[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 15



COSTA RICA:

>From Costa Rica, an Emphatic No to Death Penalty


Costa Rica is a nation that supports, defends and promotes the defense of human 
rights around the world. In the matter of the death penalty, the Constitution 
is clear insofar as human life being inviolable, never to be broken or 
infringed upon. Such was the message issued by Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Alejandro Solano last week in commemoration of the 12th World Coalition Against 
the Death Penalty Day, which was observed on October 10th.

According to an official communique issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
Minister Solano welcomed the message communicated by 12 of his counterparts 
around the world, including the honorable nations of:

--Argentina

--Australia

--Benin

--Burkina Faso

--Philippines

--Haiti

--Mexico

--Mongolia

--Norway

--The United Kingdom

--Switzerland

--Turkey

Costa Rica supports a global abolition of the death penalty. This support is 
advocated by the International Court of Human Rights. Minister Solano added:

We have ratified our dedication and support of an universal abolition of the 
death penalty, clearly stating that such practice has no place in criminal 
justice and instead is a violation of human rights. Sentencing someone to death 
is not justice; it is rather a failure of the judicial system.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon also supports Costa Rica's stance 
against the death penalty and has called on a worldwide moratorium of this 
dubious practice. As per the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty:

A moratorium is temporary suspension of executions and, more rarely, of death 
sentences. It is provisional and often depends on the will of a key decision 
maker (president, minister of justice...). Conversely, abolition is permanent 
as enshrined in law.

"The use of the death penalty undermines human dignity"

In 2008, 2010 and 2012, the World Coalition led a campaign to increase support 
for the new resolution and to ensure its implementation. The vote on December 
18, 2008 showed increasing support for the moratorium: 106 countries voted in 
favour, 48 against and 34 abstained. In 2010, even more countries supported the 
resolution with 109 votes in favor, 41 voted against and 35 abstained. More 
recently, in december 2012, the resolution gained even more support with 111 
states voting in favor, 41 voting against and 34 abstaining.

Since 2007, the movement for abolition has grown larger and larger. More states 
have abolished the death penalty, more moratoria on executions have been 
implemented and proposals for abolition in law have multiplied throughout the 
world.

(source: The Costa Rica Star)






IRAN:

Iran executions surge amid U.S. nuclear talks


"Rights groups and regional analysts say Iran's record may be worsening in the 
backdrop of potential detente with the West," an article published Wednesday in 
The Washington Times reports.

"The situation is prompting some in Washington to criticize the Obama 
administration for not applying more public pressure on Tehran to adhere to 
international human rights standards."

During the 14 months since Hassan Rouhani took office, the authorities in Iran 
have carried out nearly 1000 executions.

The report said that an advance copy of a book-length report on the executions 
titled "Behind Rouhani's Smile" provided to The Washington Times by the 
National Council of Resistance of Iran notes the executions of at least 22 
women since Hassan Rouhani took office and highlights more than a dozen cases 
of people younger than 18 accused of crimes and hanged.

(source: NCR-Iran)






INDONESIA:

Police seize 32.8kg syabu worth RM2.76 million in Ipoh


Police arrested 2 people and seized 32.8kg syabu worth RM2.76 million in a raid 
on a single storey bungalow here, on Sunday.

Perak deputy police chief Datuk A. Paramasivam said the bungalow in Taman Lim, 
used by a food catering company, was turned into a drug laboratory 6 months 
ago.

"The raid on the empty bungalow led to the arrest of 2 people including a 
foreigner in Ipoh on the same day," he reporters at Perak Police Headquarters 
here, today.

The local suspect,42, was a food caterer while the foreigner, 34, did not have 
valid travel documents.

"During the raid, the police party also seized a van, two motorcycles, some 
money and goods worth RM35,200."

Urine tests on the suspects who did not have criminal records proved negative. 
They were remanded until Sunday for further investigation.

Paramasivam said the 32.8kg syabu seized can be used by 32,000 people.

The case was investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 
which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

(source: The Borneo Post)






SINGAPORE:

Cannabis and heroin traffickers arrested in Marsiling and Clementi


4 Singaporeans may face the death penalty after they were caught by Central 
Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers on Tuesday, in 2 separate operations which 
netted 2.6kg of heroin and 1.2kg of cannabis.

The 1st operation occurred in the vicinity of a housing block at Marsiling 
Drive. According to a statement from CNB, a 46-year-old male suspected cannabis 
trafficker was spotted meeting up with a 40-year-old male suspected drug 
client.

CNB officers deployed for the sting moved in after the transaction concluded, 
and recovered about 40g of cannabis from the 40-year-old male and about 260g of 
cannabis from the 46-year-old male.

A further 960g of cannabis and a small amount of 'Ice' and heroin were later 
recovered from the 46-year-old suspected drug trafficker's residence.

In the second operation, CNB officers deployed to a housing block at Clementi 
West Street 1 spotted their suspect, a 40-year-old male, getting on board a van 
driven by a 48-year-old male.

After stopping the van at the exit of the carpark, CNB officers found 2.6kg of 
heroin and drug paraphernalia such as a digital weighing scale and empty 
plastic sachets within the van.

The 40-year-old suspected trafficker was also found to be carrying more than 
S$6,700 cash.

If convicted, all 4 Singaporean suspects may face the death penalty.

The Misuse of Drugs Act provides for the death penalty if the amount of 
diamorphine (or pure heroin) trafficked exceeds 15g. 15g of diamorphine is 
equivalent to 1,250 straws, which is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 
180 abusers for a week.

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, those convicted of trafficking in more than 500g 
of cannabis may face the death penalty.

Director CNB Mr Ng Ser Song said: "The 2.6kg of heroin seized could have fed 
the addiction of almost 1250 drug abusers for a week, and the 1.2kg of cannabis 
seized could have been used to lure many unsuspecting new abusers into trying 
out drugs for the 1st time.

"This will start a vicious cycle of lifelong addiction, bringing upon families 
immense pain and suffering when they see their loved ones fighting to be free 
from drug addiction.

"CNB will not let up in our enforcement efforts and will not allow drugs to 
enslave our community."

(source: Asia One)


COSTA RICA:

>From Costa Rica, an Emphatic No to Death Penalty


Costa Rica is a nation that supports, defends and promotes the defense of human 
rights around the world. In the matter of the death penalty, the Constitution 
is clear insofar as human life being inviolable, never to be broken or 
infringed upon. Such was the message issued by Minister of Foreign Affairs 
Alejandro Solano last week in commemoration of the 12th World Coalition Against 
the Death Penalty Day, which was observed on October 10th.

According to an official communique issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
Minister Solano welcomed the message communicated by 12 of his counterparts 
around the world, including the honorable nations of:

--Argentina

--Australia

--Benin

--Burkina Faso

--Philippines

--Haiti

--Mexico

--Mongolia

--Norway

--The United Kingdom

--Switzerland

--Turkey

Costa Rica supports a global abolition of the death penalty. This support is 
advocated by the International Court of Human Rights. Minister Solano added:

We have ratified our dedication and support of an universal abolition of the 
death penalty, clearly stating that such practice has no place in criminal 
justice and instead is a violation of human rights. Sentencing someone to death 
is not justice; it is rather a failure of the judicial system.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon also supports Costa Rica's stance 
against the death penalty and has called on a worldwide moratorium of this 
dubious practice. As per the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty:

A moratorium is temporary suspension of executions and, more rarely, of death 
sentences. It is provisional and often depends on the will of a key decision 
maker (president, minister of justice...). Conversely, abolition is permanent 
as enshrined in law.

"The use of the death penalty undermines human dignity"

In 2008, 2010 and 2012, the World Coalition led a campaign to increase support 
for the new resolution and to ensure its implementation. The vote on December 
18, 2008 showed increasing support for the moratorium: 106 countries voted in 
favour, 48 against and 34 abstained. In 2010, even more countries supported the 
resolution with 109 votes in favor, 41 voted against and 35 abstained. More 
recently, in december 2012, the resolution gained even more support with 111 
states voting in favor, 41 voting against and 34 abstaining.

Since 2007, the movement for abolition has grown larger and larger. More states 
have abolished the death penalty, more moratoria on executions have been 
implemented and proposals for abolition in law have multiplied throughout the 
world.

(source: The Costa Rica Star)






IRAN:

Iran executions surge amid U.S. nuclear talks


"Rights groups and regional analysts say Iran's record may be worsening in the 
backdrop of potential detente with the West," an article published Wednesday in 
The Washington Times reports.

"The situation is prompting some in Washington to criticize the Obama 
administration for not applying more public pressure on Tehran to adhere to 
international human rights standards."

During the 14 months since Hassan Rouhani took office, the authorities in Iran 
have carried out nearly 1000 executions.

The report said that an advance copy of a book-length report on the executions 
titled "Behind Rouhani's Smile" provided to The Washington Times by the 
National Council of Resistance of Iran notes the executions of at least 22 
women since Hassan Rouhani took office and highlights more than a dozen cases 
of people younger than 18 accused of crimes and hanged.

(source: NCR-Iran)






INDONESIA:

Police seize 32.8kg syabu worth RM2.76 million in Ipoh


Police arrested 2 people and seized 32.8kg syabu worth RM2.76 million in a raid 
on a single storey bungalow here, on Sunday.

Perak deputy police chief Datuk A. Paramasivam said the bungalow in Taman Lim, 
used by a food catering company, was turned into a drug laboratory 6 months 
ago.

"The raid on the empty bungalow led to the arrest of 2 people including a 
foreigner in Ipoh on the same day," he reporters at Perak Police Headquarters 
here, today.

The local suspect,42, was a food caterer while the foreigner, 34, did not have 
valid travel documents.

"During the raid, the police party also seized a van, two motorcycles, some 
money and goods worth RM35,200."

Urine tests on the suspects who did not have criminal records proved negative. 
They were remanded until Sunday for further investigation.

Paramasivam said the 32.8kg syabu seized can be used by 32,000 people.

The case was investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 
which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

(source: The Borneo Post)






SINGAPORE:

Cannabis and heroin traffickers arrested in Marsiling and Clementi


4 Singaporeans may face the death penalty after they were caught by Central 
Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers on Tuesday, in 2 separate operations which 
netted 2.6kg of heroin and 1.2kg of cannabis.

The 1st operation occurred in the vicinity of a housing block at Marsiling 
Drive. According to a statement from CNB, a 46-year-old male suspected cannabis 
trafficker was spotted meeting up with a 40-year-old male suspected drug 
client.

CNB officers deployed for the sting moved in after the transaction concluded, 
and recovered about 40g of cannabis from the 40-year-old male and about 260g of 
cannabis from the 46-year-old male.

A further 960g of cannabis and a small amount of 'Ice' and heroin were later 
recovered from the 46-year-old suspected drug trafficker's residence.

In the second operation, CNB officers deployed to a housing block at Clementi 
West Street 1 spotted their suspect, a 40-year-old male, getting on board a van 
driven by a 48-year-old male.

After stopping the van at the exit of the carpark, CNB officers found 2.6kg of 
heroin and drug paraphernalia such as a digital weighing scale and empty 
plastic sachets within the van.

The 40-year-old suspected trafficker was also found to be carrying more than 
S$6,700 cash.

If convicted, all 4 Singaporean suspects may face the death penalty.

The Misuse of Drugs Act provides for the death penalty if the amount of 
diamorphine (or pure heroin) trafficked exceeds 15g. 15g of diamorphine is 
equivalent to 1,250 straws, which is sufficient to feed the addiction of about 
180 abusers for a week.

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, those convicted of trafficking in more than 500g 
of cannabis may face the death penalty.

Director CNB Mr Ng Ser Song said: "The 2.6kg of heroin seized could have fed 
the addiction of almost 1250 drug abusers for a week, and the 1.2kg of cannabis 
seized could have been used to lure many unsuspecting new abusers into trying 
out drugs for the 1st time.

"This will start a vicious cycle of lifelong addiction, bringing upon families 
immense pain and suffering when they see their loved ones fighting to be free 
from drug addiction.

"CNB will not let up in our enforcement efforts and will not allow drugs to 
enslave our community."

(source: Asia One)


ZIMBABWE:

Civil society in Zimbabwe calls for total abolition of the death penalty


A media briefing to commemorate the World Day Against The Death Penalty was 
held at the Media Centre in Harare with calls for the total abolition of the 
death penalty in Zimbabwe.

The media briefing, which brought together civic organizations such as 
Padare/Enkundleni/Men's Forum on Gender, Amnesty International, Zimbabwe Women 
Lawyers Association (ZWLA) and Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, reiterated 
calls to do away with state sanctioned killings in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe marks this year's event under a new constitution adopted in 2013, 
which partially abolished the death penalty but still retains capital 
punishment against men aged between 21 and 70 years old. The Zimbabwe Women 
Lawyers Association (ZWLA) believes that there is no rational justification for 
the harsher treatment that the constitution makes for men who are convicted of 
murder between the ages of 21 and 70. Retention of the death penalty for men is 
incompatible with state obligations under article 2, 3 and 26 of the United 
Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Zimbabwe 
is a party.

Zimbabwe's last execution was conducted in 2005.

Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International campaigns coordinator, called on the 
government to ensure equality through abolishing of the death penalty for all 
persons. Women, who are currently on death row, no longer face the death 
penalty under the new constitution in Zimbabwe. A total 97 inmates are 
currently on death row. Recently the Minister of Justice Legal and 
Parliamentary Affairs was reported as sharing government's commitment and 
vision for the abolition of capital punishment through reviewing sentences 
imposed on death row inmates.

(source: kubatana.net)


UGANDA:

Pay Families of Hanged Convicts, Activists Demand


Anti-death penalty activists have asked the government to compensate families 
of hanged convicts.

The activists argue that since the government is supposed to detect and prevent 
crime, it should compensate victims of the 'unfortunate act of hanging'.

Among the leading proponents of this view is Dr Livingstone Sewanyana, the 
executive director of the Foundation for Human Rights (FHRI), who spoke on the 
sidelines of last week's events to mark the 12th World Day against the Death 
Penalty, at Nsambya in Kampala. The theme of the day was: "Understanding the 
mental effects of the death penalty".

"We feel that time has come to introduce what is called 'a victims' 
compensation fund' so that their families can be taken care of... ," Sewanyana 
said.

The national legal officer in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human 
Rights, Florence Nakazibwe, said children of convicts on death row needed help 
because they suffer medical and psychological conditions such as post-traumatic 
stress disorder and depression.

"With regard to difficulties in school, generally no support system is put in 
place for these children and school often becomes a place where they fight to 
defend their parent's reputation and, by extension, their own," Nakazibwe said.

The activists want Parliament to repeal all legal clauses that allow the death 
penalty. A senior presidential advisor in charge of general duties, Chris 
Rwakasisi, a former death row convict, said he knew many innocent people 
sentenced to death because of flaws in the judicial system.

"If it is robbery, the police will change it [to] aggravated robbery, and the 
Judiciary will accept it," said Rwakasisi, who was pardoned by President 
Museveni.

Dr Sewanyana, however, issued a disclaimer: Anti-death penalty activists don't 
condone crime, they just want corrective punishments.

"A punishment is meant for reformation [but] when you kill, it becomes revenge. 
You can't punish a dead person... It [therefore] becomes unbecoming for 
government to abet revenge," Sewanyana said.

FHRI Chairman John Kateeba argued that the public needed education on why it is 
necessary to scrap execution.

"You kill 1 person but psychologically you have killed the whole clan; they 
will say this government killed our people," Rev Kateeba said. "We should 
instead encourage rehabilitation, reconciliation and then forgiveness."

Some 229 people are on death row in Luzira prison, according to FHRI. The last 
execution in Uganda under the military law took place in 2005 and in 1999 under 
the civil justice system.

(source: The Observer)






KENYA:

Death penalty: Is it time to abolish it?


Kenyan courts are daily sentencing people to death but the sentences have not 
been carried out for nearly 30 years.

Similarly what is a 'life sentence' legally remains an unanswered question.

Early this month Justices Mbogholi Msagha, Florence Muchemi and Mumbi Ngugi 
issued a judgement on these matters.

Having been personally involved, I will endeavour to objectively put the issues 
raised in perspective.

It is imperative to first note that the mandatory death penalty is provided for 
under Section 204 of the Penal Code. Even so, since 1987 no person has been 
executed in Kenya, nevertheless, the courts have continued to pass the death 
sentence.

In the last 5 years about 1,620 offenders have been sentenced to death.

In 2009, there was a mass commutation of sentences from death row to life 
imprisonment by the then President, Mwai Kibaki.

The Court summarised issues raised by the Petitioner thus:

- "The right of an accused person to know with certitude what sentence he 
stands to suffer at the date of taking plea.

-The legality and constitutionality of the mandatory death sentence

- The mandatory death sentence and the exercise of the courts discretion

- Obligations under general rules of international law and international 
treaties and conventions

- Enforcement of the death sentence

- The President's authority to exercise the power of mercy

- What constitutes life Imprisonment?"

The 7 issues raised by the Petitioner were addressed by the Court in great 
detail.

The Court's response to the first and second issue was that, it is without a 
doubt the right of an accused person to know the sentence that they will meet 
should they be found guilty of an offence.

Further, it was held that the death sentence is clearly provided for in law and 
is as such not contrary to the Constitution, since the sentence is a limitation 
to the right to life contemplated by the Constitution.

In addition to that the Court in citing Court of Appeal decisions on the 
constitutionality of the death penalty stated:

"As a High Court exercising constitutional jurisdiction, although comprising 
three judges, we have no jurisdiction to review decisions of the Court of 
Appeal.

Such uncertainty as may be deemed to exist in Kenyan law with regard to the 
death penalty as has not been sufficiently addressed by the Court of Appeal can 
only be addressed by the Supreme Court."

On the 3rd issue, the Court held that the wording of the Penal Code, which 
provides for the mandatory death sentence, does not leave any room for the 
court to exercise any discretion in matters of sentencing.

The Court then addressed the 5th and 6th issues simultaneously stating as 
follows:

"The power to order the execution of the death penalty, or to commute it to a 
term of years or a life sentence, or to pardon the person convicted, is 
expressly vested in the President by law...

The law is thus clear that the responsibility for determining whether the death 
penalty is enforced or not lies on the President; the role of the Commissioner 
of Prison being solely to carry out or direct the carrying out of the 
execution."

Pertaining to the fourth issue, the court held that the death penalty is 
permitted by the Constitution and Statute, and is not in contravention of 
Kenya's obligations under international law.

The Court however, stated its opinion as follows:

"In our view, the failure to carry out executions for years after the sentence 
of death has been passed, and the appellate process has come to an end amounts 
to an unconstitutional act and a violation of the rights of those convicted and 
therefore agree with the reasoning that it amounts to cruel and degrading 
treatment or punishment."

The court then added that:

"The answer, in our view, lies with the executive and the people of Kenya 
through their elected representatives in the national legislature.

The President has the power to sign death warrants in respect of convicted 
offenders who have been sentenced to death, or commute the sentence of death to 
life imprisonment, which he has done in the past under powers vested in him."

On the 7th and final issue the court concurred with the Petitioner that it is 
unclear what amounts to a life sentence and stated that:

"As submitted by the Petitioner, however, what amounts to life imprisonment is 
unclear in our circumstances.

"It is, however, for the court to determine what should amount to a life 
sentence; whether one's natural life or a term of years. In our view, that is 
also the province of the legislature."

In making its final remarks, the court stated thus:

"While we are satisfied that, on the basis of the existing constitutional and 
statutory provisions and judicial precedents, the death penalty is not 
unconstitutional, we are of the view that the failure to carry out the death 
sentence indefinitely is unreasonable and does not accord with respect for the 
constitutional rights of those who have been found guilty of capital offences 
and sentenced to death.

The responsibility to issue death warrants or to commute the death penalty to 
life imprisonment lies with the President and not the courts.

As to what amounts to life imprisonment, that is a matter for the legislative 
branch of government."

The uncertainties, indeed legal mockery, of sentencing policies, are resulting 
in contradictory interpretations and courts and the justice system hardly 
proving deterrent to crime.

The President, the Supreme Court, the legislature and the people of Kenya at 
large need to take pro-active steps to put these matters to rest once and for 
all!

(source: standardmedia.com)






UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:

Man sentenced to death appears in Abu Dhabi court over visa dispute


A prisoner who has been given the death penalty for murder on Tuesday asked a 
court what could be achieved by trying him over an immigration issue.

"I have already been issued a death sentence and now you are asking me about a 
labour visa issue? What more can be done? What does prosecution want from me 
more than a death sentence?" said A?K from Egypt.

"The court wants me to pay a fine of Dh100,000? If I had that money I would 
have offered to pay it as blood money for the murder. How will I be of any 
benefit to you? I have been sentenced to death."

He was accused of illegally recruiting 2 labourers at a bakery he co-owned with 
an Emirati.

"They trained for us for 2 days and then left," he said. "When police caught 
them they gave my name saying they worked for me."

Chief Justice Sayed Abdul Baseer asked why he had lodged an appeal if he did 
not want to appear in court. He answered that he only wanted to appeal against 
his death sentence.

The judge scheduled the verdict for October 21 but the accused asked for it to 
be a day earlier.

"Can you make it on the 20th because I have to come anyway in front of the 
other judge for the murder appeal," he said.

He was given the death sentence for killing a Palestinian man on December 30 
last year after a dispute over Dh250,000 he had borrowed from the victim.

He killed the Palestinian with a brick and burnt the remains to try to disguise 
his identity, then hid them in an alley in Mohammed bin Zayed City. Police said 
he confessed to the murder.

(source: The National)






SAUDI ARABIA:

Saudi Arabia sentences outspoken Shi'ite cleric to death-brother


A Saudi judge sentenced to death a prominent cleric on Wednesday who has called 
for greater rights for the kingdom's Shi'ites, the cleric's brother said, 2 
years after his arrest prompted deadly protests in the oil-producing east of 
the country.

Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr was detained in July 2012 following demonstrations that 
erupted in February 2011 in Qatif district, home to many of the Sunni-ruled 
country's Shi'ite minority.

His brother, Mohammed al-Nimr, reported Wednesday's sentencing on his Twitter 
account.

The sentence could raise tensions in Qatif, which has historically been the 
focal point of anti-government demonstrations demanding an end to 
discrimination, but where the frequency of protests has died down over the past 
year.

Last year a prosecutor said he was seeking to convict Nimr for "aiding 
terrorists". Former interior minister Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz previously 
accused Nimr of being "mentally unbalanced".

His capture, during which he was shot and wounded by police, prompted several 
days of protests in which three people were killed. Protests continued 
sporadically in Qatif, where more than 20 people have died in violence, until 
2013.

Nimr has become the most prominent cleric calling for more rights for the 
Shi'ite minority and is accused by the government of helping to instigate the 
unrest which broke out in Qatif during the Arab uprisings in 2011.

However, he has not called for violence against the government or Sunnis, say 
Shi'ites in the Eastern Province. They say he is portrayed as an extremist 
because he does not accept that conditions for Shi'ites will be improved by 
negotiations with authorities.

"(The death sentence) will shock everyone here and it will reduce very much the 
credibility of the state among Shi'ites. I think the government is giving a 
show of strength against anyone who thinks of opposition," said Tawfiq al-Seif, 
a community leader in Qatif.

Earlier this year two other Shi'ite men involved in the protests were sentenced 
to death, including Ali al-Nimr, the son of Mohammed al-Nimr, who was a minor 
at the time of the demonstrations.

The sentences have yet to be carried out.

DEATH PENALTY

Mohammed al-Nimr did not give details of the sentence against Sheikh Nimr in 
his Tweet, but said that the judge had rejected a verdict of hadd al-haraba, or 
rebellion, which carries the additional penalty of publicly displaying the 
body.

People in Qatif remain hopeful that the death sentences passed against Nimr and 
the other men will not be carried out, Seif said. "Probably they want to show 
people the sword but not actually use it," he said.

Saudi courts have also sentenced more than a dozen Sunni militants to death 
this year for their part in attacks on foreigners and officials that killed 
hundreds during an al Qaeda campaign between 2003 and 2006.

Last year the conservative Islamic kingdom executed more people than any other 
country except China and Iran, most of them by public beheading.

Shi'ites say they face discrimination in seeking education or government 
employment and that they are spoken of disparagingly in text books and by some 
Sunni officials and state-funded clerics.

They also complain of restrictions on setting up places of worship and marking 
Shi'ite holidays, and say that Qatif and al-Ahsa, another region with a large 
Shi'ite population, receive less state funding than Sunni communities of 
equivalent size.

The Saudi government denies charges of discrimination.

King Abdullah has appointed three Shi'ites to the 150-strong advisory Shura 
council and included Shi'ite leaders in "national dialogue" meetings where 
officials hear from representatives of different groups in society.

(source: Reuters)






EGYPT:

Egyptian court upholds death penalty imposed on three Seychelles nationals


The highest Court of Appeal in Egypt has upheld the death penalty imposed on 3 
Seychellois nationals convicted of drug trafficking, the Seychelles Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs (MFA) says it has learnt today.

In a press statement issued this afternoon, MFA said the 3 men who are 
currently being detained in Egypt's Qena prison have lost their appeal against 
the death sentence imposed on them last year.

Ronny Norman Jean, Yvon John Vinda and Dean Dominic Loze were sentenced to 
death by execution on April 7, 2013, the sentence was confirmed on June 3, 
2013.

Ever since the death sentence was imposed on the 3 Seychellois nationals, the 
Seychelles government had been appealing to the Egyptian government to commute 
their sentences to life imprisonment.

"Although it is the government's policy to respect the sovereignty and judicial 
process in other countries, it nevertheless upholds the rights of its citizens 
to a fair trial. To this end, whilst reassuring the Egyptian authorities of its 
"zero tolerance" policy against drug trafficking, the Government wrote in 2013 
to the Egyptian to appeal for a fair trial and the avoidance of capital 
punishment which does not exist in our legal system," reads the MFA statement 
issued this afternoon.

"In the same vein, the Government took all measures practical and feasible to 
ensure that the Seychellois obtained the required legal and consular 
representation."

The decision made known today implies that execution orders will now follow. 
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not specify if a date had been set 
for the sentence to be applied.

Executions are usually carried out by hanging in Egypt.

In spite of the recent development the archipelago's Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs have made known the government's intention to continue negotiating with 
the Egyptian authorities on the matter.

".....the Government is not relenting in its efforts to pursue all possible 
diplomatic and legal avenues in consultation with the Egyptian authorities to 
avert the death penalty," concludes the MFA statement.

The 3 Seychellois men were arrested on April 22, 2011 by the Egyptian police 
onboard a boat near the Red Sea coastal town of Marsa Alam. They were together 
with a British national identified as Charles Raymond Ferndale, who is said to 
be the owner of the vessel and another Pakistani national.

They were accused and charged for attempting to smuggle 3 tonnes of hashish, 
worth almost 3 million pounds, in 118 bags into Egypt.

It is believed that the drugs found in the South African flagged vessel 
originated from Pakistan.

All 5 men were sentenced to death, but the Pakistani national was said to have 
fled the scene and was sentenced in absentia. (source: Seychelles News Agency)

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

Egypt court signals death penalty for 7 jihadists in Sinai case


An Egyptian court has recommended death sentences for 7 men, including a 
prominent Islamist militant, charged with killing 25 policemen last year in an 
attack near the border with Israel, a judicial source said on Tuesday.

He said the court had referred the case to the Grand Mufti, Egypt's highest 
Muslim authority, whose opinion is typically sought on capital punishment but 
whose decision can be disregarded.

"The court decided by consensus to send the case to the Grand Mufti," he told 
Reuters.

(source: Jerusalem Post)