[Deathpenalty] [SPAM] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Sept. 15



UGANDA:

Potrait of a Terrorist


Emotions amongst Edris Nsubuga's family and friends continue to run like a 
fickle stream.

They all wonder why a young man with such a promising career and charming 
character would become the face of a bloodstained act that claimed the lives of 
at least 76 Ugandans.

Many are still vexed and baffled by what became of Nsubuga, the first suspect 
to confess to terrorism as the trial of the July 11 terror suspects kicked off 
in earnest on Monday at the High Court in Kampala.

On Tuesday, 2 of the 14 Al Shabaab suspects, Nsubuga and Mohamoud Mugisha, 
pleaded guilty to participating in the July 11, 2010 Kampala bombings.

Nsubuga, 31, who put up his hand and was allowed to talk to his lawyer, Alex 
Bashasha, told the court that he had wanted to plead guilty the previous day, 
but he felt intimidated by the reactions from his co-accused men.

"My lord, I have now decided to change my plea of not guilty to guilty on the 3 
counts of terrorism," he told the court.

However, after the judge had asked him whether he had been coerced or 
influenced by anyone, Nsubuga, who spoke fluent English, maintained that he had 
decided on his own to plead guilty.

Mugisha, 25, told the High Court trial judge, Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, that he 
conspired with Al Shabaab leaders in different countries, including Somalia, 
Kenya and Uganda, to commit acts of terrorism.

Who is Nsubuga?

On his Facebook account, still running, Nsubuga strikes a charming smile but, 
like those that shared camaraderie with him say, no one could ever tell that 
beneath his innocent face lay evil and terror.

Did he embrace lofty jihadist ideals? Or did he conflate the struggles of a 
young man looking for quick success in a competitive society with religious 
fanaticism?

Like any complex puzzle, his case churns many questions, but few answers. 
According to information pieced together from close friends and those who went 
to school with him, Nsubuga was a quiet, shy, humble and brilliant guy.

Many of the people we spoke to that went to school with him at Buganda Road 
Primary school and Kibuli Secondary school continue to 'express shock' over his 
brazen act.

"He was someone you hardly expected could do such a thing," says a former 
schoolmate who requested not to be named.

In high school, Nsubuga's dream of becoming a businessman seemed within grasp. 
Although he prayed at the school mosque in Kibuli, he portrayed a secular 
character, with one foot in Islam and another out. So often, he listened to the 
combustible lyrics of rap artiste Tupac Shakur.

"He likes rap a lot and wore vintage baseball shirts often associated with what 
rappers wore then," the former schoolmate added.

Another source revealed that Nsubuga, who was in Africa House at Kibuli, was a 
ladies' man and never missed the school dance. After completing a bachelor's 
degree in commerce at Makerere University, Nsubuga's dreams veered from being a 
rap icon to a businessman.

"He bought a music system for hire and run a mobile phone shop at the Pioneer 
mall," says another source.

This source recalls the last time he saw Nsubuga - in 2009. "I was going to 
change my lenses on Wilson road and, ever with a charming smile, he said to me, 
'OB (old boy), you're lost. Give us some money'".

So, what spurred the once smiling Nsubuga to give in to such a barbaric act? 
Those who saw him days before the July 11 attacks say he appeared conflicted. 
Not much is clear of the period when he began to embrace fanaticism.

However, some sources believe Nsubuga had been searching the internet for 
jihadist videos, chat rooms and listening to lectures by fanatical preachers. 
For a young man who confessed to having been a conduit of the Al Shabaab, 
Nsubuga's struggles had dovetailed with his religious transformation as he 
continued to learn from jihadist videos and embrace radical teachings.

Nsubuga, who had previously lived a worldly lifestyle, seemed to have undergone 
an adventure of purpose and renewal.

On his Facebook page, a friend posted, before Nsubuga's arrest, a comment 
regretting her lost phone, but Nsubuga replied: "Only hope that tomorrow is 
another day . . . didn't you invest your faith in the most High. Sorry girl."

Since his arrest, friends have continued to flood his Facebook page with 
comments. One wrote: "Hello brother, I know this is the greatest test you've 
faced in life so far, but I know you have faith and Allah is with you and HE 
will surely come through for you and us. Never give up; we love you."

Another message reads: "Eddy, I know the truth will prevail and, inshallah in 
this month of Ramadan, Allah will give you the strength and u will get your 
freedom back . . . always live in hope . . . [as] u go through everything even 
in the darkest hour like this one. . . remember the song HERO. We are praying 
for you brother. God bless".

But another cautious message posted after his confession to the Chieftaincy of 
Military Intelligence last year reads: "Allah never gives up on his people . . 
. he forgives even the greatest of sinners . . . for as long as we repent, and 
he paves a way where [there] seems to be no way.

He said the only sin he can't forgive is Shirik [blasphemy] . . . I pray for 
you especially in this holy month of Ramadan for Allah to see you through the 
terrible times and give you happiness and give you what your heart desires 
most".

When he appeared at the news conference at the military intelligence unit 
offices on Yusuf Lule road in August 2010 when CMI director, Brig James Mugira, 
paraded the terror suspects, none of the people accused of participating in the 
grisly act appeared as remorseful as Nsubuga.

"I am very sorry for the loss of life that happened because of my actions. I'm 
an evil man," he said amid sobs.

Nsubuga said he detonated the 2nd bomb at exactly 11:15pm, using a mobile phone 
a few seconds after the suicide bomber had blown himself up. There were 2 bomb 
explosions at Kyadondo Rugby Club, along Jinja Road.

Asked what punishment he thought he deserved, Nsubuga said: "I want my life, 
but let the law take its course".

His confession

On August 12, CMI boss Brig James Mugira paraded the suspects in Kampala where 
the suspects gave a harrowing account of how they executed the terror attacks.

"First of all, I would like to extend my sincere apologies to the families that 
lost people during the July 11 incident. Issa was calculative in choosing me. 
He came back in April and told me he wanted to get a house, but said Kenyan and 
Ugandan intelligence were trailing him.

"At this time, we were staying at Naigara hotel. He said he was expecting to 
get the money from a friend whom he introduced as coming from Kenya.

"He asked to leave some household items at my house-- they were packed in 
plastic boxes. I left for Galaxy Internet Café in town, where Issa, driving a 
Land-cruiser, followed me. There, he held my hand, said a short prayer in 
Arabic and looked into my eyes, saying this was a call from God. I was 
confused.

"When Spain was playing Germany in the semi-finals [World Cup], he called me to 
meet him in Makindye. I got there on a boda boda. He told me his brother, 
Luyima, had found other targets; Ice Link and Cheries in Kabalagala.

We went to survey Cheries but the security there looked tight. Hassan suggested 
that we go to the Ethiopian Restaurant where he said he had seen whites.

"We separated and everyone went home. We again met on Friday at Prime Complex 
and Issa said he was waiting for someone from Kenya to bring him money. He told 
me he wanted me to meet his visitors; the suicide bombers.

He wanted me to meet them on Saturday, the eve of the World Cup final, but on 
that day, my father instructed me to go to Mbogo High School to visit my 
younger brother. Issa later told Hassan to take me to meet the suicide bombers, 
whom he referred to as martyrs.

I linked up with Hassan and went to Mutasa Kafeero plaza where we bought 2 
phones.

"Thereafter, we went to the Old Taxi park and headed to the safe house in 
Namasuba. I found 2 guys, one was light skinned with protruding upper teeth and 
another was dark skinned with a flat nose.

At that point, Hassan suggested that we go for the final surveillance. Hassan 
told me he was not comfortable being in the company of a Somali.

"I, therefore, left the light skinned guy as he went out with the black guy. On 
Sunday we met at Kenjoy Supermarket in Najjanankumbi where we bought the 
suicide bombers' food. We agreed to meet at 6pm at the safe house.

When I got there, Hassan was with the suicide bombers and they said they had 
already assembled the explosives. They started testing the bombs using a bulb 
to show me how the explosives work. At 9pm we jumped on boda bodas but that was 
after we had said a prayer."

His arrest

Nsubuga was picked up by the CID, acting on information provided to them by 
Hussein Hassan Agade, 1 of the 3 Kenyans charged on July 30, 2010 with 89 
charges of terrorism, murder and attempted murder.

Nsubuga was intercepted at Malaba border point on his way to Kenya en route to 
Somalia. Forensic experts combed his house after the arrest and discovered a 
tool box that contained many metallic objects.

They also retrieved 2 mobile phones from a pit latrine which they believe could 
have been used to trigger off some of the bombs.

Muhamoud Mugisha's confession

"I am Muhamoud Mugisha; I am 24 years. I joined Al Shabaab in 2008, when I came 
back from South Africa, where I had spent 2 years.

"I was taken by Al Qaeda men who lived in Nairobi after promising me jobs. I 
thought they would smuggle me into Dubai via Somalia, but when we reached 
Kismayo, we camped there.

"They told me the jobs they wanted to offer me were in this place. They 
recruited me in the military camp of Kisimayo. I did training for 3 months. 
>From Kismayo, I was transferred to Barawe where I trained for almost 4 months 
and then I was taken to Mogadishu for my 1st operation.

"We [carried out] our 1st operation in a place called Karama. We extended the 
operation to a place called Abdul Aziz under the command of Swaleh Naban, who 
was later killed.

"Eventually, I learnt that I was counted as an Al Qaeda fighter, not Al 
Shabaab.

"After some time, I felt tired with the terrorist acts and wanted to come back 
home.

"When I got injured in the knees, I asked Swaleh Naban to release me, but he 
refused because they were busy fighting the Somalia government.

"When Swaleh Naban came back one night, I again asked him to release me and he 
accepted. He said I would be free to return home after I recovered. That night, 
he connected me to a man called Abel, who is responsible for leading their 
operations in Uganda.

"Since I was injured, they took me to hospital for two weeks. After getting 
medication, they returned my passport and gave me $4,000 to facilitate me back 
home. But on return, I was given a condition not to exceed one month before 
going back. They promised to kill me if I didn't do so.

"They drove me to the Kenyan border at night from where I boarded a bus to 
Nairobi and later boarded a Gateway bus to Kampala.

When I reached Kampala, I went straight to Rwanda because I did not want to 
stay here for long. Excuse me, I had forgotten: when I crossed to Kenya, I met 
a youth called Muhammad.

He told me he was a resident of Mengo-Kisenyi. He told me on reaching Kampala, 
I should buy a new MTN sim card for future communication and I should not 
switch it off.

"When I was in Rwanda, they sent me a message that they needed me. When I came 
back, Muhammad told me the boss (Abel) wanted to meet me back. I tried to go to 
the camp, but I was arrested at the Kenya-Somalia border and returned to 
Uganda."

Death setence?

Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi, a criminal lawyer, argues that although they pleaded 
guilty, it will be extremely hard for Nsubuga and Mugisha to escape the death 
sentence.

"I don't see how they can escape the death penalty, which is still on our 
statute books because it's the maximum sentence," said Rwakafuuzi.

Could they get a lighter penalty because they pleaded guilty? Rwakafuuzi says 
"leniency is the discretion of the judge and it will be up to him to decide".

He says if the terrorist act had led to no deaths, perhaps they would face a 
lighter sentence. Meanwhile, a source has also revealed to The Observer that 
Paul Nyongesa, a Kenyan national, who is pursuing a Masters in Public Health at 
Kampala University, was recently arrested in connection with the bomb attacks, 
as the anti-terrorism squad continues to hunt for more suspects involved.

"The military are saying yes, they have him and will release him if they 
establish that he is innocent," our source said.

(source: All Africa News)




CHINA:

China sentences 4 to death over Xinjiang attacks


4 members of the Uighur minority have been sentenced to death over attacks in 
China's restive Xinjiang province, which left 32 people dead.

The men were found guilty of murder, arson and running a terrorist 
organisation, state media reported.

2 others were jailed for 19 years for their roles in separate incidents in 
Kashgar and Hotan in July.

China accuses Uighur militants in Xinjiang of waging a violent campaign for an 
independent state.

China says the incidents were organised terror attacks, but activists say they 
were anti-government riots carried out by angry citizens against Beijing's 
heavy-handed rule in the region.

Details of the court action were published on www.tianshannet.com.cn, a news 
website run by the Xinjiang government.

The trials related to a deadly attack on a police station by a mob in Hotan in 
mid-July. Fifteen people were killed later that month in Kashgar, in an 
explosion and when men drove a truck into pedestrians.

"During the trial, defendants all confessed to the crimes alleged by the 
prosecution," the report said, adding the trial was open and the suspects' 
legal rights were upheld according to the law.

But the World Uyghur Congress based in Germany has said the men were beaten and 
deprived of sleep and told their families would suffer if they did not admit 
guilt during the trial.

These claims were dismissed by the Chinese government as "groundless".

Since the violence, China has deployed more police counter-terror units and 
stepped up what was already tight security in Xinjiang.

Almost half of Xinjiang's residents are Uighurs, Turkic-speaking Muslims with 
cultural and ethnic links to Central Asia.

Many complain that large-scale migration of Han Chinese workers from the east 
has cost them jobs and is eroding their culture.

China has invested heavily in Xinjiang and the region's rich oil and gas 
deposits are vital to its booming economy.

2 years ago, tensions between the 2 communities erupted into ethnic violence 
that left almost 200 people dead.

(source: BBC News)






INDIA:

Row in TN Congress over Rajiv Gandhi death penalty case


Demanding the hanging of the 3 death row convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi 
assassination case, Tamil Nadu Youth Congress President M Yuvaraja on Thursday 
took exception to Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's stand that the capital 
punishment be commuted to life imprisonment.

"The offenders in the assassination of the former prime minister must be 
punished. There is no law that delay in execution of the sentence would entail 
the convicts to be set free," he told reporters in Kumbakonam.

Coming down on Aiyar for favouring commutation of the death sentence, Yuvaraja 
said, "Such a stand coming from a person who has benefitted from Rajiv Gandhi 
and called him his friend is regrettable and harmful to the party. We have 
taken up the issue with the high command."

TN Youth Congress President M Yuvaraja said there should be no mix of politics 
in executing the sentence.

The 3 - Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan had been convicted for their role in 
the conspiracy to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi, he said, adding, there should be no 
mix of politics in executing the sentence.

He also asked the Tamil Nadu Government to take steps for withdrawing the 
resolution adopted in the assembly urging President Pratibha Patil to consider 
the mercy pleas of the 3 convicts.

On the local body elections, he said the Youth Congress view that the party 
should go it alone had been conveyed to the high command and would abide by its 
decision.

He said 9,000 people had submitted applications wishing to contest in the civic 
polls due next month.

Referring to the protests against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant, he said 
all safety measures were in place at the plant and it was fully protected.

(source: IBN Live)

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

The man who wants to become India's new executioner----An acute shortage of 
hangmen is forcing Indian prisons to consider novices for the sombre job


With an ease and fluidity that suggested considerable practice, Pawan Kumar 
picked up a rope and demonstrated how to tie a hangman's noose. He showed 
precisely where the loop should be fitted to ensure things went quickly and 
smoothly. And finally he showed how, with a silent nod from the jailer, either 
he or his grandfather would ease back the lever controlling the trap-door and 
dispatch the condemned prisoner to his death.

"There is a lot of process that goes into getting the noose correct so that the 
person does not suffer," he said. "I know, because of my grandfather. He 
explained to me the science behind it."

India is in search of an executioner and Mr Kumar may be in the frame. The 
nation has long been in two minds about the death penalty, reserved only for 
"the rarest of rare" cases, and has not executed anyone for seven years. There 
are presently an estimated 350 prisoners on death row, each uncertain of his 
fate.

But amid growing pressure on the government to show it is being "tough" on 
security and following the recent rejection of mercy petitions of several death 
row inmates, there is the potential for half-a-dozen or so executions within a 
matter of months.

A pressing problem is the shortage of hangmen. When President Pratibha Patil 
announced in May she was rejecting the appeals of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar 
and Mahendra Nath Das, the prison authorities in Assam, where Das is held, 
admitted they retained no hangman and asked other jails across the country to 
lend them one. At Tihar jail in Delhi, where Bhullar is held, officials have 
also said they have no executioner and will have to borrow one.

"The last execution here was 22 years ago and for us to keep an executioner on 
the payroll" makes no sense, said the jail's legal officer, Sunil Gupta.

Mr Kumar is adamant he should be the man to fill the void. His grandfather and 
later his father were both retained by the authorities at Meerut jail as its 
official hangman. Indeed, his grandfather was a celebrated executioner, he 
said; in 1989 it was he who hanged Satwant Singh, one of the 2 bodyguards who 
assassinated prime minister Indira Gandhi 5 years earlier. Following his 
father's death this spring, Mr Kumar applied for the position. So far, the 
48-year-old has undergone two trial demonstrations.

Seated on a bench at his neat home two hours north-east of Delhi, Mr Kumar, who 
has seven children, said he had assisted his grandfather on a number of 
occasions and claimed to have even carried out one hanging by himself when his 
grandfather was unable to attend. The first time he helped was the execution in 
1992 of two brothers convicted of murder. "I tied the feet of the 2 men. My 
grandfather fitted the noose," he said. "After that first execution there was 
no emotional feeling. I was not frightened because I had wanted to do it since 
childhood."

Not everyone feels that way. The man who carried out India's most recent 
execution was Nata Mullick, who also hailed from a family of hangmen and who in 
2004 put to death a man convicted of the rape and murder of a schoolgirl. 
Before he died last year, he said that he was haunted by the faces of the 25 
people he had hanged.

After that last execution several people in West Bengal were reportedly 
strangled to death by accident, after Mr Mullick demonstrated for TV cameras 
how to tie a noose and triggered a wave of "pretend hangings". Mr Mullick's 
nephew was to have inherited the position but, having assisted at the 2004 
hanging, found himself ill-suited. Now the opportunity has fallen to his son, 
Mahadeb Mullick, who has said he is unenthusiastic about taking on the role 
given the way "hangmen are used and discarded".

Others worry about bad karma and its possible impact on a future reincarnation. 
Some fear social exclusion. Another veteran hangman or "jallad", Amhadullah 
Khan, 58, from Lucknow, also doubts he will ever again work the gallows' lever. 
Speaking by phone, Mr Khan said somewhat angrily: "I don't want to speak to the 
media about the barbaric profession. I don't support capital punishment. I 
don't remember how many people I have hanged."

The first of a flurry of executions may take place in Tamil Nadu, where 3 men 
convicted of plotting the 1991 assassination of former prime minister Rajiv 
Gandhi, the son of Indira Gandhi, were scheduled to have been hanged on 
September 9 until a court ordered a two-month stay. Jail officials have said a 
member of the prison staff will carry out the executions if they proceed.

Finding a hangman is not the only issue. In Tamil Nadu local politicians have 
passed a resolution calling for clemency for the men, Murugan, Chinna Santhan 
and Perarivalan, who have spent years on death row. The move has put 
considerable pressure on the ruling Congress Party.

There are similar issues surrounding the possible execution of Devinder Pal 
Singh Bhullar, who has always denied his role in a deadly 1993 bomb attack for 
which he was sentenced to death and whose supporters have fought a vociferous 
campaign for his freedom.

And in Kashmir, officials have warned that if the authorities proceed with the 
hanging of Afzal Guru, who was convicted of a 2001 attack on the Indian 
parliament but who maintains his innocence, there will be a serious backlash. 
"Kashmir will erupt if he is hanged," the moderate separatist leader, Mirwaiz 
Umar Farooq, told reporters. Yet there is also pressure on the government to 
show a strong hand on matters of security.

Amid allegations it has not done enough to prevent terror attacks, such as the 
bomb set off outside the Delhi high court last week killing more than a dozen 
people, the government seeks to project itself as being firm.

Following the conviction of Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving member of the group 
of militants that attacked Mumbai in 2008, there was talk of a fast-track 
execution process but nothing has come of it so far.

As it is, the fear of further attacks has created a mood for revenge, admit 
campaigners against the death penalty. "There has been increasing criticism 
from the opposition that the government is soft on terror, often citing the 
failure to hang those convicted for terrorism. Unfortunately, a series of 
recent violent attacks have also led to public outrage and rather bloodthirsty 
demands for retribution," said Meenakshi Ganguly, of Human Rights Watch.

Pavan Kumar is happy to share the tricks of the trade. While some hangmen are 
said to have used clarified butter or crushed bananas to help work the noose, 
Mr Kumar says his family never did, and instead placed the loop inside an empty 
pitcher to help it retain its shape.

But if he is to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and father and 
secure the monthly retainer of 3,000 Indian rupees (£40) it is the officials at 
Meerut jail he must impress.

Things have not gone entirely smoothly. Mr SK Kesarwani, superintendent of the 
white-washed prison that was at the centre of the 1857 uprising against British 
forces by Indian troops, declined a request to visit the prison's gallows where 
Mr Kumar recently tried to show his prowess by "executing" a 150lb sack of 
sand. But he played a video of Mr Kumar's performance on his mobile phone.

The footage showed Mr Kumar standing atop of a gallows set over a trap-door and 
checking the noose before releasing the lever. The sack of sand thudded to the 
floor with the rope still slightly loose, indicating that had it been a real 
execution the prisoner would most likely not have been killed. He had misjudged 
the length of rope required, said Mr Kesarwarni. "The technicalities are [not 
correct]."

The superintendent has earned himself something of a reputation for progressive 
thinking at the prison, where there are two inmates on death row, and he said 
he was personally opposed to capital punishment.

However, he recognised it was something he had to prepare for. He admitted too, 
that given the scarcity of candidates for the position of hangman, he would be 
obliged to persist, at least for now, with Mr Kumar. "We don't have any 
options," he sighed. "That is why we are willing to give him another trial."

(source: The Independent)




MALAYSIA:

I want to die: Killer


He was facing the death penalty when he went on trial last October for the 
murder of a property agent.

Yesterday, the charge was reduced to culpable homicide, saving him from the 
gallows.

Instead, he could be jailed up to 20 years and caned.

However, Rosli Yassin, 51, didn't seem all too happy that his life has been 
spared. While waiting for his High Court hearing to start, he repeatedly said: 
"I want to die."

Dressed in prison garb, he appeared solemn as a Malay interpreter read him his 
charges before the court went into session.

But before she could finish, Rosli - who has been in detention since October 
2008 following his arrest - said: "If my life is like this, then why should I 
stay alive?

"I want to tell the judge to let me die."

Rosli was accused of killing Ms Choo Xue Ying, 47, in 2008 and he went on trial 
last October.

The hearing was then adjourned, and his lawyers made representations to the 
prosecution to reduce the charge.

Rosli's lawyer, Mr Daniel Koh, told The New Paper that being in detention for 
nearly 3 years had taken a toll on Rosli.

"He was distressed, but after I spoke to him, he calmed down," said Mr Koh.

(source: AsiaOne)






IRAN----executions

2 prisoners were hanged in the Iranian town of Semnan this morning


2 prisoners were executed in the prison of Semnan early this morning, reported 
the official Iranian news agency IRNA.

The prisoners were identified as "A. F." (27 years old) convicted of keeping 15 
kilograms of crack, and "M. M." convicted of keeping and carrying 4940 kg of 
crack according to the report.

The charges have not been confirmed by independent sources and the prisoners 
had been tried behind the closed doors by the revolutionary courts.

According to our reports 28 people have been executed since Saturday September 
3. in Iran, and Iran Human Rights (IHR) is investigating unofficial reports 
about the execution of 15 other prisoners in the prison of Torbat-e-Jam.

(source: Iran Human Rights)






BELARUS:

In Belarus, all eyes are on the first-ever terrorism trial----The bombing was 
the deadliest attack in the country in decades


Belarus is preparing for the country's 1st ever terrorism trial. 2 men are 
charged over the Minsk metro bombing that left 15 people dead and many wounded. 
If found guilty, the defendants could face the death penalty.

On Thursday, 2 men are to go on trial in Belarus in the country's 1st ever 
terrorism trial.

Dmitri Konovalov and Vladislav Kovalyov are charged with exploding a home-made 
bomb they had hidden in a sports bag underneath a bench via remote control.

The explosion in the Oktyabrskaya metro station in the capital Minsk on April 
11, 2011 killed 15 people and left more than 300 wounded. The 2 men are also 
suspected of being behind minor bombing attacks in Minsk in 2008 and Vitebsk in 
2005.

According to the prosecutor's office, the 2 men have remained silent about the 
attacks, leaving authorities in the dark over a possible motive.

The head of the investigation, Andrej Schwed, said that there were no 
indications the defendants had been following orders from another organization.

If found guilty of terrorism, the 2 25-year old defendants could face the death 
penalty.

Pressure on the opposition

The Minsk metro bombing rocked the country in the middle of a massive 
government crackdown on opposition and critics of the regime following 
President Alexander Lukashenko's controversial re-election in December 2010.

A memorial for the victims at Oktyabrskaya station Dozens of dissidents had 
been jailed, accused of having organized unrest after the vote. Thousands of 
demonstrators took to the streets to protest Lukashenko's sweeping victory and 
hundreds were arrested, including the opposition's presidential candidates.

According to Belarusian political analyst Alexander Klaskovski, authorities 
used the metro bombing to even further step up measures against opposition 
activists. "But they stopped when it became clear that one of the main suspects 
was a member of a state youth organization and not an opposition one," he said.

The terrorism trial has generated keen interest across the country, yet there's 
little trust in the legal system, political scientist Jurij Tchausov told 
Deutsche Welle.

"It has become increasingly clear over the past few years that false witnesses 
were called to give evidence against political opponents," he said, adding that 
a majority of the population was likely to be suspicious of the trial.

The death sentence looms large

"We hope the trial will be transparent," Vladimir Lobkovich of thee human 
rights NGO 'Vesna' said ahead of Thursday court proceedings.

If found guilty of terrorism, the 2 defendants could face the death penalty 
under Belarusian law - a sentence that Lobkovich is rallying against.

"We're not saying the men are innocent or guilty. What we're saying is that a 
possible death penalty is absolutely inhumane – regardless of the cruelty of 
the crime," the activist said.

The use of the death penalty in Belarus has earned the country international 
condemnation. So far, a moratorium is not in sight.

(source: Deutsche Welle)