing its muscles to spare the life of Mary Jane Veloso, who was apprehended in 2010 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia upon her arrival from Malaysia for transporting 2.6 kilograms of heroin concealed in her luggage. She was given a temporary reprieve on the eleventh hour by Indonesian President Joko Widodo last year after the previous Aquino government asked the Indonesian government that she be first allowed to provide testimonial evidence against her alleged human trafficker in a Philippine criminal case. (source: tempo.com.ph) NEPAL: Over 800 Nepali migrants in jails abroadBlood money can save 17 of the 27 facing death sentence More than 800 Nepali migrants are serving jail term in their job destination countries, mostly in the Gulf countries and Malaysia. In addition to that at least 27 Nepali workers are facing death sentence in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. However, most of them can skip their execution if they pay 'blood money', according to an official report. As per the Islamic Sharia law, blood money is the money paid by a murderer or his/her family to the family or kin of the victims generally to get clemency from death penalty. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Labour and Employment today jointly presented the details of the report in front of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who earlier directed both the ministries to swiftly work for safety and welfare of migrant workers. Deputy PM and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi, Deputy PM and Finance Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat, Labour Minister Surya Man Gurung and Information and Communications Minister Surendra Kumar Karki and secretaries of their respective ministries were also present. According to a report received by The Himalayan Times, at least 819 Nepalis are doing in time in 8 Gulf countries, Middle East and Malaysia. These include an alarming number of 427 in Saudi Arabia, followed by Malaysia (217), UAE (100), Qatar (44), Kuwait (26), Bahrain (3) and 1 each in Egypt and Oman. Charges against them include heinous crimes like murder and manslaughter to minor offences, such as traffic violations, over stay and peeing at roadside. They face anything from capital punishment to 3 months' of jail term, officials said. Over 2.5 million Nepali citizens are said to be working in these 8 nations. Among the Nepalis on death row, 24 are facing gallows in Saudi Arabia, 2 in UAE and 1 in Qatar. "At least 17 workers who are on death row in Saudi can skip execution if they pay victims' kin blood money,'" reads the report. At least 23 Nepalis are undergoing treatment after getting seriously injured in the course of their job. Most of them (14) were wounded while working in Qatar, where a large number of Nepalis are involved in construction sector for the preparation to host the 2022 World Cup. After witnessing the presentation made by MoFA Joint Secretaries Deepak Adhikari and Ganesh Dhakal, Prime Minister Dahal directed both the ministries to work in tandem towards ensuring safety and security of Nepali workers in the Gulf, Malaysia and in other states. He directed MoFA and MoLE to come up with a plan of action to make foreign employment more respectable and safe, stated the PM's Secretariat. The PM also directed the concerned agencies to make necessary changes in the Foreign Employment Act to ensure swift response in case of emergency involving Nepali migrant, according to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Bharat Raj Paudyal. (source: The Himalayan Times) BANGLADESH: Halt imminent execution of Mir Quasem Ali after unfair trial The Bangladesh authorities must halt the imminent execution of a senior political leader who has been sentenced to death following a deeply flawed trial, Amnesty International said today. "The people of Bangladesh deserve justice for crimes committed during the War of Independence. The continued use of the death penalty will not achieve this. It only serves to inflame domestic tensions and further divide a society riven by violence," said Champa Patel, Amnesty International's South Asia Director. The Bangladesh Supreme Court today upheld the conviction and death sentence against Mir Quasem Ali, a key financier of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, after rejecting his review appeal. It follows an
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 30 NORTH KOREAexecutions Kim Jong-un reportedly orders 2 officials to be executed by anti-aircraft guns1 challenged Kim's leadership while the other dozed off in a meeting. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered the executions of 2 senior officials with an anti-aircraft gun in early August, South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper has reported. These would mark the first executions ordered by Kim from outside the military or his party. According to the report, Ri Yong Jin, a senior official in the education ministry was arrested for falling asleep during a meeting with Kim. Ri was arrested on site, "intensively questioned" and executed on charges including corruption. The paper said that former Agriculture Minister Hwang Min was executed over a proposed policies that were seen as a direct challenge to Kim's leadership. Hwang was replaced by Ko In Ho at meeting of the rubber-stamp parliament in late June. The unnamed source said that 2 men were publicly executed on "special order" from Kim at a military academy in Pyongyang. The executions could not be confirmed by a spokesman at South Korea's Unification Ministry, Bloomberg reported. The report has yet to be independently verified and there have been instances where reports regarding executions in the reclusive country have turned out to be false. Since taking power in 2011 following his father's death, Kim has ordered the executions of dozens of officials. Kim was said to have ordered the execution of his uncle and 1-time deputy Jang Song Thaek 3 years ago. 1 year later, he ordered the executions of 50 officials on charges as varied as graft or watching South Korean soap operas. In January 2015, it was reported that he had General Pyon In Son, head of operations in the army, executed for disagreeing with him and in May of that year, he had his defence minister Hyon Yong Chol killed for falling asleep at a rally. Yonhap News reported in February that Kim had his military chief Ri Yong Gil killed on charges including corruption. Reports of the latest round of executions in North Korea come after a senior diplomat in London defected to South Korea. Thae Yong-ho fled to Seoul after claiming he was "tired of Kim's regime". In response, Pyongyang denounced Thae as "human scum" and accused him of being a sex criminal. Kim reportedly ordered the execution of those who failed to prevent the defection. (source: ibtimes.co.uk) AFGHANISTAN: Afghan Taliban: Haqqani's brother sentenced to death A local court in Afghanistan is said to have awarded death penalty to a brother of Sirajuddin Haqqani, deputy chief of the Afghan Taliban. A section of the media quoted Baseer Aziz, the spokesperson for the office of the attorney general, as saying that a primary court has awarded death sentence to Anas Haqqani, who was captured by US security officials after he visited Qatar in October 2014, along with another leader Hafiz Rashid. They were arrested in Bahrain, Taliban had confirmed at the time. The spokesperson would not say when and where the court sentenced Anas and on what charges. There was no official word on the matter, while the US-funded Radio Azadi also reported on the authority of 'credible sources' that a court has awarded death sentence to Anas Haqqani. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said he was trying to verify the report. "We have started investigation into the matter," Mujahid told The Express Tribune when approached on WhatsApp. Nunn.asia, a website which mainly reports on the Afghan Taliban said Anas has been condemned to death under "pressure from the government's circles". The Taliban had confirmed the detention of Anas and Rashid and said they had travelled to Qatar to meet the Taliban leaders who were freed from the infamous Guantanamo Bay detention centre. The US later handed over Anas and another senior Taliban commander to Afghan authorities, while the Afghan government had claimed that Anas was arrested in eastern Khost province. Afghan legal experts say the convicts have the right to appeal in the superior judiciary. (soruce: The Express Tribune) MAURITANIA: Death Penalty Still Looms for Mauritanian Blogger Who Spoke Out Against Caste-Based Discrimination A Mauritanian blogger has been sentenced to death by Nouadhibou Criminal Court after writing a blog post criticising the use of Islam to justify a caste system that dates back to the Middle Ages. Mohamed Cheikh Ould Mohamed Ould M'kheitir, whose father is prefect for Nouadhibou, the economic capital in the south of the country, is a 29-year-old trained accountant. They are part of a caste group known as les forgerons (the "forger cast"), one that was originally made up of blacksmiths. He has appealed the conviction, which dates back to 2014. Writing for the website Chezvlane on 25 December 2014, he said: "For those who dare to invent fake hadith and attribute them
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 29 IRANexecutions Iran regime mass executes 30 prisoners in 3 days The mullahs' regime has stepped up a spate of mass executions in recent days, hanging at least 18 people last Thursday alone. On Thursday, August 25, 7 prisoners, including a woman, were executed en masse in the Central Prison of Yazd, central Iran. The state-run Rokna news agency claimed that 5 of the victims were accused of drugs-related charges. Separately on Thursday, the regime mass executed 11 prisoners in the Central Prison of Zahedan, south-east Iran. One of the victims was identified as Hamzeh Rigi. On Saturday, August 27, despite international calls for a halt to the executions, 12 prisoners were hanged in the Central Prison of Karaj. These prisoners had been transferred to solitary cells on August 24 to prepare them for implementation of the death sentence. Commenting on the recent spate of mass executions in Iran, on Monday Shahin Gobadi of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said: "As the regime plunges further into domestic and regional isolation, it resorts to more executions en masse and suppression, but the reality is the regime is at a total strategic impasse, and these barbaric measures only indicate its utter desperation." The Iranian Resistance has called on all international human rights organizations to take urgent action to stop the brutal death penalty in Iran under the mullahs' rule. (source: NCR-Iran) *** Iran arrests nuclear negotiator suspected of spying Iran has arrested a member of the negotiating team that reached a landmark nuclear deal with world powers on suspicion of spying, a judiciary spokesman said on Sunday. The suspect was released on bail after a few days in jail but is still under investigation, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said at a weekly news conference, calling the unidentified individual a "spy who had infiltrated the nuclear team," state media reported. The deal that President Hassan Rouhani struck last year has given Iran relief from most international sanctions in return for curbing its nuclear programme, but it is opposed by hardliners who see it as a capitulation to the United States. Ejei was responding to a question about an Iranian lawmaker's assertion last week that a member of the negotiation team who had dual nationality had been arrested on espionage charges. Tehran's prosecutor general on Aug. 16 announced the arrest of a dual national he said was linked to British intelligence, but made no mention of the person being in the nuclear negotiations team. On Sunday, Ejei did not explicitly confirm that the arrested person had a second nationality. Britain said on Aug. 16 that it was trying to find out more about the arrest of a joint-national. Iran last month executed a nuclear scientist convicted of spying for the United States, an official said Sunday, acknowledging for the first time that the nation secretly detained and tried a man who was once heralded as a hero. Shahram Amiri defected to the U.S. at the height of Western efforts to thwart Iran's nuclear program. When he returned in 2010, he was welcomed with flowers by government leaders and even went on the Iranian talk-show circuit. Then he mysteriously disappeared. He was hanged the same week that Tehran executed a group of militants, a year after Iran agreed to a landmark accord to limit uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Amiri first vanished in 2009 while on a religious pilgrimage to Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia. A year later, he reappeared in a series of contradictory online videos filmed in the U.S. He then walked into the Iranian-interests section at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington and demanded to be sent home. In interviews, he described being kidnapped and held against his will by Saudi and American spies. U.S. officials said he was to receive millions of dollars for his help in understanding Iran's nuclear program. Iranian judiciary spokesman Gholamhosein Mohseni Ejehi said Amiri "had access to the country's secret and classified information" and "had been linked to our hostile and No. 1 enemy, America, the Great Satan." The spokesman told journalists that Amiri had been tried in a death-penalty case that was upheld by an appeals court. He did not explain why authorities never announced the conviction, though he said Amiri had access to lawyers. News about Amiri, born in 1977, has been scant since his return to Iran. Last year, his father told the BBC's Farsi-language service that his son had been held at a secret site. Ejehi said Amiri's family mistakenly believed he received a 10-year prison sentence. (source: dailysabah.com) PAKISTAN: Blasphemy case: SC to hear Aasia Bibi's appeal against her death sentence in October Supreme Court will hear Aasia Bibi's final appeal against her death
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 28 IRAN: UN rights expert urges Iran to halt execution of 12 drug offenders The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, Ahmed Shaheed, on Friday urged Iran to halt the execution of Alireza Madadpour and 11 other individuals convicted on drug related offenses. All 12 individuals were sentenced to death for drug offenses and recently transferred to solitary confinement in Karaj Central Prison. Madadpour was arrested in November 2011 when 990 grams of crystal meth were found during a raid in a house he cleaned. He was later convicted in July 2012 by the Karaj Revolutionary Court in a trial that lasted 20 minutes, and was never given the opportunity to meet with his defense lawyer. Madadpour's request for a pardon and retrial were denied. Shaheed expressed serious concern regarding Iran's' insistence on using drug-related executions as means to deter crimes and pointed out the open acknowledgement of Iran's own government officials concerning the ineffectiveness of executions in the prevention of drug-related crimes. Shaheed stated that: It is regrettable that the Government continues to proceed with executions for crimes that do not meet the threshold of the "most serious crimes" as required by international law, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is State party. It is also troubling that courts continue to issue death sentences in trials that not only breach international fair trial standards but even domestic due process guarantees. Shaheed urged Iran to impose a moratorium on executions and restrict the use of the death penalty for the "most serious crimes." Much international pressure has been directed toward Iran in recent years for its use of the death penalty. In March Shaheed expressed continued concern regarding Iran's alarming rate of juvenile executions and other flaws in the justice system. In February Amnesty International criticized Iran's justice system after 40 men were sentenced to death. In January AI reported on the many juvenile offenders on death row in Iran. (source: jurist.org) BANGLADESH: SC upholds death penalty for JMB man in Jhalokati judges killing case The Supreme Court has upheld the death penalty handed down to a members of banned militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) for carrying out a suicide bomb attack that killed 2 judges in Jhalokati in 2005. A 5-member Appellate Division panel headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha gave the verdict , rejecting the review plea filed by Asadul Islam on Sunday morning. Senior Assistant Judges Jagannath Pandey and Sohel Ahmed were killed in a suicide bomb attack at Purba Chadkati in Jhalokati on November 14, 2005. The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court had upheld death sentence of 7 JMB leaders, including its chief Abdur Rahman, second-in-command Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai and Asadul in the case filed over the killing of judges in Jhalokati. However, the death sentence of the militants except Asadul were executed in 2007. (source: Dhaka Tribune) Bangladeshi jail 'cover-up' as UK journalist faces trial Britain refuses to release prison report as 81-year-old is held for sedition The UK government is refusing to release a report that it secretly commissioned into Bangladeshi prisons as concern grows ahead of a court appearance on Tuesday of an elderly British journalist being held in a notorious Dhaka jail. Shafik Rehman, 81, will face a supreme court hearing over allegations of sedition. His family claim that the Foreign Office has effectively abandoned him and fears that, if charged and convicted, he could be sentenced to death. Even though no charges have been brought, Rehman has been detained for 4 months, during which his health has deteriorated. A prominent figure in Bangladesh, Rehman is a former BBC journalist and talkshow host and is the 3rd pro-opposition editor to be detained in the country since 2013. The commercial arm of the UK's Ministry of Justice - Just Solutions International (JSI) - completed a consultation on Bangladesh's prisons last year. However, the findings of the report have never been made public, despite concerns over the treatment of elderly prisoners. Freedom of information requests have been rejected by the MoJ on the basis of "protecting national security", alongside diplomatic reasons. Critics claim the UK government is effectively protecting Bangladesh by refusing to release potentially damning information about the conditions within its prisons. JSI was forced to close earlier this year after winning a contract to train prison staff in Saudi Arabia. Set up by former UK justice secretary Chris Grayling, JSI had contracts with numerous governments with questionable human rights records, including Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey and Libya. Maya Foa, director of the death penalty team
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 27 IRAN: Death penalty failing to deter drug trafficking in Iran -official The death penalty has failed to reduce drug trafficking in Iran, a senior Iranian judiciary official said on Saturday shortly before the scheduled execution of 12 people for narcotics-related offences. His criticism was unusual in a judiciary that has long been a bastion of the hardline security establishment in the Islamic Republic, which carries out more executions per capita than any other country. Nearly 1,000 prisoner were put to death in 2015, most of them for drug trafficking. Most narcotics are smuggled into Iran along its long, often lawless border with Afghanistan, which supplies about 90 percent of the world's opium from which heroin is made. "The truth is, the execution of drug smugglers has had no deterrent effect," Mohammad Baqer Olfat, deputy head of judiciary for social affairs, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. "We have fought full-force against smugglers according to the law, but unfortunately we are experiencing an increase in the volume of drugs trafficked to Iran, the transit of drugs through the country, the variety of drugs, and the number of people who are involved in it," Olfat said. He said he had suggested to the judiciary chief that rather than the death penalty, traffickers should serve long prison terms with hard labour. Mohammad-Javad Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Human Rights Council and a brother of the powerful judiciary chief, said in 2015 that more than 90 % of executions in the country were for drug-related crimes. He said the death penalty has not led to a significant fall in drug-related crimes and that the policy must be re-evaluated. The Islamic Republic seized 388 tonnes of opium in 2012, around 72 % of all such seizures globally, but says it has lost many security personnel in skirmishes with drug traffickers in volatile regions bordering Afghanistan and also Pakistan. The United Nations has repeatedly praised Iran's battle against narcotics trafficking but opposed its death penalty. The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Iran urged Tehran on Friday to halt the execution of 12 people on drug-related offences scheduled for Saturday. "It is regrettable that the (Iranian) government continues to proceed with executions for crimes that do not meet the threshold of the 'most serious crimes' as required by international law," Ahmed Shaheed said in a statement. Given Iran's large number of executions, some countries including Britain and Denmark have stopped providing funding for the United Nations drug control programme in Iran. (source: Reuters) This morning 12 individuals were executed by Iran regime Despite repeated calls from UN expert and Special Rapporteur on Iran Human Rights. Mr. Ahmed Shaheed to halt these executions, today 12 individuals were executed in Gohardasht (Rajai-Shahr) Prison in Karaj, north-west of Tehran. Families of the prisoners who rallied in front of prison yesterday, also were urging Iran regime to halt the executions. "It is regrettable that the Government continues to proceed with executions for crimes that do not meet the threshold of the 'most serious crimes' as required by international law, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is State party. It is also troubling that courts continue to issue death sentences in trials that not only breach international fair trial standards but even domestic due process guarantees," Mr. Shaheed stressed. The Special Rapporteur renewed his call on the Government of Iran to immediately institute a moratorium on executions and to restrict use of the death penalty for the "most serious crimes" (i.e. intentional killings). He also repeated his calls on the Iranian authorities to adhere to international standards guaranteeing fair trial and due process for those facing the death penalty. The names of 9 out of 12 individual who were executed are as follows: Alireza Madadpour, Bahman Rezai, Arman Bahrami, Alireza Asadi, Mohsen Eslami, Hosein Bayrami (transferred from Ghezelhesar prison) Mehdi Rostami, Amir and ALireza Sarkhah. (source: NCR-Iran) Urgent: At Least 10 Prisoners in Imminent Danger of Execution for Drug Offences At least 10 prisoners in Karaj Central Prison (west of Tehran) have been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions. The prisoners were reportedly able to have visits with their families for the last time. According to close sources, the prisoners were transferred on the morning of Wednesday August 24 and are all sentenced to death for drug related offences. Their execution sentences are reportedly scheduled to be carried out on the morning of Saturday August 27 at this prison. Iran Human Rights is aware of the names of 5 of the 10 prisoners: Ali
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 26 INDIA: Jigisha Ghosh murder case: Court awards death penalty to accused Ravi Kapoor A court here in New Delhi on Friday convicted Ravi Kapoor, awarded death penalty in IT executive Jigisha Ghosh's murder case, in another murder case of a taxi driver in January 2009. Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav held Kapoor and Ajay Kumar guilty of offences under sections 302 (murder), section 364 (kidnapping), section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), section 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). According to police, Ravi Kapoor and his gang killed Mohammed Nadeem and fled with his car - Tavera, and his valuables on January 7, 2009. The court also convicted 2 others - Ajay Sethi under sections 413 (habitually receives stolen property) and and Mohammed Arif for offences under section 411 (dishonestly receives or retains any stolen property) of the IPC. The court has directed the government to appoint a probation officer (PO) who will prepare a Pre-Sentencing Report (PSR) as mandated by the Delhi High Court. Arguments for sentencing will be heard on October 1. On August 22, the court handed death penalty to Ravi Kapoor and 1 more accused for kidnapping and killing Jigisha Ghosh in 2009, saying the magnitude and brutality of the crime made it "a rarest of rare cases". Kapoor is also facing trial for killing journalist Soumya Vishwanathan in 2008. (source: newsx.com) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
August 25 IRAN: Iran's executions continue as West prioritizes nuclear deal Earlier this month Iran executed at least two dozen political prisoners on various charges of activities against the regime or membership in extremist groups. Though there was nothing new either with the charges or the number of executions, the action this time brought wide condemnation, especially by Kurds who thought the world was turning a blind eye to Iran's human rights violations due to its nuclear deal with the West. "The application of overly broad and vague criminal charges, coupled with a disdain for the rights of the accused to due process and a fair trial have in these cases led to a grave injustice," said Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Among those hanged was Hassan Afshar, a 19-year-old who was arrested and convicted of rape at the age of 17. Al Hussein called the execution of juveniles "particularly abhorrent." On August 2, the Iranian government announced that it had executed 20 members of a "takfiri" group (a term used by Iran to denote false Islam) that were mainly Kurdish and Sunnis. A few days later, members of the family of Kurdish nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri said that he had been executed. These executions immediately caught the attention of rights groups who described them as shameful and made Iran a regional leader in executions. "Iran's mass execution of prisoners on August 2 at Rajai Shahr prison is a shameful low point in its human rights record," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, in a press release on August 8. "With at least 230 executions since January 1, Iran is yet again the regional leader in executions but a laggard in implementing the so far illusory penal code reforms meant to bridge the gap with international standards," she added. Many have blamed the West, the United States in particular, for not holding Iran accountable to its human rights violations mainly in order to keep their Vienna nuclear deal in place. But the US State Department says that it remains concerned about human rights in Iran and has raised the issue with them through many channels. "We reaffirm our calls on Iran to respect and protect human rights, and to ensure fair and transparent judicial proceedings in all cases," a State Department official told Rudaw English. "We have consistently and publicly expressed our concerns about Iran's human rights record through a range of channels." Emad Kiyaei, Director of External Affairs at the American Iranian Council, says that his council has condemned the recent executions in Iran and that it has raised the issue with the US government. However, he believes that the nuclear deal does not mean Iran has been given a blank check to act as it wants. On the contrary, he sees the deal as a chance to bring the Islamic Republic out of isolation and help improve its human rights record. "Instead of resorting to coercive policies, the Council recommends the creation of a joint working group between Iran and the EU to examine policies and methodologies to reform the judicial system in Iran," Kiyaei told Rudaw English. Kiyaei said that the issue of human rights in Iran should be separated from the nuclear deal as it was specific to dealing with Iran's nuclear program, which was not intended to address all the issues that exist between Iran and the international community. "Therefore, it is unlikely that human rights issues would derail this accord." He argued that keeping the sanctions on Iran could only worsen the situation for prisoners and would not necessarily reduce the number of executions. "The Council does not believe that coercive or further sanctions on Iran would improve the human rights condition within the country," Kiyaei said, adding, "Instead, through open dialogue, diplomacy and weaving Iran more intimately within the international community would be more conducive in empowering those within the Iranian government who seek to reform, moderate and transform the country to be more in line with universal human rights." Alex Vatanka, Senior Fellow and Iran expert at the Middle East Institute in Washington differs. He does not think the nuclear deal would improve Iran's human rights record as it was only to make sure Iran did not become a nuclear power which has now turned into a business scheme. "The nuclear deal was never meant to change Iran's overall character but simply to make sure it did not become a nuclear weapons power," Vatanka told Rudaw English. "I don't see any signs that the P5+1 would want to void the deal because of Iranian behavior towards its own people at home." Vatanka believes that Tehran uses the executions as a show of force especially to deter its opponents and drown any dissent. He argues: "At the moment the int. community wants to safeguard the nuclear deal and is looking for commercial
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 24 IRANexecutions 2 Prisoners Executed in Southern Iran A prisoner on death row for drug related charges was reportedly hanged at Sirjan Prison (Kerman province, southcentral Iran), and 1 prisoner was reportedly hanged at Bandar Abbas Prison (Hormozgan province, southern Iran) on unknown charges. According to the unoffocial news source, Baloch Activists Campaign, a prisoner identified as Reza Naruee was hanged on the morning of Thursday August 18 on drug related charges. The group also reports on the execution of a prisoner, identified as Habib Jamalhezi (pictured below), at Bandar Abbas Prison on Sunday August 21 on unknown charges. Iranian official sources, including the media and Judiciary, have been silent on these 2 executions. Earlier, Iran Human Rights had reported on the public execution of 2 prisoners at Saheli Boulevard in Bandar Abbas on rape charges.The executions were reportedly carried out on the morning of Wednesday August 17 in front of a crowd of people. (source: NCR-Iran) BANGLADESH: Annul death sentence for Mir Quasem AliA group of UN human rights experts urges Bangladesh A group of United Nations human rights experts yesterday urged the Bangladesh government to annul the death sentence of Jamaat-e-Islami central executive council member Mir Quasem Ali and to retry him in compliance with international standards. Quasem was sentenced to death in 2014 by the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War in 1971. The decision was upheld by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in March this year. The experts' request has come as the SC prepares to hear the review appeal of Quasem today, according to a UN press release issued in Geneva yesterday. "Ali's trial and appeal processes were reportedly marred with irregularities and failed to meet international standards on fair trial and due process for the imposition of the death penalty," noted the UN experts on extrajudicial executions, independence of the judiciary, torture, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances. "International law, accepted as binding by Bangladesh, provides that capital punishment may only be imposed following trials that comply with the most stringent requirements of fair trial and due process, or could otherwise be considered an arbitrary execution," they cautioned. The UN human rights experts also expressed alarm at reports that Quasem's son and part of his legal defence team, Mir Ahmed Bin Quasem, was abducted from his home on August 9 by Bangladeshi security forces, two weeks before his father's review hearing. "We understand that no information has been given on where he is being held, by whom or under what suspicion or charge. We urge the authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of Mir Quasem [Mir Ahmed Bin Quasem]," they said. The experts are: Agnes Callamard, new UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Monica Pinto, UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Juan E Mendez, UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; Setondji Roland Adjovi, current chairperson of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; and the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. (source: The Daily Star) ETHIOPIA: Reprieve writes to Boris Johnson over British citizen's Ethiopian detention Human rights group Reprieve has written to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in support of a British citizen on death row in Ethiopia, who they say continues to be refused access to a lawyer. Andargachew Tsege, a prominent opposition political activist, was abducted by Ethiopian security forces from an international airport in 2014 and has been detained under an in absentia death sentence since then. In June, then-Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond announced that he "received a commitment from the Prime Minister that Mr Tsege will be allowed access to independent legal advice". However, Reprieve, which is assisting Mr Tsege, says that he has not received legal access and has even been denied even the writing materials he would need to request a lawyer. Reprieve wrote to Mr Johnson on 11 August to alert him to the latest developments, but has yet to receive a reply. Maya Foa, director of the death penalty team at Reprieve, said: "Andy was illegally sentenced to death while living in London, illegally kidnapped and rendered to Ethiopia where he has been held in unlawful detention for over 2 years. "Not only are the Ethiopian authorities refusing him a lawyer - they won't even provide pen and paper so he can request one. "The British Government must now recognise that Ethiopia is not serious about the rule of law, and demand that Andy is released immediately from his unlawful detention and returned to his family in London." (source:
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 23 CHINA: Organ harvesting rumors "insult" to transplant professionals: Chinese expert Wild speculation that 100,000 transplants were performed per year using organs from executed prisoners is an insult to the intelligence of transplant professionals and to the sacrifice of the donors and their families in China, a Chinese expert said on Monday. Speaking at a plenary session of the 26th International Congress of the Transplantation Society, Huang Jiefu, director of China's National Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee and former vice minister in the Chinese Ministry of Health, said the country performed 10,057 organ transplants last year, around 8.38 % of the global total. The number matches China's use of immunosuppressive agents, a must-have drug for patients after their transplant surgeries. China accounted for some 8 % of the global immunosuppressant market, he said. Introducing China's decade-long organ donation reform to the audience, Huang said the transition of organ source from death-row inmates to the voluntary community-based organ donation has been realized and an ethical preliminary national organ donation and transplantation system established, adding the country's progress has been recognized by the international society. In 2015, 2,766 cases of organ donation after the death of citizens were recorded, more than the total number in year 2013 and 2014 combined. In the first 7 months of 2016, 2152 cases were recorded, 49.2 % up from the same period last year, with predictions for the whole year at about 4,000. Huang reiterated that starting from Jan. 1, 2015, death penalty prisoner's organs are not allowed to be used under any circumstances, and community-based Chinese citizen organ donation has become the only legitimate source of transplantable organs in China. Since 2007, China has cracked down on 32 unlawful intermediaries, arrested 158 criminal suspects, investigated 17 medical institutions with 44 medical staff involved and their medical licenses revoked, and 13 black-market dens have been eradicated, he said, calling on the international audience to report any illegal activity, in a show of resolve from the Chinese government. Meanwhile, he admitted that the achievement of China's transplant reform is only preliminary, and is only the first step of a long journey, with formidable tasks ahead. However, political commitment of China's leadership, public support and dedication of the medical staff, as well as traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, are sources of confidence for promoters of the reform, he said. Statistics show that China now has the most organ donations per year in Asia and the 3rd highest number globally. In addition, it is performing the second highest number of organ transplants in the world per year after the United States. The Transplantation Society is a non-governmental organization which serves as an international forum for the world-wide advancement of organ transplantation, with over 6,700 members composed of professionals with an active interest in basic science, clinical research and/or improving clinical practice in the field of transplantation. A biennial congress of the TTS is held every 2 years grouping together over 5,000 participants. This year's congress is held in Hong Kong from Aug. 18 to 23, the 1st time the congress is held in China. (source: Shanghai Daily) MALAYSIA: Penalty in Lahad Datu case too light, says A-G The Attorney-General's Chambers is pressing for the death penalty against the nine Filipinos sentenced to life imprisonment for the armed intrusion into Lahad Datu, Sabah. It has filed an appeal against the decision by the Kota Kinabalu High Court to jail the men over the February 2013 invasion that resulted in a military conflict and 72 deaths. Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali said the punishment meted out by the judge, Justice Stephen Chung, did not fit the crime. "The law provides the death sentence for the offence, so we will appeal," he said after opening the annual prosecutors conference here yesterday. He said the convicted men should get death, "or at least, their leader should". Chung sentenced the Filipinos on July 26 after finding them guilty of waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. During the incursion by about 235 militants, which lasted till March 24 that year, 56 militants, 6 civilians and 10 Malaysian security forces personnel were killed. (source: thestar.com.my) IRAQ: Iraq Executes 36 Militants Over Camp Speicher Massacre in Tikrit The execution of 36 individuals found guilty of taking part in the massacre of over a thousand of soldiers in 2014 would just perpetuate the vicious cycle of violence in the country, a human rights group said Monday in a statement. On Sunday, Iraqi Justice Minister Haidar Zamili said that the Iraqi authorities had hung 36 people over the 2014
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 22 BANGLADESH: Mir Quasem's review plea hearing Wednesday The Supreme Court is set to hear on Wednesday a petition filed by condemned war criminal Mir Quasem Ali seeking review of its earlier verdict upholding his death penalty for crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971. A 4-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice SK Sinha, is likely to hear the review pleas. A 5-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by the Chief Justice, was scheduled to hear the petition on July 25. However, it deferred the hearing until August 24 as the defence counsels filed a time prayer seeking adjournment of the hearing for 2 months. Earlier on June 20, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Hasan Foez Siddique fixed July 25 for hearing the pleas following a petition filed by the state. On June 19, Mir Ahmed Bin Quasem, son of Mir Quasem, filed a 68-page review petition with the Appellate Division seeking the acquittal of the war criminal. The Supreme Court released the full text of its verdict upholding the death penalty awarded by the International Crimes Tribunal-2 to Mir Quasem Ali for the crimes he committed against humanity during the Liberation War on June 6. On March 8, the Appellate Division upheld the death penalty for Mir Quasem Ali for his war crimes. The International Crimes Tribunal-2 sentenced Mir Quasem Ali, Al-Badr chief in the port city of Chittagong in 1971, to death on November 2, 2014. On November 30, 2014, he filed an appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the death penalty. Top Jamaat-e-Islami financier Quasem, now 64, was president of the Chittagong town unit of the Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of Jamaat, till November 6, 1971. He was then made general secretary of the East Pakistan Chhatra Sangha. (source: prothom-alo.com) PHILIPPINES: Philippines' Drugs War Deaths Reaches 1,800, Police Tell Senate Inquiry Drug-related killings under Rodrigo Duterte's presidency double, as relatives of the dead accuse police of murdering suspects. The number of drug-related killings in the Philippines since President Rodrigo Duterte took power has doubled to almost 1,800, police have said. The number of suspected drug traffickers killed in his seven-week-old war on drugs had previously been put at about 900 by Philippine officials. However, Philippine National Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa on Monday told a Senate committee investigating extrajudicial killings that 712 drug traffickers and users had been killed. He added a further 1,067 drug-related deaths were being investigated by officers. The latest figures had been compiled since the start of July, he said. Mr Duterte, dubbed "The Punisher", took office on 30 June after winning the presidency on a single-issue campaign of tackling illegal drugs and other crime, pledging to kill tens of thousands of criminals. He has repeatedly called on police, and even civilians, to kill drug criminals - and warned police officers involved in the trade will face the death penalty. Senator Leila de Lima, spearheading the inquiry, said she was concerned law enforcers and vigilantes may be using the crackdown "to commit murder with impunity". Witnesses have accused police officers of shooting dead suspects. 1 woman told the Senate committee her husband and father-in-law were arrested and beaten by officers and taken to a police station where they were gunned down last month. Rodrigo Duterte speaking against the UN after they criticised his anti-drugs policies He urged the UN to also consider the number of innocent lives lost to drugs, before laying into the organisation in a typically expletive-laden tirade. But his foreign minister Perfecto Yasay has since said the Philippines has no intention of quitting the UN. "We are committed to the UN despite our numerous frustrations and disappointments with the international agency," said Mr Yasay. (source: Sky News) IRAQ: Executions will not eliminate security threats The execution of 36 men in Iraq yesterday marks an alarming rise in the authorities' use of the death penalty in response to the dramatic security threats the country is facing, said Amnesty International today. The men were convicted over the killing of 1,700 military cadets at Speicher military camp near Trikrit in June 2014, after a deeply-flawed mass trial which lasted only a few hours, and relied on "confessions" extracted under torture. "These mass executions mark a chilling increase in Iraq's use of the death penalty," said Lynn Maalouf, Deputy Director for Research at Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Regional Office. "Time and time again, Amnesty International has emphasized that victims' families have the right to truth and called for justice for the atrocities committed by the armed group calling itself the Islamic State. However, executing
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 22 BANGLADESH: Son gets death penalty, mother life term in murder case As a sequel to previous land dispute, bank official was murdered by his neighbours in his house at Chandanaish upazila on June 10, 2005. A Chittagong court on Monday has sentenced a man to death and his mother to life term imprisonment for killing a neigbour over land dispute at Chandanaish upazila of Chittagong. The convicts are Humayun Kabir and his mother Shamshunnahar. Judge Rabiuzzaman of Second Additional District and Sesions Judge's Court passed the order in presence of the 2 convicts. The same court also fined both convicts with Tk 50,000. In default, Shamshunnahar will have to serve an additional 6 months in prison. According to the case documents, the victim Munir Ahmed was an official in Agrabad branch of Rupali Bank. As a sequel to previous land dispute, the bank official was murdered by his neighbours in his house at Chandanaish upazila on June 10, 2005. Of the 2 convicts, Shamshunnahar hit the bank official with a stick while her son Humayun struck him in the head with a spade. Critically injured, the banker was rushed to Chandanaish upazila health complex. Later he was shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on June 29, 2005. Tanvir Ahmed, son of the victim, filed a case against Shamshunnahar and her 2 sons Humayun Kabir and Shaon. The police, however, dropped Shaon from the charge-sheet and submitted it on April 19, 2006. The charge was framed against the duo on January 28, 2008. The court delivered the verdict after taking deposition of 11 witnesses. (source: Dhaka Tribune) MALAYSIA: Let's say no to the death penalty First and foremost, I would like to thank Amnesty International Malaysia for inviting me to give a talk on the topic of the death penalty. Amnesty International has been in the forefront of highlighting facts on the death penalty around the world, and why it should be abolished. One worrying trend is the arbitrary manner the death penalty is dealt with, and lack of proportionality to the crime, due to questionable judicial processes, and prejudices inherent in the justice system of the state, besides social economic factors that deprive the poor of competent attorneys to represent them. In Malaysia, the number of individuals currently under the death sentence is at least 1,043. In a reply to Parliament on Nov 12, 2014, the home minister disclosed that there were 975 persons under sentence of death. Among these, 347 had filed for appeals (310 to the Federal Court, and 37 to the Court of Appeal), and 255 to the Pardons Board. In May 2015, Prisons Department director Abdul Basir told the press that there were 1,043 death row inmates nationwide. As of October 2013, 564 individuals had been on death row for over 5 years, representing just over 50 percent of all death row inmates. In October 2012, the DPP commissioned Professor Roger Hood, Professor Emeritus of Criminology at the University of Oxford, to design and analyse the findings of a public opinion survey on the mandatory death penalty in Malaysia. The survey of a representative sample of 1,535 Malaysian citizens from all over the country, was carried out by Ipsos Malaysia, a leading market research company. The research was designed to elicit views on the mandatory death penalty for drug trafficking, murder and offences under the Firearms Act. By using a series of scenarios, it showed the extent to which members of the public support the mandatory death penalty, when faced with the reality of having to judge whether the crime merits the death penalty. In the findings, a large majority said they were in favour of the death penalty, whether mandatory or discretionary; 91 % for murder, 74 to 80 % for drug trafficking depending on the drug concerned, and 83 % for firearms offences. Concerning the mandatory death penalty, a majority of 56 % said they were in favour of it for murder, but only between 25 and 44 % for drug trafficking and 45 % for firearms offences. This was basically in theory. Large gap When asked to say what sentences they would themselves impose on a series of 'scenario' cases, all of which were subject to a mandatory death sentence, a large gap was found between the level of support 'in theory' and the level of support when faced with the 'reality'. For example, of the 56 % who said they favoured the mandatory death penalty for murder, whatever the circumstances, only 14 % of them actually chose the death penalty for all the scenario cases they judged. This was only 8 % of the total number of respondents. When interviewees were asked whether they would support the death penalty if it were proven that innocent persons had been executed, the proportion in favour for murder fell to 33 %, for drug trafficking to 26 %, and to 23 % for firearm offences. These findings suggest that
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 21 IRAQexecutions Iraq hangs 36 over 2014 massacre of army recruits Iraq on Sunday hanged 36 men convicted over the 2014 massacre by the Islamic State and allied militants of hundreds of military recruits, officials said. They had be en found guilty of involvement in the "Speicher" massacre, named after a base near Tikrit where up to 1,700 recruits were kidnapped before being executed in a massacre claimed by the Islamic State group. "The executions of 36 convicted over the Speicher crime were carried out this morning in Nasiriyah prison," a spokesman for the governor's office in Dhiqar, the province of which Nasiriyah is the capital, told AFP. "The governor of Dhiqar, Yahya al-Nasseri and Justice Minister Haidar al-Zamili were present to oversee the executions," Abdelhassan Dawood said. "They were transferred to Nasiriyah last week after the president approved the executions," he said, referring to the necessary green light from Fuad Masum. Following the death of more than 300 people in the worst ever single bomb attack to strike Baghdad last month, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi had said he wanted to expedite the execution of inmates sentenced to death in terrorism cases. The Dhiqar governor confirmed to AFP that the executions were carried out by hanging. His spokesman said that around 400 of the Speicher massacre victims were from the Dhiqar province, which is predominantly Shia and located in Iraq's south. "Tens of relatives attended the executions," said Dawood. "They shouted Allahu Akbar (God is greatest), they were happy to see those people dead." The trials that have led to Iraq's latest batches of death sentences have been severely criticised by rights groups as failing to meet basic standards. Amnesty International had slammed Iraq's systematic resort to the death penalty following the execution of 22 other people in May this year. "The use of the death penalty is deplorable in all circumstances, and it is particularly horrendous when applied after grossly unfair trials marred by allegations of confessions extracted under torture as is frequently the case in Iraq," the group's Iraq researcher Diana Eltahawy said. The United Nations had criticised Abadi's call to speed up executions, which according to Amnesty already topped 100 for 2016 before Sunday's hangings. "Fast-tracking executions will only accelerate injustice," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said earlier this month. The Speicher massacre is considered one of IS's worst crimes since it took over large parts of the country in 2014. Combined with a call by the country's top Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, for Iraqis to take up arms against them, the Speicher massacre played a key role in the mass recruitment of Shia volunteers to fight IS. (source: Middle East Eye) ISIS executes 14 civilians in Mosul A local source in Nineveh province informed on Saturday that ISIS executed 14 civilians in central Mosul, accusing them of collaborating with government and Kurdish Peshmerga forces.. Sharing details the source said, "ISIS killed 14 civilians in al-Faisaliah, central Mosul, for the allegedly collaborating with the government and Peshmerga forces. The entire execution process was filmed on camera by the outfit. The death penalty against the civilians were issued by the Sharia court in Nineveh." (source: iraqinews.com) INDIA: Prosecution in Jigisha Ghosh murder case seek death penalty for accused The special public prosecutor in the case argued that the three men convicted of the killing had committed the murder for pleasure. The prosecution in the case of the abduction and murder of IT executive Jigisha Ghosh has sought the death penalty for the 3 men convicted of the killing. The Indian Express reported that both Special Public Prosecutor Rajiv Mohan and the lawyers representing Ghosh's parents called for capital punishment for the 3 men, with Mohan saying that the convicted had killed the victim for pleasure. However, the lawyer for 1 of those convicted, Ravi Kapoor, said that the convicted man was mentally unfit. Arguing against a report on the conduct of the accused, the lawyer sought a life sentence for Kapoor, saying that he suffered from a "life-threatening disease". The counsel for the other 2 accused, Amit Shukla and Baljeet Malik, asked the court to look at reformation as an option for his clients. The 3 men were pronounced guilty by a Delhi court in July. Ghosh was abducted and murdered in 2009 after being dropped home from work. The accused were captured after being caught on camera using her debit card. The Delhi Police later said the 3 men were also involved in the murder of television journalist Soumya Vishwanathan in 2008. Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav has reserved his judgement on the quantum of the sentencing till Monday. (source:
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 20 IRANexecutions Northern Iran: 2 Prisoners Hanged on Drug Charges On Sunday August 14 2 prisoners were reportedly hanged in northern Iran, one at Gorgan Central Prison (Golestan province) and the other at Salmas Prison (West Azerbaijan province). According to a report by the unnoficial human rights news agency, HRANA, the prisoner at Gorgan was sentenced to death for "Trafficking and possession of narcotics". The report identifies the prisoner as Hamidreza Roustasefat, 43 years old. Mr. Roustasefat was reportedly detained in prison for 5 years before he was transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for his execution. According to a report by the unofficial human rights news agency, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, the prisoner hanged at Solmas was Aydin Teimourzadeh, sentenced to death on drug related charges. The report says Mr. Teimourzadeh was detained in prison for 7 years before his execution. (source: Iran Human Rights) INDIA: Jigisha Murder Case: Delhi Police Seeks Death Sentence For Convicts A court in Delhi will pronounce sentence to three men convicted for murdering and robbing IT executive Jigisha Ghosh in Delhi in 2009 on Monday, with the Delhi Police today seeking death penalty for them saying they killed her for "pleasure" and showed no remorse. Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav reserved the order on sentence after the arguments concluded today and a pre-sentencing report (PSR) was submitted by probationary officer. "Pre-sentencing report received...Copy has been supplied to counsel for the convicts. Arguments heard. Order on sentence to be pronounced on Monday," the judge said after hearing the arguments of prosecution, convicts and perusing the pre-sentencing report which gave details about the background of the guilty persons. However, the judge ordered for maintaining confidentiality of the report. Jigisha, 28, working as an operations manager in a management consultancy firm, was abducted and killed on March 18, 2009 after she was dropped by her office cab around 0400 hours near her home in Vasant Vihar area of South Delhi. Her body was recovered 3 days later from a place near Surajkund in Haryana, police had said. Seeking death sentence for the convicts - Ravi Kapoor, Baljeet and Amit Shukla, Special Public Prosecutor Rajiv Mohan argued that they had abducted Jigisha, robbed her, killed her and used her debit card for shopping, and a CCTV footage of their shopping showed they had no remorse for their act. "There was no provocation. There is no mitigating factor in the matter. It was murder for pleasure. The footage shows they had no remorse at all, which is an aggravating factor," he said. Rebutting the arguments of prosecution, defence counsel sought minimum sentence of life for the convicts contending that they did not have any previous criminal involvement and were young at the time of the incident. Advocate Amit Kumar, appearing for convicts Baljeet and Amit Shukla, argued that his clients have already spent over 7 years in jail and maintained good conduct. The counsel for convict Ravi Kapoor sought leniency for his client saying he suffered from a life threatening disease and belonged to a poor background. The defence counsel also termed the PSR contradictory and biased contending that it did not mention the incident when convict Amit Shukla was brutally beaten inside the jail. During arguments when the SPP referred to the alleged involvement of the 3 convicts in the Soumya Vishwanathan murder case, the defence counsel objected to it saying it was a separate case which was still pending and referring to it would cause them prejudice during the proceedings. The court had, a month ago, held the 3 men guilty of murder, abduction, robbery, forgery and common intention under IPC, saying it was "abundantly clear" that they had committed the crime. Kapoor was also convicted for the offence of using firearms under the Arms Act. While convicting them on July 14, the judge had said "they committed her murder and disposed of her body in bushes and circumstantial evidence makes it clear that it was these men who committed the crime." The police had filed the charge sheet in the case in June 2009 and trial began on April 15, 2010. Recovery of the weapon allegedly used in Jigisha's murder had led to the cracking of the murder case of Soumya Vishwanathan, who was a journalist with a news channel. Soumya was shot dead on September 30, 2008 while she was returning home in her car from office in the wee hours. Police had claimed robbery as the motive behind the killing of both Jigisha and Soumya. The accused had used Jigisha's ATM card to buy expensive goggles, wrist watches and shoes from Sarojini Nagar market in South Delhi, police had said. (source: ndtv.com) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 20 SINGAPORE: 85 suspected drug offenders caught in latest CNB operation A 4-day drug bust by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), which ended on Friday (Aug 19) morning, resulted in the arrests of 85 suspected drug offenders. Around 196g of heroin, 47g of 'Ice' and other suspected controlled drugs were also seized in the island-wide operation. In the operation, 2 suspected drug traffickers were arrested by CNB officers in the vicinity of Havelock - a 55-year-old man, and his associate, a 51-year-old man. Both are Singaporeans. Officers raided the hideout of the 55-year-old, who was also found to have small amounts of 'Ice' on him, and found 138g of heroin from within the unit. Numerous empty plastic straws, plastic sachets and a digital weighing scale were also recovered. 2 other suspected drug abusers, a 29-year-old male and a 31-year-old female, both of whom are also Singaporeans, were arrested shortly after the raid at the hideout. Investigations into the drug activities of all the arrested people are ongoing. A previous island-wise operation by CNB officers that took place early August saw 78 suspected offenders caught. Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, anyone caught trafficking more than 15g of diamorphine (or pure heroin) can face the death penalty. (source: todayonline.com) NORTH KOREA: London diplomat: Kim Jong-un 'orders executions' over Thae Yong-ho defection North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reportedly ordered the execution of those who failed to prevent the high-profile defection of Thae Yong-ho, a Pyongyang diplomat based in London. Thae, in a dramatic move, defected to South Korea this week along with his family. He is believed to have directly flown to Seoul from London. In the wake of the recent defections, Kim has dispatched security agents abroad to monitor the activities of North Korean officials and business personnel, a source familiar with the matter told Yonhap news agency. The unidentified source added that North Korean diplomatic missions abroad have been given strict instructions not to allow any of the workers to leave their posts without permission. "Kim has threatened an immediate pullout of overseas business operations that fail to perform," added the source. The South Korean unification ministry claimed Thae chose to flee because of disillusionment with the North Korean regime under Kim, who has been tightening his grip on the isolated country in recent years. Kim's latest move to further intensify efforts in curbing defections has come in the wake of other similar incidents. In April, a group of 13 North Korean workers from a restaurant in China escaped to the South. It was earlier reported that Kim had executed 6 officials over the defection of the restaurant workers. Meanwhile, another top North Korean official managing the funds of Kim in Europe has reportedly disappeared in a mysterious manner. Yonhap cited South Korean daily Dong-A Ilbo as reporting that the official and his two sons were under the custody of local authorities in an unidentified European country. About 50,000 North Koreans, including some minors, are estimated to be stationed in various countries to earn money for Pyongyang. This has recently come under increasing scrutiny from the international community as they say the money generated by these workers ultimately ends up funding the North's missile and nuclear programmes. (source: ibtimes.co.uk) PAKISTAN: 4 Quetta hospital attack facilitators arrested Security officials nabbed at least 27 suspects, including 4 facilitators of the Quetta hospital bombing, in a combing operation in Mastung on Friday, while an anti-terrorism court in Naushki district handed down death and life terms to 15 accused. 9 Afghan nationals were also among those rounded up. A huge cache of explosives was seized during the combing operation, according to unnamed security sources. The combing operation was carried out in the Kanak area of Mastung, some 25km away from Quetta. Balochistan security forces claimed to have arrested 4 facilitators of the Civil Hospital carnage. Anti-terrorism court An anti-terrorism court handed down the death penalty and life imprisonment to 15 men accused of involvement in the killing of a Levies official and an assassination bid on the life of District Police Officer (DPO) Kharan Anwar Badini. ATC Judge Justice Jaffar Mengal also fined each accused Rs200,000 besides awarding death sentences and life imprisonments. The accused were involved in the killing of Balochistan Levies official Umar Shah and attacking DPO Kharan's police mobile van. DPO Kharan and his driver were injured in the attack. The culprits were charged with terrorism, murder, illegal possession of arms and ammunition, possession of explosives and an assassination attempt. The main accused in the case, Mullah Ashraf, was given a quadruple death sentence while
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 19 CANADA: 5 reasons to fear that the death penalty isn't, well, dead Here in Canada, the death penalty was abolished by Parliament in July, 1976 - exactly 40 years ago this summer. Then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau's speech helped push through the close vote, at a time when most Canadians favoured capital punishment. Apart from Louis Riel's famous execution by hanging in 1885, try naming one of the 710 Canadians put to death between 1867 and 1976. Indeed, 40 years is a long time ago. What's more, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared this February that Canada will no longer let citizens sit on death rows in other countries. So all of this can make it feel as though the death penalty is becoming historical - something that ignorant people used to do, but modern, educated people eschew outside countries like the United States. Certainly, as Alicia von Stomwitz points out in her Observer interview with Dead Man Walking author Sister Helen Prejean, there's plenty to reject about the death penalty - especially if you're a Christian. Realistically, though, just because Canada doesn't condone the death penalty presently doesn't mean it won't ever come back. Here are 5 reasons to fear that the death penalty isn't really dead in Canada. 1. Most Canadians favour it In July 2016, Abacus Data released a poll that shows 58 % of Canadians and 59 % of Americans believe that the death penalty is morally acceptable. Considering that the 2 countries have opposite approaches to the death penalty (it's illegal in Canada, and legal and common in the U.S.), the moral similarity stings. Perhaps, though, if Canadians were actively executing prisoners, we would lose our stomach for it. 2. If Quebec separates, even more Canadians will favour it Just 51 % of Quebecers say they find the death penalty morally acceptable. That relatively low number depresses the pan-Canadian statistic of 58 %. Sadly, Abacus didn't release full regional results for the poll. But it reported that 63 % of Albertans approve of the death penalty. So if Quebec separates, Parliament may find itself representing a population that overwhelmingly approves of the death penalty. 3. Emerging far right governments love it Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's "tough on crime" campaign promise has resulted in nearly 1,000 executions of drug suspects by police in just 3 months. North Korea's Kim Jong Un has reportedly executed 70 people since 2011 - 7 times as many as his predecessor. And in the U.S., Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump, who has rarely mentioned the death penalty during his campaign, has strongly supported it in the past. Today, there are nearly 3,000 prisoners are on death row in America. Since January, 15 people have been executed by lethal injecting in the country. Though the overall number of countries actively executing prisoners has plummeted to just 58, the swing to the right internationally doesn't bode well for the trend. 4. 1976 didn't kill it in Parliament - or in the media Ending the death penalty in Canada took decades; the 1st Parliamentary attempt was in 1914. Similarly, reintroducing it may take decades and multiple efforts. In 1987, the House of Commons narrowly voted down a bill that would have reintroduced the death penalty. In 2012, the National Post's letters editor asked if it was time to bring back the death penalty, and many wrote in to support it. Among the letters was this fairly representative snippet by Toronto's Ron Fawcett: "Our permissive society has created an environment of violence and fear, marked by teenage rioting, sexual predation and brutal killings. Bringing back the death penalty for serial killers and those who kill women and children is the right thing to do." 5. The usual pro-life arguments against it are not atheist-friendly Leaders in the anti-death movement have been Catholic for the most part - consider both Pierre Trudeau and Sister Helen Prejean. In the U.S., self-identified Christians are far less likely than "average" Americans to support the death penalty. Furthermore, Christian Millennials are half as likely (just 32 %) than the average to support capital punishment. But the arguments of the sacredness of human life, the judgement of God and the commandment to not kill may not have much impact among non-Christians. So as religious affiliation continues to decline, will the appetite for capital punishment indeed surge? (source: Pieta Woolley is a writer in Powell River, B.C.ucobserver.org) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 19 INDIA: President Pranab Mukherjee rejects mercy petitions of 3 more death-row convicts, taking his tally of rejections to 37 President Pranab Mukherjee rejected on August 7 mercy petitions from three death-row convicts, Shabnam, Jasvir Singh and Vikram Singh. The information about these rejections was uploaded on the website of the President's secretariat only today. While Shabnam's mercy petition was received in President's Secretariat from the Ministry of Home Affairs, on March 31, those of Jasvir Singh and Vikram Singh were received on June 23. Shabnam, along with her husband, Salim were co-accused in a murder case, that was tried against them on the allegations that they had committed murders of 7 persons who were the members of Shabnam's family during 14-15 April, 2008. Their death sentences were confirmed by the Supreme Court on May 15, 2015. Shabnam is lodged in Moradabad jail, while Salim is in Agra jail. Their only child, delivered by Shabnam in jail, has been given in adoption. Jasvir Singh and Vikram Singh, now in Patiala Central jail, were convicted and sentenced to death, for the murder of 16-year-old school boy, Abhi Verma, in 2005. The Supreme Court commuted Jasvir Singh's wife, Sonia's sentence to life term in the same case in January 2010. In August last year, a 3-member Bench headed by Justice TS Thakur dismissed their appeal, challenging the validity of Section 364A of the IPC, that provides for death penalty for the crime of kidnapping someone for ransom. (source: livelaw.in) KENYA: Kenyans want corruption declared capital offence, death penalty reviewed A section of Kenyans want corruption listed among capital offences and punishments reviewed to abolish sentences of death and life imprisonment. Regina Boisabi, Power of Mercy Advisory Committee vice chairman, said on Thursday that some were of the view that corruption should attract the highest punishment. Boisabi said they have visited 19 counties so far, in the project that began in June, seeking public views on correctional measures. "Some people are of the view that death and life imprisonment do not serve any good but there are those who still support them," she said. Crimes classified as capital offences are murder, robbery with violence, some military offences, treason and oathing for criminal activity by proscribed groups including terror groups. These are punishable by death or life imprisonment upon conviction. Some sexual and drug trafficking offences attract similar penalties but are not classified as capital offences. Boisabi explained: "The last time a death row convict was executed was in 1987, but judges and magistrates still convict people to hang because legally, death sentence is the only punishment prescribed by the law for convicts of such offences." She said about 3,000 inmates had been serving life and death sentences but some were released following presidential pardon. "The number changes every day depending on outcomes of judgments and appeal rulings delivered every day," she said at the Nairobi West Prison during a public debate on capital offences and capital punishments. Boisabi said more than half of the inmates in correctional facilities countrywide were petty offenders. Her sentiments were echoed by inmate Makau Masila who is serving a 9-year term at the prison. Macharia Njeri moved the forum with an account of his arrest on Tuesday and sentencing the following day. Njeri, who could not raise raise a Sh45,000 fine for a traffic offence, will serve 11 months Other prisoners suggested bond terms pegged on the offenders' financial capability. They also suggested that fines be paid in installments saying the inability to raise one-off payments forces them to "rot in jail". The public views will be used to form a policy on restructuring Kenya's correctional system and decongest facilities. (source: the-star.co.ke) SUDAN: 6 Sudanese activists associated with TRACKs charged with death penalty crimes After 86 days in detention without charge, 6 civil society Sudanese activists associated with Training and Human Development (TRACKs) have been charged under the Criminal Act Article 50 (Undermining the Constitutional System), Article 51 (Waging War Against the State), Article 53 (Espionage) and Article 65 (Criminal and Terrorist Organizations). The activists include Khalaf-Allah Al-Afif Muktar, Mustafa Adam and Midhat Afifaddin Hamadan. Arwa Al-Rabie, Imany-Leila Ray and Al-Hassan Kheiry, who had been released on bail, were also charged with these 4 crimes. Adam and Hamadan have also been charged under Article 14 of the Information Crimes Law. Following the filing of capital charges against six civil society activists associated with Training and Human Development (TRACKs), Freedom House issued the following statement: "Authorities in Sudan have charged Khalaf-Allah Al-Afif Muktar,
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 17 MALAYSIA: Pain for mom of drug mule son on death row As a young South African woman prepares for her 1st court appearance in Thailand for drug trafficking, a mother, whose son faces the death penalty in Malaysia for the same crime, has appealed to parents to warn their children about the perils of drugs. The appeal by Ria Zeelie, whose son Deon Cornelius, 30, was sentenced to death in Malaysia in 2014, follows the weekend arrest of Vanessa Ann du Toit. She is the 2nd South African to be arrested on drug-trafficking charges in a week. Another South African woman was arrested in Panama for drug trafficking last week. Du Toit was arrested with Ukrainian national Yaroslav Yanovski after they landed in Bangkok on Friday. Du Toit, on a South African police drugs watchlist since last year, was allegedly found in possession of 2.5kg of cocaine. Yanovski was allegedly caught with 4kg of cocaine. Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said the pair were arrested shortly after landing in Thailand. Both had flown on the same flight from Sao Paulo via Ethiopia. "Du Toit flew from South Africa via Angola to Sao Paulo, where she allegedly collected the narcotics." He said the arrests were made following liaison between police in South Africa, Brazil and Thailand. ''In a follow-up operation by Thai police, a Thai woman who had come to the airport to collect the drugs from the suspects, a Nigerian national and a Guinean national were arrested. "They seemed to be part of an international narcotics network." Mulaudzi said Yanovski was arrested after he was identified through his airline booking. "It was made exactly the same time as Du Toit's and paid for by the same person at the same travel agency," he said. For Zeelie and her family the past two years have been a living hell. "We are not sure when the execution will be. Deon is trying to appeal it and will write to the Malaysian king to ask for leniency. "Every day we pray for good news. We have been unable to visit him, which is terrible." She said the day before Cornelius flew he phoned her to say he was going to Singapore for work. "He would not say what the job was. The next I heard he was arrested for carrying crystal meth. Since 2014 he has been on death row, and for what? "The government must become involved and warn children about the dangers of drugs." Patricia Gerber, director of Locked Up - an organisation that campaigns for the rights of South Africans imprisoned overseas - said more than 3000 South Africans were incarcerated overseas on drug-related crimes. (source: timeslive.co.za) TURKEY: PM: Terrorists to be prosecuted with justice, not revengeTurkey's Prime Minister says a fair trial for perpetrators of terror acts would be a greater punishment than the death penalty. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Tuesday said a fair trial for perpetrators of terror acts would be a greater punishment than the death penalty, adding that Turkish courts will prosecute those "not in revenge, but with justice." Yildirim said, "Death penalty is immediate death, however, there are greater deaths for them, which is objective and fair judgment." Last month's failed coup attempt that the Turkish government believes perpetrated by members of Fethullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO) left 240 people dead and nearly 2,200 injured. Since then, support for bringing back the death penalty has increased in Turkey. Yildirim said, "Turkish justice will bring terrorist organisations to account for our martyrs." He referred to Monday's PKK car bomb attack against a traffic police station in Turkey's southeastern province of Diyarbakir, which martyred 1 child and 5 police officers. Yildirim said PKK serves the same purpose as FETO, the terrorist organisation led by US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of orchestrating the July 15 coup attempt. "These 2 terror organisations made quite a lot of efforts to turn Turkey into a country like Iraq, Syria, or Egypt, both before July 15 and later." PKK is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, US and the EU. About a possible reinstatement of the death penalty in Turkey for those involved in the defeated coup, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his stance that the decision would be left up to Turkish lawmakers in the parliament. Erdogan repeatedly has said he would approve reinstating the death penalty if parliament approves it. Such a penalty could be imposed on Gulen as well, who is accused of leading a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as a parallel state. Since the deadly coup attempt, Turkish government has been clearing the state institutions off FETO members. Yildirim assured citizens not to be anxious about such steps. "Those
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 16 TURKEY: Turkey PM steps back from calls for death penalty Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday (Aug 16) a fair trial would represent a harsher punishment for suspected coup plotters than the death penalty - an apparent step back from threats to re-introduce capital punishment. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had suggested Turkey could bring back capital punishment - abolished in 2004 as part of the country's reforms to join the European Union - in the wake of the Jul 15 failed coup aimed at ousting him from power. The threat stunned the EU, which makes the abolition of capital punishment an unnegotiable condition for joining the bloc. "A person dies only once when executed," Yildirim told ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) MPs in parliament. "There are tougher ways to die than the death (penalty) for them. That is an impartial and fair trial," Yildirim said. The prime minister's comments marked a change in tone after Erdogan said earlier this month that if the Turkish public wanted a return to capital punishment, then political parties would follow their will. Erdogan has also not mentioned the issue in his latest speeches in recent days. Relations between Brussels and Ankara have already been strained since Turkey responded to the coup by launching a relentless crackdown against alleged plotters in state institutions, amid calls from the EU to act within the rule of law. Tens of thousands of staff within the military, judiciary, civil service and education have been dismissed or detained since a rogue faction within the military tried to oust Erdogan from power. Ankara blames Erdogan's ally-turned-foe Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic preacher in self-exile in the United States, and his movement for ordering last month's coup bid. Gulen strongly denies the accusations. Yildirim said Gulen would be brought to account for the attempted putsch during which 240 people lost their lives, excluding 34 coup plotters who were killed. "Those responsible for the blood of our martyrs will be brought to account. We will not bring them to account acting out of revenge. We will bring them to account with justice," the prime minister said. No judicial executions have taken place Turkey since left-wing militant Hidir Aslan was hanged on Oct 25, 1984 in the wake of the 1980 military coup. (source: channelnewsasia.com) UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Dubai court hands down death sentence to Sharjah child killer The man who raped and killed an 8-year-old Obaida Al Aqrabawi in Sharjah has been sentenced to death, it was reported on Monday. Dubai Criminal Court announced the sentence for 48-year-old Nidal Eisah Abdullah Abu Ali, The National reported. It added that the Jordanian boy's father began sobbing while some men in the courtroom consoled him. Obaida was kidnapped on May 20 while playing outside his father's garage in Sharjah's industrial area. His body was found 2 days later in Academic City Road in Al Warqa. In June, Dubai's Attorney-General, Essam Eisa Al Humaidan, called for the death penalty for Abu Ali. (source: arabianbusiness.com) SOUTH KOREA: Top court justice nominee espouses security law, abolition of death penalty Supreme Court justice nominee Kim Jae-hyung on Tuesday espoused the National Security Law, alternative services for faith-based draft objectors and the abolition of capital punishment. In his written answers to questions raised by Saenuri Party Rep. Kim Jin-tae, the top court nominee said that the National Security Law has a role to play, particularly at the time of a continuing military standoff between the 2 Koreas. Kim, currently a professor at Seoul National University's School of Law, noted that through a set of past revisions to the law, concerns about the pitfalls in its interpretation and enforcement have been "considerably" reduced. Critics argue the law could be arbitrarily interpreted to undermine people's basic rights. Under the law, South Koreans are barred from supporting or praising the North. They are also banned from joining a pro-Pyongyang organization or having unauthorized contact with the communist state. On the issue of the so-called "conscientious objectors" who refuse to join the military based on their religious beliefs, the nominee said that the nation should explore ways to comprehensively protect the objectors' freedom. "(The nation) should ponder harmonious solutions between the freedom of conscience and a military duty," he said. "Based on national consensus, (the government) should actively consider opening ways (for the conscientious objectors) to carry out alternative services (rather than a military one) with a rigorous screening process and conditions." Throwing his weight behind the abolition of the death penalty, Kim pointed to the possibility of misjudgment in court proceedings. But he stressed that measures to prevent any
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 15 VIETNAM: Large drug hauls seized in Vietnam Vietnamese police are cooperating with Lao counterpart to look for a Vietnamese national who has been accused of sending nearly 10kg of cannabis to his wife for reselling in Vietnam. The case was detected on August 11 when police caught Le Thi Kim Oanh, 42, red handed carrying more than 6kg of cannabis. Police also seized nearly 4kg of cannabis at her house in Hue Town. At the police station, Oanh said her husband Le Xuan Hien had sent the cannabis from Laos. Investigation led to the arrest of Vo Ngoc Binh, 46, a bus driver on Hue-Lao route that transported the drug for the couple and Truong Ngo, 43, another link in the illegal trade. Investigators believed that Binh has transported drug for the couple for many times. In related news, Lao Cai police have arrested 4 people in 3 separate drug smuggling cases in the northern province from August 10-12. They seized a total of nearly 3kg of heroin and 1kg of cannabis. Vietnam has some of the world's toughest drug laws. Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine face the death penalty. The production or sale of 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal narcotics is also punishable by death. (source: Thanh Nien News) GLOBAL: Changing minds about the death penalty Last week Judge Navi Pillay, esteemed retired UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and former judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, delivered the keynote address at the 77th Biennial Conference of the International Law Association. Pillay now has a new role as a commissioner of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty. Janet Smith spoke to her. Janet Smith: You're finally based at home in Durban after so many years in Geneva and travelling the world as a campaigner for human rights. But even as you've brought that experience back to South Africa to play a key role here, your global role continues. Is this how you are happiest? Navi Pillay: It's worked out completely differently to what I imagined retirement would be. When I was with the UN, I was travelling all the time, but still now, I've also been travelling outside the country every month. At the same time, there's been very interesting work inside the country. There was the xenophobia probe we did here in KZN, and then there's the independent panel under (former president Kgalema) Motlanthe which involves 15 of us, mainly academics, that is assessing legislation passed after 1994. We're not like these Parliament sub-committees. We've got to make sure we reflect the truth and get to the ground. It's a mammoth task involving lots of people. I'm so aware of promises being made nationally, but where there's no delivery locally. So although I am still moving on a global scale, I'm very focused locally now. JS: In Women's Month, especially this year as we reflect on the leaders of the 1956 march on the Union Buildings, we're thinking about our heroes. You're one of them, but this is not only because of the scale of the work you did around the Rwanda genocide and at the UN. This is also about your past, when you were a young lawyer in South Africa. NP: Going back to 1973,1974; there was a huge number of detentions, even of high school children, and my office became like a human rights office. How can you charge for work like that? My husband Gaby was detained because he had given a R100 donation, and for that, he was held 5 months in solitary. Fortunately, he'd left a power of attorney with me, and he'd described his experiences over a first stint in detention, so I was able to use the courts to prevent the police from torturing him. Then people constantly came running to me asking, "why can't you do this for our children?" So we started collecting affidavits from people who had been tortured, and that would help us take this whole thing forward. I was terrified at the time of bringing the case to protect my husband. I was so scared that I didn't go to the court. There was a Colonel Swanepoel who I was afraid to look at eye-to-eye. He'd been torturing everyone from the 1960s, but once I'd filed, and these types of interrogation had been prohibited as unlawful, and the sheriff had served it, they never touched my husband after that. I think we must look at the quality of women. When you have nothing in life, and you still find something to feed your children; In my case, it was really an emotional matter. Later on, all those affidavits were collected by the ANC and the UN got involved. There were important documents there, including on (Steve) Biko who was also killed by torture, and so the ANC asked the UN for 2 things: 1 was sanctions against the apartheid government, and the other was for a convention against torture. Those things happened, and started with little steps.
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 15 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Accused in Obaida's murder case sentenced to death The bench also ruled that 48-year-old Jordanian defendant, Nidal Abdullah, should pay Dh 21,000 in civil damages. The court bench, looking into the case in which a man is accused of kidnapping and killing 8-year-old Obaida after sexually assaulting him, sentenced him unanimously to death on Monday morning. The Court of First Instance also ruled that 48-year-old Jordanian defendant, Nidal Eissa Abdullah, should pay Dh21,000 in temporary civil damages and that his body be repatriated after the execution. Several members of the Jordanian child's family welcomed the ruling with tears and sighs of relief and hugged each other praising God and justice. Outside the courtroom, the child's father said the family is satisfied as justice has been served. He pointed out that he would visit his son's grave to tell him that his killer would be executed for what he did. Death sentence A capital punishment verdict becomes final after it is upheld by Dubai's top court, the Court of Cassation. And it has to be approved by the Dubai Ruler before it can be executed by a firing squad. The verdict text The defendant was convicted of premeditated murder, kidnap, physical assault, making criminal threats, consuming of alcohol without licence and drink driving, based on the solid technical evidence and witnesses presented by the public prosecution. The defendant, who appeared calm and did not show any expression upon hearing his conviction, was escorted by several security guards out of the courtroom right after the verdict was read out. The verdict text read that the defendant was convicted of premeditated murder, kidnap, physical assault, making criminal threats, consuming of alcohol without licence and drink driving, based on the solid technical evidence and witnesses presented by the public prosecution. The accused retracted his earlier confession and denied the charges in the previous hearing. He claimed that he was not in Al Mamzar where he is accused of taking the victim when the incident took place on May 20. The defendant denied that he had given a confession to the police officers or led them to where he disposed of the victim's body. He claimed before the court that he suffered from mental and psychological problems. He told the court that he does not recall anything and is not aware of what happened on the day of the incident. His defence lawyer requested that his client be examined by a medical specialised committed to determine his state of mind when he allegedly committed the crime. The lawyer requested that the charge of murder and kidnap be modified to assault resulting in death. He argued on the grounds that his client did not have criminal intentions. The public prosecution had called on the court all along to inflict the death penalty on the accused. "What mercy or leniency is he asking for given the horrendous way he committed his crime? He is a monster and does not deserve to live in our safe society," chief prosecutor Dr Ali Al Housani said. Abdullah admitted earlier that he drank 5 bottles of vodka before and on the day he kidnapped the victim. Obaida was reported missing from outside his father's car workshop in Sharjah on May 20. His body was found after 2 days under a tree on the Academic City Road in Al Warqa. Monday morning's verdict remains subject to appeal. A capital punishment verdict becomes final after it is upheld by Dubai's top court, the Court of Cassation. But it has to be approved by the Dubai Ruler before it can be executed by a firing squad. (source: Khaleej Times) IRAN: Iran children at the gallows As Iran currently executes the highest number of juvenile offenders in the world, hundreds of Iranian minors helplessly watch their childhoods pass them by, as they await their fatal ends behind bars. Shockingly, rights groups have reported that Iran has executed at least 230 people since the beginning of 2016. While the majority of countries worldwide are fighting for the eradication of capital punishment against adults, Iran continues to sentence girls as young as 9 and boys aged 15 to death. According to a recent report issued by Amnesty International, at least 160 young Iranians currently await execution. While Iran is a major perpetrator in this human rights violation against minors, a host of countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, uphold Iran's belief that the death penalty is an acceptable form of punishment for "devious" minors. The death penalty for minors in Iran is invoked by what are considered to be "Hodud crimes". "Hodud" refers to offences which have fixed definitions and punishments under Islamic law. For example, those engaged in the practices of alcohol consumption, adultery, and same-sex fornication will, in most cases, face the grave consequence of
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 14 IRAQ: Iraq ratifies death penalty for convicts in Speicher massacreLast week, an Iraqi court sentenced 36 people to death in connection with the mass killings Iraqi President Fuad Masum on Sunday ratified the death sentences of 36 people in connection with the 2014 mass killing of hundreds of Iraqi air force cadets by Daesh militants in northern Iraq. In a Sunday statement, the Iraqi Presidency said Masum has "approved all the death sentences handed down in the crime of the Speicher Camp". On June 12, 2014, Daesh terrorist group seized the northern city of Tikrit and posted a video purporting to show the mass killing of hundreds of security officers and military students. The officers were alleged to be affiliated to the Speicher base. The Iraqi Ministry of Human Rights said the number of those murdered was 2,398. Last week, an Iraqi court sentenced 36 people to death in connection with the mass killings and sent the verdicts to the Iraqi president for approval. Iraq has plunged into a security vacuum since June 2014, when Daesh stormed the northern city of Mosul and declared what it calls a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. (source: aa.com.tr) ___ A service courtesy of Washburn University School of Law www.washburnlaw.edu DeathPenalty mailing list DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty Unsubscribe: http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/options/deathpenalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Aug. 14 SAUDI ARABIA: Import kolanut, get death sentence - Saudi govt tells pilgrims The Saudi Arabia authority has slammed a death penalty for any pilgrim who travels to the holy land with kolanuts, hard drugs and other contraband. Hence, the Lagos State government yesterday warned intending pilgrims for the 2016 hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia to stay out of trouble and likely death sentence by not traveling to the holy land with contraband items. The state government described kola nuts as a caffeine-based edible seed, otherwise known as "goro" and "obi" and often used ceremonially by Nigerians to show a gesture of friendship and warmth and also used in the production of beverages and energy drinks. But the Saudi Arabia authority prohibits Kola nuts and other hard drugs items identified as harmful to their citizens. In guidelines for Hajj 2016, the Saudi Kingdom has notified the Nigerian authorities to ban kola nuts carriage by pilgrims during the annual pilgrimage. Sunday Telegraph also gathered that some criminals during hajj pilgrimage smuggle cocaine usually hidden in the kolanuts while traveling to the holy land. Reacting to this at the Murtala Mohamed International Airport, Lagos State Amir Hajj, Dr Abdulhakeem Abdullateef, noted that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has confirmed the directive. The implored Nigerian pilgrims to desist from including contraband such as Kola nuts in their luggages to the holyland. To stay out of trouble in the holyland, Dr. Abdullateef, who is also the Lagos state Commissioner for Home Affairs, said complying with the rules and regulations of Saudi Arabia is the best for the intending pilgrims. He said: "The Saudi authorities have prohibited the importation of kola nuts and other hard drugs into the Kingdom, noting that it is a criminal offence that attracts death penalty. "My appeal to those who are going to Hajj with Lagos State and other pilgrims across the country is to follow rules and regulations guiding the Hajj exercise. We shall continue to educate our pilgrims to have a hitch-free Hajj operations" "Necessary arrangements have been concluded for their airlift between Tuesday 16 and Thursday 18 of August, 2016. Pilgrims are, therefore, advised to contact their coordinators to know their flight schedule." (source: today.ng) IRAN: Relatives of PMOI martyrs in Shahr-e Kord denounce mass executions in Iran Relatives of executed members of the main Iranian opposition group People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI or MEK) in Shahr-e Kord, the capital city of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province in central Iran, have condemned the mass execution last week of Sunni political prisoners in Iran. In a statement earlier this week, the families and supporters of the PMOI (MEK) in Shahr-e Kord said: "The mullahs' regime once again committed a crime. The mass execution of Sunni prisoners demonstrates the weakness of this sinister regime. They committed such a crime on the anniversary of the massacre which occurred in 1988. The oppressive regime hopes to survive through such acts. This only shows that this regime will inevitably fall at the hands of the people with the price that has been paid by the blood of the martyrs of the 1988 massacre. Therefore, we condemn these crimes and ask all international organizations, institutions, and the freedom-loving countries to condemn this brutality and to prosecute those responsible for them. Martyrs' families and supporters of the PMOI in Shahr-e Kord - August 2016" On August 2, the regime mass executed at least 25 Sunni political prisoners. On August 9 it hanged another political prisoner Mohammad Abdollahi. Last week, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, described the mass execution of Sunni political prisoners in Gohardasht Prison, carried out on the anniversary of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran, an appalling crime against humanity. The regime is trying in vain to contain the volatile social atmosphere and popular protests by terrorizing the public, she said. The time has come for the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Security Council to end their silence and bring the record of the Iranian regime's crimes before the International Criminal Court. Ali Khamenei and other leaders of the regime as well as direct perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice, Maryam Rajavi reiterated. In the summer of 1988, the mullahs' regime massacred some 30,000 political prisoners in Iran. The political prisoners were mainly affiliated to the PMOI (MEK). (source: NCR-Iran) *** PMOI spokesman: Sunni executions in Iran proves human rights sanctions are necessary The mullahs' regime is carrying out mass executions in Iran in a vain attempt to contain the volatile social atmosphere and popular protests, writes Shahriar Kia, a press spokesman for
