[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Aug. 26



UNITED KINGDOM:

THE spectre of the death penalty has raised its ghoulish head once again


Our MP, Andrew Turner, has joined others calling for capital punishment to be 
debated in the House of Commons.

This has been followed up by our own champion of human rights, Charlotte 
Hofton. She is perfectly aware of the emotive subject matter and has no doubt 
relished the opportunity to put her 'two-pennyworth’ in.

Charlotte has previously given the usual reasons and cliches for not bringing 
back capital punishment. On the other side of the argument, there are those who 
can put forward just as good reasons for bringing back the 'rope’.

It would be so easy to let emotions and opinions get in the way of facts.

In my job, I have known, since the early 1970s, many killers, including those 
who have taken the lives of children.

In the interests of sobriety it would be best to say no more about such 
matters. The easiest thing in the world is to sit in a sedentary position and 
scream "Hang ’em! Flog ’em!’

Although our Island prisons have never been 'hanging’ jails, flogging has been 
used.

I find the whole concept of judicial killing abhorrent but perhaps it should be 
looked at dispassionately?

There are facts to be looked at. Since abolition was ratified in 1969, 
incidents of unlawful killing have escalated. Convictions for murder have 
soared, even after taking into account those murder charges reduced to 
manslaughter after plea bargaining.

There are currently 5,500 inmates serving life sentences for murder and other 
serious offences. But what is life?

Those life-sentence prisoners who are subject to a whole life tariff, number 
about 35!

Geoffrey Robertson QC, a leading human rights lawyer, has said: "It is much 
worse for an individual to spend the rest of his life in prison than to be 
executed."

Fine words but they bear no relation to the reality of serving the 
indeterminate sentence of life imprisonment. The average time spent in prison 
for murder is 14 years.

This fact may please those activists who expend so much energy in fighting for 
the rights of the depraved and evil, who are allowed the privilege of life that 
has been denied to their victims.

It is doubtful capital punishment will be returned to the statute books.

Perhaps Andrew Turner would be better advised to lobby his fellow 
parliamentarians with a view to amending the teams of indeterminate custodial 
sentences. That is, to increase the minimum tariff before a life sentence 
prisoner be considered for release on parole.

This would not please the current minister of justice, who is trying so hard to 
keep people out of prison.

This would not please human rights organisations, who are so concerned about 
looking after the interests of evil people. It would, however, go some way to 
satisfy the demands of most people, and make the punishment fit the crime.

(source: Letter to the Editor, Bruce Overton, Cowes: Isle of Wight County 
Times)






INDIA:

Rajiv killing: Centre officially rejects mercy pleas


Amid growing demand for remission of the death penalty of three Rajiv accused, 
the Centre has officially notified the rejection of their mercy petitions by 
President Prathiba Patil.

Though reports said a communication to this effect was sent by the Union Home 
Ministry to the Vellore Central Prison last night, Prison Superintendent 
Arivudainambi, denied receipt of any such communique so far.

'We have not received any communication so far,' he said. However, Pughazhendi, 
counsel for the three Rajiv killers, said that the Centre had issued the orders 
in this regard seeking to execute their death penalty.

He said he would be meeting the trio in the Prison and the jail authorities 
later today to ascertain the correct position. The three convicts Murugan, 
Santhan and Perarivalan, were lodged in the prison for the last 20 years.

Reports said once the notification was received by the prison authorities the 
execution of their death penalty would become imminent.

As per rules, the condemned prisoners should be hanged within 7 days of the 
notification and all the 3 accused, would be formally informed today that their 
mercy pleas were rejected, paving the way for their execution, sources said. 
While Perarivalan is an Indian national, Murugan and Santhan were Sri Lankans.

It may be noted that the death sentence of Nalini, wife of Murugan, was 
commuted to life imprisonment. There has been growing demand by various 
political parties that the death penalty of 3 Rajiv convicts should also be 
commuted ever since the President had rejected their clemency pleas.

Leaders cutting across party lines, NGOs, Human rights activists and Tamil 
outfits and Tamil organisations have been demanding that the Centre should use 
its powers to prevent them from facing the hangman's noose.

A massive campaign was launched under the banner of 'Save Three Tamils Lives 
Movement' which urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to adopt a 
resolution in the State Assembly seeking to stop their death penalty.

Leaders of various political parties including DMK president M Karunanidhi, 
firebrand MDMK leader Vaiko, PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss, VCK president Thol 
Thirumavalavan, MP, and Tamil Nationalist Movement leader P Nedumaran have been 
voicing support against execution of their death sentence.

They also wanted India to abolish death penalty as has been done in more than 
135 countries across the country. Public meetings, formation of Human chains, 
demonstrations, dharnas and two-wheeler rallies were organised across the State 
during the last 15 days as the demand for commutation of their death sentence 
kept swelling day by day.

(source: News Today)

******************

An Appeal from Death Row: Rajiv case convict tells his story


A G Perarivalan captures his 21 years in jail in one sentence: “My life and 
education have been falsely intertwined.” Jailed at 19, Perarivalan is 1 of the 
3 death row inmates in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, whose mercy 
petitions were rejected by the President this month.

The Hindi translation of Perarivalan’s book, An Appeal from death row, was 
released by CPI general secretary A B Bardhan here on Thursday. The book is 
written in the form of an appeal to the President. Also present at the meeting 
were CPI national secretary D Raja and MDMK chief Vaiko, who had taken the 
initiative of getting the Tamil manuscript translated.

The book is part of the initiatives of People’s Movement Against Death Penalty 
to raise awareness amongst Hindi speakers regarding the fine details of the 
case.

The charge against Perarivalan, the 18th accused in the case, was that he 
bought and supplied 2 batteries which were used to detonate the bomb that 
killed Rajiv on May 21, 1991. He has always argued that he neither bought nor 
supplied the batteries.

(source: Indian Express)

**********************

Centre sends letter to Tamil Nadu on rejection of mercy pleas


Amid growing demand for remission of the death penalty of 3 convicted in the 
Rajiv Gandhi assassination, the Centre has officially notified the rejection of 
their mercy petitions by President Pratibha Devisingh Patil.

Though reports said a communication to this effect was sent by the Union Home 
Ministry to the Vellore Central Prison last night, Prison Superintendent 
Arivudainambi, when contacted by UNI, denied receipt of any such letter so far.

''We have not received any communication so far,'' he said.

However, Mr Pughazhendi, counsel for the three convicts, said the Centre had 
issued the orders in this regard seeking to execute their death penalty.

He said he would be meeting the trio in the prison and the jail authorities 
later today to ascertain the correct position.

The three convicts Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan, were lodged in the prison 
for the last 20 years.

Reports said once the notification was received by the prison authorities, the 
execution of their death penalty would become imminent.

As per rules, the condemned prisoners should be hanged within 7 days of the 
notification and all the 3 accused, would be formally informed today that their 
mercy pleas were rejected, paving the way for their execution, sources said.

While Perarivalan is an Indian national, Murugan and Santhan were Sri Lankans.

The death sentence of Nalini, wife of Murugan, was commuted to life 
imprisonment.

(source: New Kerala)

*******************

Commute death sentence in Gandhi case: PUDR


The People's Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) Friday urged the Tamil Nadu 
government to spare the lives of three men sentenced to death for former 
premier Rajiv Gandhi's assassination.

The PUDR was 'deeply distressed' by President Pratibha Patil's rejection of the 
appeal for mercy from Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan, awarded the death 
penalty in 1997. The Supreme Court upheld this in 1999.

'While the crime committed is heinous, there are a number of reasons that 
should permit commutation of their sentence to life imprisonment,' it said in a 
statement.

The PUDR said the three have displayed exemplary conduct during their 20 years 
in prison.

It said Perarivalan had completed his Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA) 
and was pursuing further studies. He had helped educate many illiterate and 
semi-literate prisoners.

Murugan, formerly a Tamil Tiger intelligence activist, passed the BCA and MCA 
as well as certificate courses in Radio AND TV mechanics and 2-wheeler engine 
mechanics. 'He is a talented painter.'

Santhan has written numerous poems, short stories and a novel. He also tends to 
the temple in the prison and conducts the daily prayers.

'Today there are large numbers of people in Tamil Nadu appealing to the 
government to spare the lives of these 3 prisoners.

'PUDR appeals to the governor and to the government of Tamil Nadu to show 
compassion in sparing the lives of the 3 prisoners.

'The killing of these 3 persons serves no social objective today. Sparing them 
would protect the citizens of our country from the ill-effects of promoting of 
revenge as a justifiable objective.'

A woman suicide bomber assassinated Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally near 
Chennai May 21, 1991.

(source: Calcutta News)






NIGERIA:

No End to Fight Against Drugs, Says Giade


Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), 
Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, yesterday foreclosed an end in the fight against illicit 
drug in the world.

Giade made the assertion, while receiving a team of media executives and 
editors led by the Executive Director (Operations) of the National Mirror 
Newspapers, Dr. Yele Akinrolabu, at the Agency's headquarters in Lagos.

"An end to the trade in narcotics is not in the offing. Drug addicts around the 
world must first quit drug addiction and it is only when there are no more 
markets that those producing narcotics can be forced out of the lucrative 
criminal trade," he said. He disclosed that there was also a sharp increase in 
the street value of cocaine in Lagos, from about N3.5 million three months ago 
to the current price of about N7 million per kilogramme.

According to him, "the Agency has successfully intercepted about 1,000 
kilogrammes, which is a metric tonne, of cocaine at the Tin Can Island Port and 
Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos alone in less than a year. This 
includes the 450,400 kilogramme of cocaine imported by a Taiwanese and Chinese 
drug barons who were arrested and convicted in Lagos as well as the daily 
seizures of drugs recorded at the Lagos airport."

He attributed the rise in the price of cocaine to the market forces of demand 
and supply.

"Economic forces of demand and supply come into play in determining the street 
value of drugs particularly as we approach the end of year," he stated.

An end to the trade in narcotics is not in the offing. Drug addicts around the 
world must first quit drug addiction and it is only when there are no more 
markets that those producing narcotics can be forced out of the lucrative 
criminal trade," he said.

He noted that the Agency would continue to study the pattern of drug 
trafficking and adopt strategies of addressing the problem as drug barons have 
been in existence ever before the NDLEA was established. "It is pertinent to 
note that drug barons have been in existence before the establishment of the 
NDLEA. On our part, we shall not relent in monitoring drug trends and take 
proactive control measures in tackling the drug problem in the country," Giade 
stated.

The NDLEA boss also called for support from governments, organisations and 
individuals in the area of anti-drug enlightenment.


According to him, "we need the support of the public because this is a serious 
problem. How can you justify a situation where an adult will smuggle narcotics 
to countries where the penalty for drug trafficking is death. The death penalty 
caution is clearly stated on the visas, still they get involved.

"It is sad because there are Nigerians awaiting execution on account of drug 
trafficking in other countries. This is why we need an aggressive enlightenment 
because there are others who are prepared to undertake such suicidal missions," 
he added. Earlier, Akinrolabu had pledged to partner with the Agency in the 
campaign against narcotics.

"The National Mirror is truly national and offers a rare platform for the 
Agency to reach out to its publics. We appreciate your efforts to sanitise the 
country of illicit drugs and will partner with you," Yele promised.

(source: All Africa News)