[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Sept. 7



EGYPT:

Egypt charges ex-president Morsi with passing state secrets to Qatar


The Egyptian state prosecutor has charged the ousted president Mohamed Morsi 
and several of his aides with endangering national security by leaking state 
secrets to Qatar.

No date has yet been set for the new trial facing Morsi, who is suspected of 
providing the sensitive documents to the energy-rich Gulf state during his 
turbulent one year rule.

Morsi will go on trial for having "handed over to Qatari intelligence documents 
linked to national security ... in exchange for one million dollars ($A1.06 
million)", the prosecutor said in a statement.

Morsi, who was from the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, is already facing the 
death penalty in several trials, and his supporters have been the target of a 
deadly crackdown by authorities since he was removed from power last year.

10 other defendants will stand trial alongside Morsi, including his former 
secretary, El-Serafi, the ex-director of his office, Ahmed Abdel Atti and 
Ibrahim Helal.

Helal has been identified as a chief editor of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera 
Network.

"The inquiries ... exposed humiliating facts and the extent of the largest 
conspiracy and treason carried out by the terrorist Brotherhood organisation 
against the nation through a network of spies," the prosecutor said in a 
lengthy statement.

The prosecutor added that Morsi and Abdel Atti gave El-Serafi "extremely 
sensitive documents concerning the army, its deployment and weaponry".

In turn, El Serafi was alleged to have handed the documents a Qatari 
intelligence operative.

The prosecutor's statement said that intermediaries, who were not identified, 
were used to send the documents Helal and the Qataris.

The papers included documents from the "general and military intelligence 
offices of the State Security" apparatus, the prosecutor said.

While Morsi, El-Serafi and Abdel Atti are currently behind bars, Helal's 
whereabouts are unknown.

Deteriorating relations with Qatar

Relations between Egypt and Qatar have been icy since July 2013, when the 
then-Egyptian army chief and current president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi toppled 
Morsi following mass unrest against his rule.

Qatar, which had supported Morsi, denounced Egypt's crackdown on the former 
president's supporters, which left more than 1,400 people dead since his 
ouster.

Thousands more of Morsi's supporters have been imprisoned with hundreds being 
sentenced to death in speedy mass trials.

The Qatari foreign ministry did not respond to the fresh accusations.

The Doha-based Al Jazeera network, which has been banned in Egypt, has denied 
any bias reporting of events in Egypt, or any role in aiding the Muslim 
Brotherhood.

Earlier this year, Egypt jailed 3 Al Jazeera journalists, including Australian 
Peter Greste, on charges of helping the Brotherhood, sparking an international 
outcry.

Mr Sisi promised during his election campaign that the Muslim Brotherhood would 
cease to exist under his rule.

(source: Radio Australia)






IRAN:

A Man Sentenced to Death for Insulting the Prophet


An Iranian social media activist has been reportedly sentenced to death for his 
alleged insult of the prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

On Sunday, the Tehran-based court reportedly sentenced Souhail Arabi, a 
30-year-old social media activist to death and 3 years in prison, over' 
insulting the prophet charges', local media reported.

Souhail Arabi who is the father of 5-year-old child was detained in Evin 
prison, located in northwestern Tehran, where over 350 opposition politicians 
and activists are held.

According to Erem News, Souhail Arabi was arrested over uttering insults to the 
prophet.

Under the Islamic republic's laws, whoever utters insults to the prophet must 
be given penalty. The judge may not give the suspect death penalty in case it 
is proven that the person who is accused of insulting the Prophet was under the 
influence of alcohol.

(source: Morocco World News)

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

Christian Converts in Iran Continue to Be Charged With Capital Offenses


A British based human rights organization has received reports that 2 more 
Iranian Christians from the Church of Iran denomination have been charged with 
"Mofsed-e-filarz," translated as "spreading corruption on earth."

According to a news release from Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), Pastor 
Matthias Haghnejad, who was recently charged with "Moharebeh," or "enmity 
against God," has now been charged with the more serious crime of 
"Mofsed-e-filarz."

Another Christian, Silas Rabbani is also facing the same charge.

CSA said Pastor Behnam Irani had been handed this new allegation as part of 18 
new charges against him.

Sources claim that all 3 men, who are being held separately in Ghezal Hesar 
Prison in Karaj, have been pressured into confessing that they are "spies."

There is particular concern about Haghnejad's safety, CSW reported. He is 
believed to be in a "dangerous situation," as the authorities appear to be 
targeting him actively.

The new charges against Haghnejad, Rabbani and Irani are part of what CSW 
called a "worrying escalation in Iran's campaign against converts to 
Christianity," who have previously been charged with "action against the 
state," "action against the order" or other national security crimes.

Although the new Islamic Penal Code, which came into effect in 2013, prohibits 
capital punishment for "Moharebeh" in cases not involving the use of a weapon, 
the charge is regularly used against political activists from ethnic minority 
communities.

An ongoing spike in executions under the Rouhani presidency has seen eight men 
executed for "Moharebeh" this year, including Ahwazi Arab poet and cultural 
rights activist Hashem Shaabani and his colleague Hadi Rashedi.

CSW said those accused of this crime usually complain of having been tortured 
to give false confessions, the denial of access to legal assistance, and unfair 
trials conducted without witnesses.

CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said in the news release, "The new charges 
against Pastors Haghnejad and Irani and Mr. Rabbani are tantamount to an 
indictment of Christianity itself and CSW is growing increasingly alarmed by 
what is a clear escalation in Iran's campaign against Persian Christians under 
the Rouhani presidency and by what is effectively an attempt to gain an 
apostasy conviction by other means."

He added, "It is vital that the ongoing human rights crisis in the country is 
not neglected as members of the international community increasingly partner 
with Iran to counter the threat posed by ISIS."

Christian Solidarity Worldwide works for religious freedom through advocacy and 
human rights, in the pursuit of justice.

(source: crossmap.com)






INDIA----impending execution

India to execute 'house of horrors' cannibal murderer on Friday


India is preparing to execute a man accused of killing and dismembering almost 
20 young women and children in a case that was called the "house of horrors" 
murders.

Surinder Koli admitted eating some of the body parts.

Officials have said that Koli, who worked as a businessman's domestic worker, 
is due to be hanged on Friday in a prison in the north-central city of Meerut, 
Britain's The Independent daily reported.

Koli will be executed as appeals against his death sentence have been turned 
down by higher courts, China's Xinhua News Agency quoted a court official as 
saying.

In 2009, Koli and his employer, Moninder Singh Pandher, were convicted by a 
sessions court of murdering a 14-year-old girl, Rimpa Haldar.

Koli went on to be convicted of 4 more kidnappings, attempted rapes and murders 
but Pandher was subsequently freed by a higher court.

Pandher still faces trial in some outstanding cases, and could be re-sentenced 
to death if found guilty in any of those killings.

According to Xinhua, some of the cases being heard also involve Koli but the 
execution still goes ahead.

Koli and Pandher were arrested in 2007, after body parts were discovered on the 
grounds of Pandher's home in Noida, a satellite city to the east of New Delhi.

At the time, police said they believed at least 19 young women and children 
were raped, killed and chopped up.

Koli, who confessed to cannibalism and necrophilia, said he had lured the 
children to the property with sweets and chocolates.

Police were accused of failing to investigate some of the missing children 
cases because many of them belonged to poor, migrant families.

India's Supreme Court has said the death penalty should be reserved only for 
the "rarest of rare" cases.

There have been only 2 executions carried out in recent years.

(source: The Straits Times)

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

Man awarded death sentence for kidnapping, killing child


A Katihar court on Friday awarded capital punishment to one Bijan Mahto, a 
resident of Rajiganj under Korha police station area, in a 
kidnapping-cum-killing case of a child in 2012.

Delivering the judgment, the court-II of additional district and sessions judge 
(ADJ) Raghupati Singh also imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on the accused. Mahto 
was charged with kidnapping the boy and throwing his body at Boro ghat. This is 
the 2nd such case where a Katihar court has awarded the capital punishment.

Mahto will also be undergoing 1 year rigorous imprisonment in case he fails to 
pay the penalty.

Additional public prosecutor (APP) Rajendra Mishra, giving graphic details of 
the case, said that a 2 1/2-year-old boy Suman Kumar, son of a middle school 
teacher Hira Lal Mahto, was kidnapped on January 19, 2012. The toddler's father 
lodged an FIR with Korha police station on January 20, 2012, when he failed to 
trace his son. On the confessional statement of abductor Bijan Mahto, who was 
arrested on January 20, the infant's body was recovered from Boro ghat on 
January 21, 2012.

(source: The Times of India)






TAIWAN:

'Mama Mouth' death penalty upheld----QUESTIONS REMAIN: Relatives of the slain 
couple think Hsieh Yi-han had help killing Chang Tsui-ping and Chen Chin-fu; 
the convict can still appeal to the Supreme Court


The Taiwan High Court yesterday upheld the death sentence given to a woman 
convicted of robbing and murdering a couple in a high-profile case.

Hsieh Yi-han, 29, was sentenced to death by Taipei's Shilin District Court in 
October last year.

Yesterday's ruling upheld the original court decision that found Hsieh guilty 
of killing Shih Chien University assistant professor Chang Tsui-ping, 58, and 
her husband, Chen Chin-fu, 79. The district court originally concluded that 
Hsieh's motive for the murders was to obtain Chang's jewelry collection - 
estimated to be worth NT$40 million (US$1.3 million at the time)

Hsieh managed a Mama Mouth Cafe coffee shop on the Tamsui River in Bali 
District at the time of the crimes, which led to the incident becoming known as 
the "Mama Mouth Cafe" case. Chang and Chen lived nearby and were regular 
customers, befriending Hsieh over time. Over several years, Chen, a wealthy 
businessman, became fond of Hsieh, and reportedly considered her as his god 
daughter or stepdaughter.

While his wife was teaching classes or traveling abroad, Chen visited the cafe 
daily, investigators said. He also began to give Hsieh gifts of cash and 
jewelry, they added.

A court statement said Hsieh sedated the couple with drugged drinks on Feb. 16 
last year, then stabbed both with a fruit knife before throwing them into the 
Tamsui River.

After the murders, Hsieh stole NT$350,000 from Chen and tried, but failed, to 
withdraw more money from his wife's bank account by disguising herself as the 
murdered woman.

The couple's bodies were discovered among mangrove trees and sand bars along 
the river bank on Feb. 26 and March 2 last year.

After yesterday's verdict, Chen's sister said that Hsieh deserved the death 
penalty for what she called cold-blooded murder, "but whatever the punishment, 
the lost lives of our love ones cannot be returned."

She added that many questions remain unresolved in the case and that the 
families of the deceased suspect Hsieh had help carrying out the murders, so 
they have asked prosecutors to bring the accomplices to justice.

The case can still be appealed to the Supreme Court.

(source: Taipei Times)






AFGHANISTAN:

Afghan rape gang sentenced to death after national outrage


An Afghan judge on Sunday sentenced 7 men to death for the gang-rape of 4 women 
in a case that sparked nationwide outrage and highlighted the violence women 
face despite reforms since the Taliban era.

The 7 men, who stood in the dock dressed in brown traditional clothing, were 
found guilty of kidnapping and attacking the female members of a group that was 
driving home to Kabul from a wedding.

President Hamid Karzai on Sunday had called for the men to be hanged. The death 
sentences were technically handed down for the crime of armed robbery rather 
than rape.

In a televised trial that lasted only a few hours, the court heard that the 
men, who had obtained police uniforms and were armed with guns, stopped a 
convoy of cars in the early hours of August 23.

They dragged the four women out of the vehicles, robbed them, beat them up and 
then raped them. One of the women was reported to be pregnant.

"We went to Paghman with our families. On the way back, they took us," 1 
victim, dressed in a burqa, told the packed courtroom as noisy protesters 
outside demanded the death penalty.

"One of them put his gun to my head, the other one took all our jewellery, and 
the rest started what you already know," she said.

Applause erupted inside the court after Kabul police chief Zahir Zahir called 
for the men to be hanged.

"We want them to be hanged in public so that it will be a lesson for others," 
he said.

"We arrested them with police uniforms. They confessed to their crime within 2 
hours of their arrest."

The judge said the 7 had the right to appeal against their sentences.

Under Afghan law, the president must also sign a death warrant for an execution 
to go ahead.

Women's rights under threat?

Women's rights have been central to the multi-billion-dollar international 
development effort in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001.

Under the Taliban's harsh version of Sunni Islamic law, women were forced to 
wear the all-enveloping burqa, banned from jobs, and forbidden even to leave 
the house without a male chaperone.

Rape and violence against women and girls was rife, according to Amnesty 
International, which says that Afghan women are still routinely discriminated 
against, abused and persecuted.

The Taliban, who launched a resilient insurgency after being ousted, threaten a 
comeback as US-led NATO combat troops withdraw from the country later this 
year.

Despite 13 years of fighting, foreign forces have failed to quash the 
insurgents, who have gained ground in a series of recent offensives.

The gang-rape unleashed a wave of public anger via street protests, the media 
and the Internet, echoing the response to recent similar crimes in India -- 
including the fatal attack on a student on a bus in New Delhi in 2012 that 
provoked headlines worldwide.

Last week the US embassy in Kabul condemned "the brutal robbery, beating, and 
rape" and called on Afghan authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Hasina Safi, head of the Afghan Women's Network action group, said she welcomed 
the death penalties.

"We consider it a big step and achievement for the women of Afghanistan. I wish 
we had more such cases decided on openly, so that we didn't have to suffer such 
heinous acts."

But Human Rights Watch said Afghanistan's justice system had failed to follow 
due process over the case and that all accused deserved a fair trial.

President Karzai's personal intervention came as he waits to step down after 
ruling Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban.

The June 14 election to choose his successor has become engulfed in a prolonged 
dispute over fraud, with both of the 2 candidates claiming victory.

The United Nations has expressed fears the political stand-off could trigger a 
spiral of instability and a return to the lawless chaos of the 1990s civil war 
that allowed the Taliban to rise to power.

(source: Agence France-Presse)