[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

March 19


INDONESIA:

Death row gran Lindsay Sandiford continues to decline Foreign Office support as 
execution date looms



Sandiford, who is originally from Redcar, is due to be killed by firing squad 
for smuggling 1.6m pounds worth of cocaine into Bali.

The 58-year-old claims she was forced to transport it under duress because her 
son's life was being threatened by a drugs trafficking gang.

Last month, she was sent a letter from Indonesian prosecutors, informing her 
she could face a firing squad as early as March.

She claims to have received little help from the Foreign Office since her 
arrest but the office disputes this, saying it had consistently provided and 
offered consular support to Sandiford, which she is currently declining to 
accept.

And today, a Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed that remained the case, with 
no updates on her situation.

"Mrs Sandiford had regular contact with our consular officials in Bali until 
September 2014, at which point she declined to accept any further support. We 
stand ready to offer her consular assistance."

Sandiford was found with the cocaine when she arrived in Bali from Thailand in 
May 2012. Without legal representation, she has been unable to fully challenge 
her death penalty and the right to file for clemency.

Last month, British foreign secretary Philip Hammond, while on a visit to 
Indonesia, raised the UK government's opposition to the death penalty in a 
meeting with vice-president Jusuf Kall and foreign minister Ibu Retno.

Her sister, Hilary Parsons, was also reported to have gone to Bali with three 
lawyers in a bid to try and save her.

But so far, there has been no public suggestion of any change in Indonesia???s 
stance regarding Sandiford.

A spokeswoman for human rights group Reprieve, which issued various press 
releases about Sandiford in the months after her detention, said today they 
have been "instructed not to speak about the case."

(source: gazettelive.co.uk)








PAKISTAN:

UN urges Pakistan to reinstate suspension of death penalty



The United Nations has expressed deep concern today at the increasing number of 
executions in Pakistan since December 2014, and at the Government's recent 
announcement that it has now withdrawn its moratorium on the death penalty for 
all cases, not only those related to terrorism.

"It has also been reported that among those executed there are persons who were 
minors when the offence was committed. According to some estimates, there are 
more than 8,000 prisoners on death row," said a statement from the UN office in 
Pakistan.

The UN expressed concern over cases where the death penalty was handed down to 
minors and welcomed reviews of these cases. "The UN has consistently called for 
an unequivocal end to the execution of anyone, anywhere, who is convicted of 
committing a crime when they are under the age of 18," the statement said.

More than 160 UN Member States with a variety of legal systems and religious 
backgrounds have either abolished the death penalty or do not practice it.

Moreover, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein has 
expressed deep regret at the resumption of executions in Pakistan, stressing 
that no judiciary - anywhere - can be infallible.

There is no scientific proof, according to the UN, that the death penalty 
serves as a deterrent or contributes to combating crime or violent extremism.

"While we appreciate the need for effective counter-terrorism measures to 
protect people, including children, such action must strengthen human rights 
and be proportionate and necessary in a democratic society," the UN said in 
today's statement.

Under international treaties, in particular the International Covenant on Civil 
and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Pakistan 
legally committed itself to ensuring due process and not imposing the death 
penalty.

"The UN in Pakistan, therefore, urges the Government to reinstate its 
moratorium as soon as possible. We stand ready to support it in doing so and to 
assist in strengthening the existing justice system if so requested," the 
statement emphasized.

(source: UN News Centre)








CHINA:

Death Sentence for Arsonist over Land Dispute



A man has been sentenced to death in east China's Shandong Province for setting 
a fatal fire in a dispute over land rights in March 2014.

Wang Yuefu was among 7 people charged with arson in the incident which left a 
62-year-old man dead and three others injured in Pingdu city.

The fire on March 21st followed a group of villagers occupying a patch of 
farmland to prevent its seizure for a construction project.

They were dissatisfied with the compensation they had received.

Wang and 4 others were hired by the real estate developer to threaten the 
group.

They were later allegedly ordered by the village head, Du Qunshan, to set fire 
to a tent set up by the villagers guarding the farmland.

At Thursday's sentencing, 2 other defendants including Du were given the life 
imprisonment while the other 4 received prison terms ranging from 6 to 15 
years.

Wang said he would appeal against the death sentence.

The case gained wide attention in China and renewed concern over land disputes 
amid the country's urbanization drive.

(source: CRIEnglish.com)

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

Mother of executed teenager sees murder case files



The mother of Nie Shubin, who was executed in 1995 after being convicted of 
raping and killing a woman in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, left a court on 
Wednesday with copies of all the files related to her son's case.

Zhang Huanzhi, 70, had been granted full access to the files for the 1st time. 
She was accompanied by her 2 lawyers as she read and copied the documents at 
Shandong High People's Court, and it took them 2 days to complete their work.

"I want to tell Shubin that I am doing everything I can to fight for his 
innocence. The Shandong court has given me hope," said Zhang.

One of her lawyers, Li Shuting, said, "For the first time, I saw smiles on 
Zhang's face."

Nie was executed at the age of 21. In 2005, Wang Shujin, who was wanted in 
connection with three other rape-murder cases, confessed to the crime. Zhang 
then started campaigning to clear her son's name. However, despite more than 50 
requests from her lawyers, the Hebei High People's Court refused to show them 
the complete documents.

In December, the Supreme People's Court transferred the case to the Shandong 
court.

The move is seen as a major development in the case by Li, who has been 
representing the family for the past 10 years.

Zhang said: "The Shandong court not only allowed my lawyers to read Nie 
Shubin's case files but also Wang's case files. I believe the judges will give 
me justice."

Li said, "The case is 100 % a wrongful execution."

Li and the family's 2nd lawyer, Chen Guangwu, read 3 volumes of Nie's files, 8 
volumes of Wang's files and 6 volumes of files covering reinvestigations of the 
case.

The verdict on Nie still stands because the Hebei High Court, which approved 
the death penalty, rejected Wang's claim that he was the murderer.

(source: ECNS)








BELARUS:

"Human Rights Defenders Against the Death Penalty" represent Belarus at barcamp 
in Kutaisi



For 3 days, the 2nd capital of Georgia - Kutaisi - hosted an event that united 
guests from various non-governmental organizations of the South Caucasus, 
Belarus, Ukraine and other countries.

The Czech NGO "Nesehnuti" organized a BarCamp, an international series of 
conferences, created by its participants. The event was held at the State 
University of Kutaisi. The opening was attended by representatives of the 
Embassy of the Czech Republic in Georgia, the Mayor of Kutaisi and Deputy 
Rector of University. Each of them delivered a welcoming speech.

Activities included sharing of experience on topics of democratic changes using 
technology and recycling. Participants also discussed monitoring trade in arms 
in Slovakia, the situation with the LGTB community in Azerbaijan and other 
topics.

Coordinator of the campaign "Human Rights Defenders Against the Death Penalty 
in Belarus" Andrei Paluda presented the activities of the Belarusian human 
rights activists to abolish the death penalty in Belarus. He told about the 
irreversible nature of the death penalty, the possibility of judicial errors, 
as well as the secrecy that exists around the capital punishment: relatives are 
not informed about the date of execution of the sentence and the burial place, 
which brings additional sufferings and is regarded as torture.

Belarus is the last country in Europe and the former Soviet Union, which still 
uses the death penalty.

(source: foreignaffairs.co.nz)

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

MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN RECHYTSA



The Rechytsa District Court sentenced Siarhei Ivanou, 21, to death on charges 
of murdering and raping a 19-year-old girl on 29 August 2013.

Besides murder charges committed with special cruelty and conjugated with 
sexual assault (Part 2, Art. 139 of the Criminal Code), the death convict was 
accused of malicious hooliganism (Part 2, Art. 339 of the Criminal Code), 
robbery (Part 2, Art. 206), inflicting serious bodily injuries (para. 7, Part 
2, Art. 147), theft (Part 2, Art. 205), other acts of sexual nature (Part 3, 
Art. 167).

The trial was held behind closed doors and the charges were most likely heard 
by a court of a different level, since cases which may result in a death 
verdict are normally considered by Regional Courts.

According to the BelaPAN news agency, the defendant had been repeatedly 
convicted and was intoxicated, including as a result of abusing psychotropic 
substances, at the time of the murder.

(sources: Viasna Belarus Human Rights Center, foreignaffairs.co.nz)

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

Rechytsa resident sentenced to death by firing squad



In Rechytsa on March 18, 21-old local resident got a sentence who raped and 
brutally killed a 19-year-old girl on August 29, 2013.

The court sentenced him to death by firing squad.

In addition to homicide committed with special cruelty and involving sexual 
battery the young man was committed with malicious hooliganism (para 2, Art. 
339 CC), robbery (para 2, Art. 206), intended infliction of grave bodily 
injuries (para 7, Art. 147, theft (para 2, Art. 205), and other actions of 
sexual nature (para 3, Art. 167).

The trial was held behind closed doors, BelaPAN reports.

It should be reminded that brutal murder occurred on August 29, 2013. A 
watchman found the maimed girl's corpse in the morning near the Youth Art 
Center in the Rechytsa centre. The girl died a violent death, the body was 
found with multiple injuries and with impact marks. That day a suspect - 
repeatedly tried local resident who was familiar with the girl - was detained.

The investigation found out that for the moment of the homicide the accused had 
been drunk and used psychotropic substances. Young man attacked the girl to 
rape. The girl died of multiple grave injuries and blows. After the homicide 
the offender took the victim's valuables away.

(source: charter97.org)








IRAN----executions

2 more hanged in public



2 men have been hanged in public in the Iranian city of Jiroft ahead of the 
regime's New Year celebrations.

The executions were carried out using a crane and mechanical fork loader in one 
of the city's main squares, with armed men guarding from rooftops around the 
area.

The death sentences took place on the day after Fire Festival - known as 
Charshanbeh Souri - used by many Iranians to defy the clerical regime.

Fearing of public protests, prior to the Fire Festival, a senior cleric 
described it as 'religiously forbidden' and warned people about 'crossing God's 
red lines'.

In Tehran, people lit bonfires in public places, set off fireworks and launched 
wish lanterns as part of an annual ritual.

Elsewhere, people threw portraits of the regime's Supreme Leader into fire and 
chanted 'death to the dictator'.

The Iranian opposition and international rights groups have repeatedly stated 
that the regime is using public hangings as a way of suppressing public 
protests by inspiring fear in society.

(source: NCR-Iran)