[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

June 1


IRAN----executions

3 Executions in Iran Today- 1 Hanged in Public



3 prisoners were hanged in 2 different Iranian cities today, reported the 
Iranian state media.

2 prisoners charged with drug offences were hanged in the prison of Sari, 
reported the official website of the IMG17281271Judiciary in Mazandaran 
province (Northern Iran). The prisoners who were identified as "A. Gh." charged 
with trafficking of 1400 grams of heroin, and "N. R." for possession of 29 
kilograms and 320 grams of opium, said the report.

The state run Mehr news agency reported about public execution of a prisoner in 
Shiraz. The prisoner who was not identified by name was charged with 8 cases of 
rape, said the report. He was hanged in the "Ghahramanan" square of Shiraz.

The above mentioned charges have not been confirmed by independent sources.

(source: Iran Human Rights)








BANGLADESH:

1 to die, 5 get life for murder



A court here yesterday sentenced a man to death and five others to life 
imprisonment for killing a man in Debidwar upazila of the district in 2001.

The death penalty awardee is Jahangir Alam while the lifers are Foyez Ahmed, 
Shamimuzzaman Babu, Emdadul Haque, Nazmul Hossain and Rafiqul Islam. They all 
are from Elahabad village of the upazila.

Among the lifers, Foyez Ahmed, Shamimuzzaman Babu and Rafiqul Islam were tried 
in absentia.

The Court of Additional Sessions Judge fined the lifers Tk 50,000 each, in 
default, they are to suffer 6 months more in jail.

According to the prosecution, Anwar Hossain of the village was murdered over a 
land dispute on August 10, 2001.

On the following day, Shahadat Hossain, son of Anwar, filed a murder case with 
Debidwar Police Station, accusing 12 people, including Jahangir. After 
investigation, police pressed charges against the accused on April, 30, 2002.

After examining the record of the case and 16 witnesses, Judge Chemon Ara 
Chowdhury handed down the verdict. She acquitted 6 other accused as charges 
brought against them could not be proved.

(source: The Daily Star)

**********

Court orders death for Barisal University student for the 2013 Saoda murder



The court of Barisal District and Sessions Judge Md Anwarul Haque found Rasel 
Mia, a 2nd-year management student, guilty for the murder of female student 
Saoda.

Saoda, who used only 1 name and was a 1st-year student of accounting, was 
hacked to death in the city on Sept 5, 2013 when she was on her way to the 
campus.

Mia was present at court on Monday, when the verdict was announced, said 
Prosecutor Gias uddin Kabul.

The court has also fined the convict Tk 10,000.

According to the case details, Mia hacked Saoda to death following an argument 
over rupture in their relationship.

It says around 9am that day, Mia stopped Saoda on her way to the campus from 
the city's Brown compound and an argument followed.

At one point, Mia hacked at Saoda with a sharp weapon.

Locals took Saoda to the Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital. 
Later as her condition deteriorated, she was sent to Dhaka. However, she 
succumbed to her injuries in the afternoon.

Saoda's family filed a case with the Barisal Kotwali station against Rasel Mia 
and at least three more unidentified persons.

Rasel Mia was absconding since the murder. Police arrested him on Sept 12, 2013 
from the city's Kochidighi area.

The university authorities had expelled Rasel the day after the killing 
suspecting his involvement.

On Apr 30, 2014, police brought charges against him before the court.

After hearing 19 witnesses the judge gave the verdict.

Defense lawyer Najim Uddin Ahmed told bdnews24.com that they would appeal 
against the verdict in a higher court.

(source: bdnews24.com)

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

Bangladesh files murder charges in 2013 building collapse



Authorities in Bangladesh filed murder charges Monday against dozens of people 
for their roles in the 2013 collapse of a garment factory building that killed 
more than 1,100 people.

The charges were filed against 41 people, including the building's owner, Sohel 
Rana, and his parents and more than a dozen government officials, for their 
direct role in the deaths of 1,137 people in the collapse of Rana Plaza, said 
the lead investigator, Bijoy Krishna Kar of the Criminal Investigation 
Department.

Investigators initially had said the accused, who also include the owners of 
the five factories that the building housed, would be charged with culpable 
homicide, but they later changed their plans due to the gravity of the 
accident, Bangladesh's worst industrial disaster.

If convicted of murder, the defendants could face the death penalty. The 
maximum punishment for culpable homicide is 7 years in jail.

Investigators said the shift from the culpable homicide charges came after the 
investigation found that Rana, his staff and the management of the 5 factories 
had forced the workers to enter the building despite their unwillingness to 
work on the day of the accident after the building developed major cracks a day 
earlier.

The police report called the deaths a "mass killing." About 2,500 people were 
injured in the disaster.

Kar, who submitted the charges to a court in Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, said 
a hearing would take place June 28 to decide on further proceedings.

In a separate case, the accused will also face charges of violating safety 
rules in building Rana Plaza because additional floors were added to the 
original 5-story building, which was basically meant for office and shopping 
malls. Later, illegally built upper floors were transformed into factories.

The April 2013 collapse of Rana Plaza, located just outside Dhaka, highlighted 
grim conditions in Bangladesh's garment industry. Extremely low wages in the 
poor South Asian country have led global brands and retailers to prefer 
Bangladesh over China and other developing countries.

The building collapse triggered an uproar at home and abroad for reforms in a 
sector that helps Bangladesh earn more than $20 billion a year from exports, 
mainly to the United States and Europe.

(source: Associated Press)








SRI LANKA:

President speaks at No Tobacco Day event - death penalty to drug dealers?



Speaking at an event held in line with the 'World No Tobacco Day', President 
Maithripala Sirisena proposed for a dialogue on whether the 'Death Penalty' 
should be imposed on those who sell and distribute drugs.

Speaking at the event, which was held in BMICH, President Sirisena stated that 
after he looked into different punishments given by other countries in 
connection to the import, sell and distribution of drugs during the past week, 
he decided to create a dialogue within the country on weather the 'death 
penalty' should be imposed on those who to the import, sell and distribution of 
illegal drugs.

He further noted that despite the possibility of concerns being raised by 
foreign human Rights activists and within Sri Lanka saying that 'killing people 
is not the solution to the problem', he would call for a dialogue among the 
public. He further noted that a decision can be made in the future with regard 
to the subject after taking the opinion of the people into consideration

The president also appreciated the leadership role of the current Minister of 
Health Rajitha Senaratne as he has received word that the current Minister of 
Health is to receive the same award President Sirisena received by the WHO on 
the anti-tobacco programme.

(source: Newsfirst.lk)








SUDAN:

South Sudanese pastors in court in Khartoum



2 South Sudanese pastors appeared in court in Khartoum on Sunday. They are 
accused of various crimes against the state, charges that could bring the death 
penalty if the court finds them guilty.

Yat Michael and Peter Yein, both pastors of the Presbyterian Evangelical 
Church, have remained in jail for about 5 months. Among the charges brought 
against the 2 church leaders are 'waging war against the state' under Article 
51 of the Sudan Penal Code, which is punishable by death, and spying, under 
Article 53, which is punishable by death or life imprisonment.

The court in Khartoum resumed hearings on Sunday at which a representative of 
the National Intelligence and Security Service testified, a source said.

The source said the security officer was unable to provide evidence to prove 
the charges against the 2 men: "The representative could not establish the 
evidences. He was unsure of the chargers."

The attorney defending the pastors also said that the accuser could not provide 
evidence.

"The court hearing will continue tomorrow," another source said.

Yat Michael was arrested on 21 December 2014 after visiting a church service in 
Khartoum, and Reith was arrested on 11 January after submitting a letter from 
leaders of their denomination inquiring about the whereabouts of Michael.

(source: radiotamazuj.org)



UNITED KINGDOM/INDONESIA:

Archbishop lends support to death row convict's plight



A British drug smuggler's fight to avoid being executed has been supported by 
the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Lindsay Sandiford, who once lived in Redcar, was sentenced to death by firing 
squad following her conviction in Bali after she was arrested with 1.6 million 
pounds worth of cocaine in her possession.

Supporters on a website campaigning to raise funds for the legal battle to 
fight her sentence have already written to comedian turned social activist 
Russell Brand and billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson after both spoke 
out against the execution of her fellow prisoners, known as the Bali 9.

Now a letter to Ms Sandiford, reportedly from the office of Archbishop of 
Canterbury Justin Welby, has appeared on the campaign???s Facebook page.

The letter, signed by Kay Brock, the chief of staff to the Archbishop, said 
that at the Archbishop's request she had been in touch with the Embassy in 
Jakarta, through the Consulate in Bali, to ask for their help and support.

The letter continues: "The Archbishop has made and continues to make his 
opposition to the death penalty known on every appropriate occasion, but 
unfortunately the number of cases makes it impossible to take on individual 
ones."

The 58-year-old is now the last prisoner on death row on the island's Kerobokan 
jail after the other inmates were executed by firing squad last month.

Sandiford, who lived in Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, was sentenced to death 
in January 2013 after admitting the drug smuggling offence.

However, the grandmother and mother of two claimed she had been coerced by 
threats to her son???s life, and has since appealed against her sentence 
without success.

After Ms Sandiford wrote to Sir Richard Branson earlier this month, he released 
a statement which said: "I strongly believe that the death penalty is a cruel 
and inhumane punishment, and every execution is one execution too many.

"We are following Lindsay Sandiford's and other cases closely and fully support 
efforts that are currently under way to aid her appeal."

International human rights lawyer Craig Tuck has also joined the fight to save 
Sandiford from the death sentence - calling her case the "most important 
criminal appeal on the planet".

He said last week that her legal team is in the process of preparing her final 
appeal to the Supreme Court of Indonesia - commonly referred to as a PK.

A Notice of Intention to Appeal was served on all the relevant authorities in 
Indonesia advising them that we are preparing the numerous grounds of appeal 
and that process will take close to 6 months.

Supporters are fundraising for her appeal at lindsaysandiford.org

(source: The Northern Echo)








TAIWAN:

Association planning rally to back death penalty



The White Rose Social Welfare Association, which supports capital punishment, 
has announced it intends to hold a street rally on July 25.

The harrowing death of an 8-year-old girl who was attacked at an elementary 
school on Friday have led to renewed attention on the debate over capital 
punishment.

The association plans to call on members of the public to express their stance 
against any plans to put an end to the death penalty.

The association was launched in 2010 following a string of controversial court 
rulings on cases of child molestation.

White Rose Social Welfare Association president Eva Liang said that the group 
aims to see more than 10,000 people join the rally on Ketagalan Boulevard next 
month.

"Capital punishment is not a means of revenge," Liang said.

"It is - among other things - a way to allow those who have admitted to their 
wrongdoings to face up to the crime they have committed," Liang said.

In addition to expressing support for the death penalty, the group is calling 
for an "immediate execution" of criminals on death row.

"The government should obey the law and execute [criminals] in a timely manner, 
rather than finding excuses to avoid carrying out death sentences," the group 
said in a statement.

"Abolishing the death penalty without any complementary measures would cause 
people to resort to a lynch-mob mentality," the group said.

Politicians should make policies that would allow people to remain "free from 
fear" a priority, they said.

According to an opinion poll conducted by National Chung Cheng University last 
year, 47 % of Taiwanese are "strongly against" ending capital punishment, while 
38 % are unfavorable toward the abolition of the death penalty, but are willing 
to consider it on the condition of other complementary reforms.

Less than 20 % of Taiwanese support putting an end to capital punishment, the 
poll showed.

(source: Taipei Times)



PAKISTAN:

The Death Penalty



The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea seeking the abolition of the death 
penalty in Pakistan on the grounds that miscarriage of justice is bound to 
happen in the presence of an ineffective criminal justice system. The decision 
to dismiss the plea was expected. The response of the judiciary was that 
parliament had to correct the deficiencies in criminal prosecution laws, if 
any, through an amendment, rather than the death penalty be abolished. The 
petitioner's submitted that the government should adopt a uniform policy on 
death penalty, since it granted a moratorium on capital punishment but then 
withdrew it. The verdict said the plea was not in line with the grievance 
propounded. Thus, the problem may lie in what grievance is presented and how it 
is presented to the Supreme Court. In this case the petitioner neither 
challenged any statutory provisions of any law nor had he mentioned any law, 
which prescribed the death penalty. The Court cannot take action by itself; it 
is only an appellate court. The nature of the case, and its merits can however 
result in a decision favourable to the end of the death penalty, and thus, 
there is still hope that the archaic law can be changed.

According to media reports, there have been at least 95 executions in 2015 (102 
since Pakistan lifted its moratorium on executions in December 2014). What 
complicates the matter is the number of crimes that are punishable by death. 
These include murder, aggravated murder (that includes honour killings), 
terrorism-related offences resulting in death, other offences resulting in 
death (like robbery), rape, kidnapping, apostasy, adultery, drugs and arms 
trafficking, blasphemy and treason. This is a vast spectrum of crime and 
criminal intent. In light of public opinion and widespread terrorism, it is too 
much to ask for the death penalty to be abolished. The penalty is one element 
that can deter murder and crime. However, the list of crimes can be changed or 
reduced so that only the worst crimes on the list result in a death sentence. 
In our hurt and rage over terrorist attacks, we forget that removing the death 
penalty does not mean that criminals will not be punished.

Does the state have the right over taking life? Why is life imprisonment not a 
viable alternative option? Should a criminal get to live out his life in 
captivity, giving him even the slightest chance of self-reflection and 
self-reformation? How humane is the death penalty? How sure can the state be of 
a man's culpability? If the death sentence is to continue, as a nation we need 
to be sure that death is the answer when a man commits a crime, and that the 
answer is ethical, moral and just.

(source: Editorial, The Nation)








HUNGARY:

Hungary could be thrown out of EU if it brings back death penalty, says 
Jean-Claude Juncker----European Commission president's remarks follow 
controversial greeting of Hungary PM as "dictator" at Riga summit last month



Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, has warned that Hungary 
could be thrown out of the EU if it goes ahead with proposals to reintroduce 
the death penalty.

Mr Juncker's comments come just over a week after he sparked controversy at an 
EU summit in Riga by greeting Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister, with the 
words "Hello dictator".

In an interview with Germany's Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, Mr Juncker on 
Monday warned that "if Hungary wanted to introduce the death penalty, that 
would be a ground for divorce."

"A reason for divorce! One of my political beliefs is that there shall be no 
death penalty. Anyone who introduces the death penalty has no place in the 
European Union."

Mr Orban's relations with other EU leaders have been strained for some time 
over his close ties with Russia and authoritian policies.

His government has stressed it has no plans to reintroduce the death penalty, 
and says it only broached the subject because of increased public debate 
surrounding it.

Mr Orban said late last week he is ready to talk with Brussels but "is against 
anyone driving the country out of the EU and Nato".

"For us Hungarians they are our family," he said.

(source: The Telegraph)








CHINA:

'No one deserves to be executed' - parents of Kiwi facing death penalty in 
China



The parents of a New Zealander who could face the death penalty in China for 
trying to smuggle drugs out of the country have spoken publicly about their 
son's plight.

Peter Gardner, 26, was detained on November 8 when Customs allegedly found more 
than 30 kilograms of methamphetamine in his luggage as he checked in at 
Guangzhou airport.

His trial was held this month in Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court and he 
is now awaiting a decision from the judge on his fate.

Gardner, who also holds Australian citizenship, could face execution by firing 
squad if he is convicted.

"No one really deserves to die like that. No one deserves to be executed," 
Gardner's father Russell told TV3's 3D programme.

Gardner's parents believe their son - through his body building contacts - 
found himself involved with gangs linked to Sydney's sports drug scene.

He got into debt, then got into trouble.

Gardner told his mother, Sandy Cornelius, that he had been threatened.

"He said, 'I was shot at,'" Ms Cornelius said.

Gardner's New Zealand-based lawyer, Craig Tuck, said there was "good evidence 
to suggest that the syndicate or cartel had him under the hammer and were 
certainly keen for him to do certain things".

He had made a previous trip to Guangzhou in September last year to pick up 
performance-enhancing drugs and successfully brought them into Australia.

Gardner, who was living in Sydney with his father, was originally detained 
along with 22-year-old Sydney woman Kalynda Davis, who was released without 
charge.

On a recent trip to Beijing, Foreign Minister Murray McCully met with his 
counterpart, Wang Yi.

"I raised New Zealand's strong opposition to the death penalty when I met with 
the Chinese Foreign Minister in Beijing," Mr McCully said in a statement to NZ 
Newswire.

"It would be inappropriate to discuss specific details, particularly in 
relation to a case currently proceeding through the courts."

(source: tvnz.co.nz)








AUSTRALIA:

Palmer tries to prevent death row repeat----Clive Palmer is seeking 
parliament's support to jail police who give information to foreign countries 
that leads to the execution of Australians.



Clive Palmer wants to bar police passing on information to authorities overseas 
that could result in Australians being executed.

The Palmer United Party leader introduced a private bill in parliament on 
Monday to impose a jail term on police or other officials who disclose 
information to other countries that might lead to a death sentence.

Mr Palmer criticised the Australian Federal Police's role in the Bali 9 drug 
smuggling investigation that ultimately led to the execution of ringleaders 
Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

The bill was designed to prevent the Indonesian executions ever happening 
again, he said.

"Policing depends on community trust," Mr Palmer told reporters in Canberra.

Mr Palmer has called on the government and opposition to allow its MPs a free 
vote on his legislation.

(source: sbs.com.au)