[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Dec. 4



CHINA:

Serial rapist gets death penalty in Anhui


Shi Jidong, a farmer from Dingyuan, a county in east China's Anhui
Province, has been sentenced to death after being convicted of raping 3
girls and attempting to rape 6 more.

Shi was also deprived of his political rights for life in accordance with
a ruling handed down by the Intermediate People's Court of Chuzhou.

The court was told that between February 22 and April 3 this year, Shi,
28, a rural resident in Tianhe township, stalked and raped three girls
from the same local middle school.

He also attempted to rape six more but failed to do so, the court heard.

A spokesman for the Intermediate People's Court of Chuzhou confirmed that
a 13-year-old girl was among the three girls raped by Shi but declined to
give details about the other 2 victims. Chinese criminal law states that a
convicted rapist should be sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison, but a
more severe penalty, including the death sentence, could be handed down if
the defendant is found guilty of raping a girl below the age of 14.

The spokesman defended the court's ruling by saying that Shi was given the
maximum penalty due to the huge impact his crimes have had on the local
community.

It is not yet known whether or not Shi plans to appeal.

(source: Xinhua)






IRAQ:

Hussein Death Penalty Is Formally Appealed----U.S. Confirms Pilot's Death
in Crash


Attorneys for former president Saddam Hussein on Sunday formally appealed
his death sentence for the killing of 148 Shiite men and boys from the
town of Dujail in the 1980s, a spokesman for the Iraqi High Tribunal said.

The case will now go to a higher court, which can rule on it at any time.
If the court upholds Hussein's conviction, his execution, by hanging, must
occur within 30 days, according to Iraqi law.

Raid Juhi, spokesman for the tribunal, said Sunday that 2 of Hussein's
attorneys had submitted the appeal papers.

Hussein was convicted on Nov. 5 of crimes against humanity for the Dujail
killings, which took place after an attempt on his life in 1982. Hussein
and 2 of his 7 co-defendants, including his half brother, were sentenced
to death. 4 defendants received prison terms ranging from 15 years to
life, and an 8th was acquitted.

Under Iraqi law, death sentences are automatically appealed within 10
days. But defense lawyers must still file a formal appeal within 30 days
of the verdict.

A recent report by New York-based Human Rights Watch concluded that
Hussein's trial was so seriously flawed that the verdict could be called
into question.

Hussein is currently on trial in another case, involving the killing of
tens of thousands of Kurds in the late 1980s.

(source: Washington Post)






ENGLAND:

Paedophiles sister in call for death penalty


The sister of a paedophile from North Herts called for a return of the
death sentence after he was convicted of a string of sex attacks on a
12-year-old boy.

Kenneth Tracy, 76, was imprisoned indefinitely after grooming the boy for
sex and subjecting him to months of revolting abuse.

Tracy, who was born in Bassingbourn and lived in Steeple Morden, Royston
and Letchworth, has spent much of his life moving around the country
followed by allegations of sex abuse.

His convictions stretch back to 1959 and he was jailed in 1993.

Last year Tracy moved to Lordship Close, Orwell, where he built up a
friendship with the 12-year-old by employing him as a gardener.

Cambridge Crown Court heard how, after winning the confidence of the boys
family, Tracy got the boy to perform sex acts on him at least 15 times.

Tracy admitted 7 sexual offences against the boy, including causing or
inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, trafficking a
child for sexual exploitation and aiding and abetting sexual activity with
a child.

He was told he would serve a minimum of 3 years and 6 months, but faced an
indefinite jail term under an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP)
order.

Speaking after the trial, Tracys 78- year-old sister, Eunice Jones, said:
"They should bring back the death penalty and he should be shot.

"I promised our family that if it was the last thing I did I would see him
sent down."

The pervert even took the boy on a trip to Macclesfield to meet his
family.

On the way he stopped at the house of another paedophile, Edward Evans,
where it is alleged the child was subjected to horrific sexual assaults.

Evans was due to stand trial for the charges, which he denied, but his
charred remains were found in his burned-out car in North Wales.

Tracy had been due to give evidence against Evans, his friend of 20 years.

The abuse came to light in April, when Tracy, formerly known as Kenneth
Kimpton, helped to build a den at the boy's home and made an inappropriate
comment to another boy.

The parents were informed and found several text messages on their son's
phone from Tracy.

(source: Herts Essex News)






UGANDA:

Over 30 women on death row at Luzira


A total of 31 women inmates, some with children, are on death row in
Luzira prison, the officer in charge has said.

Juliet Nantale said this on Friday during a visit to the prison by Sisters
United Uganda (SUU), a community-based NGO.

SUU members led by Dr. Margaret Muganywa, Nora Kakiza and Eva Adengo
handed over clothes and household items to the inmates.

The NGOs mission is to advocate for and empower disadvantaged women and
children to improve their health, education and socio-economic status.

Nantale said the prison, which is congested, looks after 242 women
inmates, of which 27 have children.

"Some of them come with their children and others get their sentence when
there are pregnant and give birth here," she said.

She urged NGOs and other organisations to visit the inmates and regularly
offer health services.

"We do not need only these donations but we also need health services for
our inmates. Some are sick and they need constant checkup," she said.

Nantale said the prison authorities, in partnership with some NGOs,
started a daycare centre for the inmate's children.

The centre has 20 children.

The secretary of SUU, Eva Adengo, said their organisation was committed to
serving people through an integrated approach with the emphasis on health
and education.

"We conduct health promotion to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and other
diseases in the community," she said.

Adengo called for mass participation in efforts to ensure resolution of
conflicts that affect women, especially those in prisons and war-ravaged
areas.

(source: New Vision)