[Deathpenalty]death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 14


LIBERIA:

Scrap Death Penalty From Rape Bill


The United Nations Independent Expert on the protection of human rights in
Liberia, Dr. Charlotte Abaka, has called for a portion of the rape bill
recently passed by the National Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA)
to be deleted.

According to Dr. Abaka, the portion of the bill requesting death penalty
for perpetrators of the rape in one that will violate human rights and
though one may be a perpetrator he/she still has rights even as the
victim.

Dr. Abaka who described the human rights atmosphere in the country as
having tremendous improvement noted that Liberia, as a member of the
United Nations family, must remain committed to human rights instrument
signed and rectified some years ago.

Evaluating the electoral process in the country, Dr. Abaka said she was
impressed by the procedures and the turn-up.

(source: The Analyst)






RUSSIA:

Russia likely to reinstate death penalty for terrorism


A deputy of the Russian parliament believes the present-day severe reality
dictates the necessity to retrieve the death penalty practice in Russia

Vice-speaker of the State Duma, Vladimir Katrenko, has recently made a
statement, which may aggravate Russia's relations with the European Union.
Katrenko, who also chairs the Duma's committee for North Caucasus, said
that Russia needs to reinstate death penalty for terrorist activities.

Boris Yeltsin signed a moratorium on the death penalty in 1996 to let
Russia become a member of the Council of Europe. The chairman of the State
Duma committee for civil and penal legislation, Pavel Krasheninnikov,
stated the Russian Constitutional Court supported the moratorium and
barred death sentences on 2 February 1999. It is noteworthy that Russian
courts do not have a right to bring death sentences for criminals until
all Russian regions have their juries. The State Duma is currently working
on a draft law on the introduction of the jury in Chechnya: this is the
only republic of the Russian Federation, which does not have its jury yet.

Vladimir Katrenko stated, however, that Russia should retrieve the death
penalty practice and use this measure as the extreme punishment for
terrorist and hostage-taking activities.

According to Katrenko, there was a special anti-terrorist committee
established in the Russian parliament immediately after the hostage crisis
in Beslan. The Duma gave the 1st reading to the anti-terrorist law last
year. The committee has prepared 70 amendments to the law during that
time. It was particularly offered to expand the notion of a terrorist act
with an attempt and even a threat to commit an act of terror.

"These draft laws need to be developed thoroughly. Furthermore, it is
necessary the Duma should pass them as soon as possible, taking into
consideration the present-day severe reality," Katrenko said.

Vladimir Katrenko's initiative to retrieve the death penalty in Russia has
become a great surprise for members of the Russian Federation Council. The
chairman of the council's committee for international affairs, Mikhail
Margelov, stated that Russia would take efforts to abolish death penalty
until the end of the current year.

(source: Pravda)