[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Feb. 11



IRAQ:

Human Rights Group Asks Iraq to End Excessive Executions


A human rights group has expressed outrage over the recent fast pace executions 
in Iraq and has called for Iraqi authorities to put an end to the unjust 
practice.

"The Iraqi government seems to have given state executioners the green light to 
execute at will," Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, 
said in a statement on Thursday. "The government needs to declare an immediate 
moratorium on all executions and begin an overhaul of its flawed criminal 
justice system."

The group also noted that Iraq has executed at least 65 prisoners since the 
beginning of 2012, 51 of those executions have occurred in January and 14 so 
far this month, CNN reported.

"The government should disclose the identities, locations, and status of all 
prisoners on death row, the crimes for which they have been convicted, court 
records for their being charged, tried, and sentenced, and details of any 
impending executions," the group said in its statement, adding that they were 
especially concerned about Iraqi courts using coerced confessions as evidence.

Following reports late last month that 34 people, including two women, had been 
executed in Iraq on Jan. 19 following their criminal convictions, U.N. High 
Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called the executions "terrifying" 
and doubted if any of the guilty parties were granted due process.

"Even if the most scrupulous fair trial standards were observed, this would be 
a terrifying number of executions to take place in a single day," Pillay told 
CNN.

"Given the lack of transparency in court proceedings, major concerns about due 
process and fairness of trials, and the very wide range of offenses for which 
the death penalty can be imposed in Iraq, it is a truly shocking figure."

Pillay added that the Iraqi government should institute a suspension on the 
death penalty. But the complaints from the U.N. and Human Rights Watch may be 
falling on deaf ears.

Justice Minister Hassan al-Shummari responded to the U.N.'s critique earlier 
this month in a statement, defending the speedy executions.

"The implementation of fair punishment against terrorists and murderers comes 
in accord with the law of the state," al-Shummari said.

"Questioning the credibility of the Iraqi judiciary system by the U.N. High 
Commissioner is (a) strange thing and the High Commissioner should also (be) 
aware of the size of the challenges that Iraq is facing by terrorist groups who 
had committed heinous crimes and mass executions against innocent people," 
al-Shummari said in a statement posted to the ministry's website.

Since 2004, over 1,200 people are believed to have been sentenced to the death 
penalty in Iraq, although the number of those executed is unknown, Pillay told 
CNN. The severe penalty can be given for approximately four dozen crimes, in 
some cases even public property damage, she added.

"Many defendants are unable to pursue a meaningful defense or to challenge 
evidence against them, and lengthy pretrial detention without judicial review 
is common," Human Rights Watch said in their statement.

The group maintains that it opposes the death penalty "because of its inhumane 
nature and its finality."

(source: Christian Post)






MALAYSIA/SAUDI ARABIA:

Human rights group urges Malaysia not to deport Saudi journalist


An international human rights group on Saturday urged Malaysia not to deport a 
Saudi journalist accused of making comments on Twitter that allegedly insulted 
Islam and the Prophet Mohammed.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said Hamza Kashgari, 23, a Jeddah-based 
newspaper columnist, would face almost certain conviction and a death sentence 
for apostasy if he is sent back to Saudi Arabia.

'Saudi clerics have already made up their up mind that Kashgari is an apostate 
who must face punishment,' said Christoph Wilcke, senior Middle East researcher 
at Human Rights Watch.

'The Malaysian government should not be complicit in sealing Kashgari's fate by 
sending him back,' he added.

Kashgari fled Saudi Arabia to Malaysia on Tuesday after a storm of outrage 
erupted when he published over a fictitious conversation with the Prophet 
Mohammed on his Twitter account.

On February 8, an official Saudi religious body declared him an apostate.

Malaysian Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Kashgari was detained 
Thursday in the departure hall of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at the 
request of Saudi authorities.

'The Malaysian police will contact their counterparts (in Saudi Arabia) on the 
next course of action,' he said.

A lawyer for Kashgari said he had not yet been granted permission to see his 
client in police custody in Malaysia's capital, according to Human Rights 
Watch.

The group also said officials for the United Nations refugee agency had sought 
access to Kashgari without success.

(source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur)






INDIA:

Trial court gave the death penalty for terror act, conspiracy


A designated Prevention of Terrorist Activities (POTA) Act court had, on July 
27, 2009, held 3 accused, including a woman, guilty in the 2003 Gateway and 
Zaveri Bazaar blasts. A week later, designated judge MR Puranik handed down the 
death penalty to Ashrat Ansari, 35, Hanif Sayed Anees, 49, and his wife 
Fehmida, 46.

The designated court had held them guilty under section 120-b (conspiracy), 302 
(murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 427 (mischief causing damage) of the 
Indian Penal Code and under Section 3 (terrorist acts), 3(3) Conspiracy, 3(4) 
(voluntary harbouring a terrorist) of POTA, 4 (possession of arms) and 4(b) 
possession of explosives. They were also held guilty for other minor offences.

On August 6, 2009, the trial court handed down capital punishment to the trio 
on major charges of maiming innocent people through a terrorist act, and for 
the conspiracy.

On August 25, 2003, 2 powerful blasts rocked the Gateway of India and Zaveri 
Bazaar killing 54 people and injuring 244. Pakistani terrorist outfit 
Lashkar-e-Taiba had used a family for the 1st time to carry out the blasts.

On the day of the blasts, Hanif, Fehmida and their daughter had boarded a taxi 
from Andheri to the Gateway and left their bag in the vehicle, telling the taxi 
driver they would return after lunch. The bomb exploded in the taxi after the 
driver, who identified the family in the court, left the taxi to have his own 
lunch.

Ansari had boarded another taxi to Zaveri bazaar and he, too, left his bag in 
the taxi, saying he would return, but the vehicle exploded shortly thereafter.

The couple’s 16-year-old daughter was arrested for the offence but was later 
discharged as she was a minor. 2 other accused, Mohammed Ansari Ladoowala and 
Mohammed Hasan Batterywala, were also discharged by the POTA court after the 
Supreme Court upheld a POTA review report that said there was no case against 
them.

The LeT's role in the twin blasts was, however, revealed by an 
accused-turned-approver, whose testimony helped the prosecution prove the guilt 
of the 3. The approver had provided details of the conspiracy meeting in Dubai 
and attended by the outfit’s activists from Pakistan.

(source: Hindustan Times)