[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 17


IRAN----executions

Southern Azerbaijan: Execution Of 5 Azerbaijanis Condemned By ADAPP


ADAPP condemns the Iranian authorities for the execution of five Azerbaijanis 
based on confessions obtained under torture.

Below is a statement as issued by ADAPP:

5 Iranian Azerbaijanis, Jamal Shaikhzade, Farhad Islamdust, Muhammad Jangali, 
Dehqan Salamat and Riza Alipour were executed on 10 October, the World Day 
Against the Death Penalty, in the central prison of Urmia, Azerbaijan, Iran. 
These individuals were convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death 
after an unfair trial process largely based on confessions extracted under 
torture and documents allegedly prepared by the Ministry of Intelligence and 
National Security of Iran.

3 of these 5 executed individuals, Jamal Shaikhzade, Farhad Islamdust and 
Muhammad Jangali were residents of ‘Isti Su’ Village and members of the Iranian 
Azerbaijani Sunni minority commonly referred as ‘Sunni Turk’ or ‘Kuresunni’ by 
local people. These 3 executed Azerbaijani Sunnis were arrested in October 2009 
in the city of Urmia and transferred to the central prison, where, according to 
their families, they were subjected to severe psychological and physical 
torture under interrogation, According to ADAPP’s reliable sources, at least 
one of the executed individuals, the 30-year-old driver assistant, Jamal 
Shaikhzade may have been innocent.

Additionally, at least 3 other Azerbaijani Sunni minority members, Yusuf 
Islamdust from the Isti Su Village in the city of Salmas, and Allahverdi 
Ahmadpurazer and Ahmad Jamshid Jam from the towns of Qulunju and Balov in Urmia 
are in imminent danger of execution.

As a result of the above executions, the family of Yusuf Islamdust is deeply 
concerned about the life of their son, whom they believe is innocent. According 
to Mahmud Islamdust, Yusuf’s father who spoke to ADAPP, his son has never 
accepted the accusation of drug trafficking. Mahmud Islamdust said, “My son is 
innocent. Although we had been told by the Judge that Yusuf will be sentenced 
to 6 or 7 months in prison, the Ministry of Intelligence has asked for his 
death. My son had been severely tortured in the Ministry of Intelligence for 
about 50 days." He also added, “Here, no one hears Kuresunnis’ voice. I hope 
our voice will be heard by the international community.”

The family of Allahverdi Ahmadpurazer is worried about him. They were told that 
Allahverdi was transferred to the quarantine ward of Urmia prison.

The Sunni Muslims are a religious minority in the Shia dominated Iran. The 
Sunni Azerbaijanis mainly live in the cities of Urmia, Salmas, Khoy and Maku in 
Iran’s West Azerbaijan province. Discrimination against the Sunni Azerbaijanis 
by the Iranian government is evidenced in their lack of opportunity to complete 
higher education, their being prevented from establishing religious schools and 
non-governmental organizations or associations and their difficulties obtaining 
state positions. Moreover, the Iranian officials impose financial hardship on 
Sunni farmers by redirecting water supplies away from their villages and thus 
exposing their farms to water shortages. In general, the Sunni Azerbaijanis 
claim that they have been experiencing discrimination in the Iranian justice 
system by receiving relatively heavier sentences most of the times.

The Association for the Defence of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Iran 
(ADAPP) calls on the Iranian authorities to stop the execution of Sunni 
Azerbaijanis, as well as other Iranian ethnic and religious minorities, who are 
sentenced to death in unfair trials based on the confessions obtained under 
torture. ADAPP also urges the Iranian government to allow the Sunni community 
the freedom to fully engage in religious, political and social activities, and 
to end education and job discrimination against the Sunni Azerbaijanis and 
other ethnic-religious minorities in the Iranian Azerbaijan provinces, as well 
as the entire country.

(source: Association for Defence of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Iran 
(ADAPP) )






ISRAEL:

MK Katz tells PM to order death penalty for Fogel killers


Ajmad, Hakim Awad currently serving consecutive life sentences for the murders 
of Udi and Ruth Fogel and 3 of their young children.

As the government prepares to exchange convicted terrorists for kidnapped 
soldier Gilad Schalit, Transportation Minister MK Yisrael Katz (Likud) called 
on Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to order the death penalty for the 2 young 
Palestinian men convicted of killing 5 family members in their home earlier 
this year.

Katz said that the prime minister had told him the matter is under legal 
review.

The Samaria Military Court convicted 18-year-old Hakim Awad for the murder of 
the 5 members of the Fogel family – 3 children aged between 3 months and 11 
years, and their parents, Ehud and Ruth.

Ajmad Awad, the other man who has been charged with the killings in the West 
Bank settlement of Itamar, pleaded guilty at the beginning of October to 5 
counts of murder.

“I don’t regret what I did, and would do it again,” Awad told reporters in May.

“I’m proud of what I did and I’ll accept any punishment I get, even death, 
because I did it all for Palestine.”

Israel has only carried out the death penalty in the case of 1 prisoner, Adolf 
Eichmann.

(source: Jerusalem Post)