[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 5



SRI LANKA:

Sri Lanka hiring hangmen as 800 sit on death row


Sri Lanka wants to hire hangmen, a top government official said on Wednesday, 
after the country's only two executioners quit their jobs, leaving at least 800 
convicts sitting on death row.

The death penalty has not been used in Sri Lanka, a predominantly Buddhist 
country, since 1976, though the government reinstated it in 2004 for rape, drug 
trafficking and murder.

"There are 2 vacancies for the hangman position after one person who held the 
position got a promotion, and the other retired," said Secretary of the 
Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms, A. Desanayake.

"We are planing to advertise the vacancy calling for applications by next week 
as we cannot keep the position vacant."

At least 800 people convicted of murder and drugs offences could potentially be 
executed, Desanayake said. The president must sign off on any judicial 
execution.

Some activists, lawyers and politicians have been lobbying for the death 
penalty to be carried out, citing an increase in crime since a 25-year war 
against separatists ended in May 2009.

(source: Reuters)






IRAN----executions

3 prisoners were hanged in Kerman (southeastern Iran)


3 prisoners were hanged in the prison of Kerman, southeastern Iran, reported 
the official site of Kerman judiciary today.

The prisoners were identified as Ahmad A. convicted of keeping and carrying 15 
kilograms and 600 grams of heroin, Mohammad R. convicted of keeping and 
carrying 7 kilograms of heroin and Karim Sh. convicted of 2500 grams of heroin, 
said the report.

None of the charges have been confirmed by independent sources.

(source: Iran Human Rights)

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

Iran denies death penalty for convert


Youssef Nadar-KhaniAn Iranian judiciary official has denied reports that 
Youssef Nadar-Khani, an Iranian citizen, has been sentenced to death for 
converting to Christianity Press TV reports.

“Youssef Nadar-Khani has been charged with a crime and is in a prison based on 
an arrest warrant issued against him,” Gilan Province Judiciary Chief 
Mohammad-Javad Heshmati said on Wednesday.

“There has been no execution order. No conviction at all has been issued yet 
and it is up to the court to finally decide the verdict after studying his 
case,” he added.

The official noted that further information will be released to the public 
“after the investigations and the court sessions are over.”

On Saturday, Deputy Governor of Gilan Province Ali Rezvani said Nadar-Khani is 
guilty of security charges and running a brothel but his verdict has not been 
finalized.

“This individual is guilty and his crime is not attempting to convert others to 
Christianity, rather his crimes are of a security nature,” he stated.

Western media have manipulated the case of Nadar-Khani, a convicted rapist and 
extortionist in Gilan Province, to wage an anti-Iran publicity campaign by 
falsely claiming that his criminal conviction his conversion to Christianity 
and acting as a 'priest.'

Iran has firmly refuted Western allegations of violating human rights, 
insisting that Nadar-Khani has a history of committing violent crimes and that 
he has never received a death penalty for his religious preference.

(source: Press TV)