[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Feb. 9


AFGHANISTAN:

Execution could affect ISAF mission, warn Dutch


Dutch Defence Minister Eimert van Middelkoop has warned that if the Afghan
authorities permit the execution of an Afghan journalist, it could affect
Western support for the ISAF peacekeeping mission.

Mr van Middelkoop issued the warning to his Afghan counterpart Abdul Rahim
Wardak at a NATO conference in Lithuania. A number of countries, including
Great Britain, supported the Dutch standpoint.

The minister, whose comments follow a Dutch diplomatic offensive on the
journalist's behalf, said he was particularly disturbed by the reason for
the conviction. The journalist was sentenced for downloading and
distributing an article from the Internet that was regarded as
anti-Islamic.

(source: Radio Netherlands)






IRAN:

Iran envoy defends amputation


Iran's ambassador to Spain has compared chopping off the hands of thieves
to a "surgeon amputating a limb to prevent the spread of gangrene".

In a defence of Iran's tough implementation of Islamic law, Seyed Davoud
Salehi called for "the traditions, religion and economic development" of
Iran to be taken into account by those monitoring human rights in the
country. He also argued that the death penalty was necessary "to preserve
the health of society as a whole".

advertisementMr Salehi said during a speech in Madrid that the highest
court in Iran had decided to limit public executions to prevent images of
hangings and stonings in public squares being broadcast around the world
and used as propaganda against the regime.

"Our laws allow for the amputation of the hand that steals. This is not
accepted by the West, but the field of human rights should take into
account the customs, traditions, religion and economic development," he
said in comments reported by the newspaper El Mundo.

"Some laws are needed to preserve the health of society, if not, it would
be in danger."

Iran has the second highest number of recorded executions in the world
after China, according to Amnesty International.

More than 300 people were condemned to death last year, an increase of
more than 70 % on 2006.

So far this year 20 public executions have taken place and the hands or
feet of at least 5 offenders have been amputated.

The ambassador criticised claims that Iran had a poor record in human
rights and attributed it to "the arrogance of the West", which used the
argument to harm the image of the country.

(source: The Telegraph)