[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Nov. 13



AUSTRALIA:

Readers disagree with death penalty for terrorists


After Moggill MP Dr Christian Rowan said he believed terrorists should face the 
death penalty, Sunshine Coast Daily readers have voiced their opinions on the 
issue.

A poll on the Daily website had 52% of people in favour of reintroducing the 
death penalty for terrorists to 36% against it.

Many Facebook commenters disagreed with the death penalty though as they 
believed it was the easy way out.

"That's what they want - to die as Martyrs," Judith Hayes said.

"They want to die. I say keep them in a tiny cell with just enough food and 
water to keep them alive," Zahnn Hopping said.

"Death is an easy way out compared with spending your life in prison," Lachlan 
McKay said.

"At the end of the day life imprisonment in some ways is even harsher than 
death," Karl Valenta said.

"And as if this would deter terrorists who are already more than happy to kill 
themselves," he added.

A few thought the death penalty would send a strong message to potential future 
terrorists.

"Totally agree we need to bring back the death penalty and send a message we 
mean business as in protecting all Australians," Robert Parker said.

"Rid them from society. Doesn't matter about deterrent or not, just get rid of 
them," Tony Crowley said.

(source: Sunshine Coast Daily)






EGYPT:

Irish Teen Who Faces The Death Penalty In Egypt "Witnessed Torture" In 
Prison----Ibrahim Halawa, who was arrested in 2013 during anti-government 
protests, said he has witnessed prisoners being forcefully electrocuted.


Halawa, a 19-year-old from Dublin, was arrested along with his 2 sisters while 
participating in anti-government demonstrations in 2013. Halawa was one of 
hundreds of activists arrested in Ra???abaa Square during the demonstrations, 
where it is estimated that around 800 people were killed by Egyptian police.

He is currently being held in the Wadi Natrun prison - one of Egypt's 
highest-security jails - awaiting a mass trial with other protesters. His 
lawyers and human rights organisations have warned that if he is found guilty, 
he could face the death penalty.

During his time there, Halawa has seen prisoners forced to undergo 
"experimental torture" techniques such as electrocution, his lawyers say.

Free Ibrahim Halawa campaign

In a statement, the human rights organisation Reprieve said: "A caseworker was 
told by Ibrahim that some prisoners were being tied naked in a crucifix 
position in the prison's halls, while others had been electrocuted, using pools 
of water to increase the pain.

"Ibrahim added that he was regularly beaten with rubber bars,and was singled 
out by one senior guard for particular abuse."

Caseworkers have also noted that Halawa's health was deteriorating, in a 
statement his legal team gave BuzzFeed News earlier this year.

"Ibrahim Halawa has been through a horrifying ordeal - arrested and tortured as 
a child, held in deplorable conditions for over 2 years, and now faced with the 
threat of a mass death sentence" said Maya Foa, director of the death penalty 
team at Reprieve.

"The latest reports of the torture meted out in his prison are deeply shocking 
- and it's utterly clear that his trial alongside 493 other prisoners has 
precious little to do with justice. Governments that are closely allied to 
Egypt - including the UK and Ireland - must urge Sisi's government to release 
Ibrahim and the many others like him."

The statements come following meetings last week between David Cameron and the 
Egyptian president Abdel Fatah el-Sisi.

The visit was met with large protests, with many opposed to the meetings due to 
Sisi's record on human rights, particularly in relation to the large number of 
arrests of Muslim Brotherhood activists.

Earlier this month, Halawa's sisters appealed to David Cameron to raise their 
brother's case during the Egyptian president's visit to the UK.

Omaima Halawa told BuzzFeed News that her brother's health was deteriorating 
due to bad conditions inside the prison, and that he was also on a hunger 
strike to protest against his treatment.

"We'd say the only way [the Prime Minister] can justify this meeting is to 
question Sisi on his human rights abuses, the murders he is responsible for in 
Egypt. Not just my brother, but also the thousands like him."

BuzzFeed News has contacted the Egyptian embassy in London for comment.

(source: BuzzFeedNews)






AFRICA:

Let's kick out the death penalty, now!


There is no conclusive evidence that the death penalty deters crime, and 
countries where the death penalty has been abandoned did not, in general, 
record a rise in crimes. And again, even the best justice systems have 
sentenced innocent people to die.

On Tuesday, 6 June 1995, over a year after electing the late Nelson Mandela as 
its President, South Africa ended the use of the death penalty, with a ruling 
of its constitutional court.

The death sentence is a barbaric act

Mandela's personal involvement in this outcome has been significant: 5 years 
earlier, freshly out of prison, he had successfully pressed his predecessor - 
then President FW De Klerk - to announce a moratorium on executions.

At the inauguration of the court 4 months before the ruling, President Mandela 
had opened his speech with telling words, referring to the 1963-64 trial in 
which he and his comrades had feared for their lives: "The last time I appeared 
in court was to hear whether I would be sentenced to death," he had said.

For decades, South Africa had executed thousands of its citizens, 
overwhelmingly among its Black population, earning a top ranking among 
countries with the highest rates of capital punishment in the world.

Announcing the court's decision, Arthur Chaskalson, its president, noted: 
"Everyone, including the most abominable of human beings, has a right to life, 
and capital punishment is therefore unconstitutional." Remarkably, each of the 
court's 11 judges issued a written opinion backing the ruling.

With that ruling, the new South Africa stood at a turning point of what was to 
follow across the continent. It heralded a momentous shift in the use of the 
death penalty in Africa, as more countries joined the global trend away from 
it. Once common, the practice was now being abandoned. By 1999, 21 African 
countries were abolitionists in law or practice. Of those, 10 had abolished 
capital punishment and 11 had de-facto moratoriums.

Today, 20 years since South Africa's ruling, 37 out of 54 countries on the 
continent are abolitionists in law or practice, according to the International 
Federation for Human Rights. Among them, 18 have abolished the death penalty, 
19 have de-facto moratoriums.

Last December, at the United Nations General Assembly, 27 African countries 
joined 90 others from around the world in voting in favour of a resolution 
calling for a progressive end to the use of the death penalty. 5 months 
earlier, in July 2014 in Cotonou, Benin's capital, the continent had adopted a 
declaration urging countries still imposing it to "consider abolishing the 
death penalty."

The African Union is now considering an additional protocol to the African 
Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the abolition of the death penalty, a 
major development that will further put the continent on the footsteps of 
Mandela, one of its most illustrious sons.

Yet, as Africa makes major strides away from the death penalty, worrying 
developments cloud the horizon. Among them, the continued imposition of 
mandatory death sentences for some crimes in a handful of countries such as 
Kenya and Nigeria. Uganda, thankfully, has recently taken steps to repel 
similar provisions from its criminal code.

Another persisting problem is the lack of fair trial guarantees. In March 2014, 
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concerns that 
the hasty judicial process in Somalia, in which there were only nine days 
between the alleged killings and the executions, deprived the suspects of their 
rights to legal representation and appeal.

More visible in recent months is the resurgence of the death penalty in 
contexts marked by a significant deterioration of the security climate. Faced 
with the mounting threat of violent extremism by Boko Haram, Nigeria has joined 
the list of countries prescribing the death penalty for vaguely defined 
"terrorist" activities.

More strikingly, Egypt has resorted to mass trial. In 2013, a court imposed 
death sentences on more than 1,000 people in 2 such trials for the alleged 
killing of a police officer and other violent activities.

All these developments point to the need for a stronger advocacy against the 
use of the death penalty. Across Africa, much like on the global stage, the 
direction is now clear, but the mobilisation must continue. Leaders should be 
part of the debate. Civil society actors and academic institutions must join in 
too. And everyone should know the facts, starting with those that are no longer 
in dispute.

First, there is no conclusive evidence that the death penalty deters crime, as 
researchers in various countries have shown. Countries where the death penalty 
has been abandoned did not, in general, record a rise in crimes. Second, and 
most unfortunately, the death penalty is a most final punishment. Even the best 
justice systems have sentenced innocent people to die.

In the United States 20 persons on death row have been exonerated through DNA 
testing, according to the Innocence Project, a non-profit legal organisation 
based in New York. Third of those who end up executed are almost always and 
everywhere vulnerable because of poverty, minority status or mental disability.

These are just some of the many reasons why, at the United Nations, we strongly 
believe that, as the Secretary-General puts it, "the death penalty has no place 
in the 21st century." Or, in the simple words of the great Madiba himself: "The 
death sentence is a barbaric act." It is time to let it go!

(source: By Ivan Simonovic, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for 
human rights; Theafricareport.com)

SINGAPORE:

Family of Sarawak man Kho Jabing, who is on death row, pleads with Singapore to 
spare his life


The family of Sarawakian Kho Jabing is pleading with Singapore to commute his 
death sentence to life imprisonment, claiming he is not a bad person.

Jabing, 31, who is from Ulu Baram, Sarawak, faces the gallows for killing a 
Chinese construction worker with a tree branch back in 2008 during a robbery 
attempt.

His mother Lenduk Ak Baling, 54, said that her son was not a bad person and had 
regretted his actions deeply.

"From the time he was born until he was in school he never fought with his 
friends, teachers or anyone else ... He is not a bad person," she said, sobbing 
uncontrollably at a press conference to highlight the case on Friday (Nov 13).

Ms Lenduk said that she hadn't been able to sleep or eat properly since hearing 
that her son was going to be executed.

Jabing was scheduled to be executed on Nov 6, but received a stay the day 
before, after his lawyer filed a motion raising points of law about the way the 
case was handled.

The case will be heard by Singapore's Court of Appeal on Nov 23.

Jabing's sister Jumai Kho, 27, said that her family was initially shocked to 
learn that he was involved in the case.

"He isn't a bad person... he is loving and always took care of us. I hope 
Singapore won't give him the death penalty... He is the only brother I have," 
she said, adding that Jabing was drunk and influenced by his friends when the 
incident occurred.

At the press conference, several activist groups called on Singapore's 
President Tony Tan Keng Yam to grant clemency to Jabing.

We Believe in Second Chances founder Kirsten Han said that the group was 
troubled that Jabing would be executed for a simple majority decision by the 
Court of Appeal.

"No intent to kill was ever found, nor was a clear sequence of events 
established. The irreversible nature of the death penalty leaves absolutely no 
room for error," she said.

Jabing was sentenced to death in 2010 but in August 2013, following revisions 
to Singapore's mandatory death penalty laws, the High Court sentenced him to 
life and 24 strokes of the cane instead.

The prosecution challenged the decision before the Court of Appeal, which again 
sentenced Jabing to death in a 3-2 majority decision earlier this year.

On Oct 19, Dr Tan rejected a clemency petition before a stay of execution by 
the Court of Appeal.

(source: Straits Times)






INDONESIA:

Indonesian court sentences Hong Kong drug leader to death


An Indonesian court sentenced a drug leader from Hong Kong to death on Friday 
for possession of more than 860 kg of methamphetamines in one of the country's 
biggest drug busts in years. Indonesian authorities in January arrested Wong 
Chi Ping and members of his drug syndicate in the capital, Jakarta, after a 
nearly 3-year investigation.

"This was our biggest catch so far in 5 years," said Slamet Pribadi, spokesman 
for the National Narcotics Agency. "The harsh penalty on drugs will provide a 
deterrent effect for those who are looking to do such crimes."

Wong's lawyers said they would appeal against the sentence.

"We hope that our client still has a chance to prove himself," said defence 
lawyer, Rando Vittoro Hasibuan. "We believe that he doesn't deserve to get the 
death penalty."

Wong was believed to have been the mastermind behind the smuggling of 
methamphetamines from Hong Kong, on southeast China's coast, to Indonesia, 
packing the drugs into coffee containers, media reported. After the arrests, 
police forced Wong and other members of his group to burn 1 trillion rupiah 
(RM320.9 million) worth of the drugs.

President Joko Widodo has declared war on what he has called a "narcotics 
emergency" since taking office a year ago. He has repeatedly refused clemency 
to traffickers and more than a dozen drug convicts, most of them foreigners, 
have been executed this year after a 5-year moratorium on the death penalty was 
lifted.

(source: themalaysianinsider.com)

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

Wong Chi Ping Faces Death Penalty


West Jakarta District Court will be sentencing drug dealer Wong Chi Ping along 
with his 3 associates, Sujardi, Ahmad Salim Wijaya, and Andika for the death 
penalty today, November 13.

"There are 4 trial verdicts for Wong Chi Ping and his associates," Wong Chi 
Ping's attorney, Hazmin A, said after the hearing in West Jakarta District 
Court on Thursday, November 12.

Wong Chi Ping reportedly had been assisted by Ahmad Salim Wijaya, Surjadi, 
Syarifudin Nurdin, Tam Siu Luing, Sui Cheuk Fung, Tan See Ting, Cheung Hon Ming 
and Andika. Those 9 defendants are all charged with capital punishment by the 
prosecutor.

On Wednesday, 5 of Wong Chi Ping's associates had been given a lighter 
sentence, Cheung Hon Ming with 20 years imprisonment plus Rp 1 billion fine and 
Syarifuddin with 18 years imprisonment. Tan See Ting, Siu Cheuk and Tam Siu 
Liung was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Last Thursday, the West Jakarta District Court postponed the verdict against 
Ahmad Salim Wijaya and Andika due to incomplete papers, and will be announced 
the next day (Friday).

4 defendants including Wong Chi Ping, Sujardi, Ahmad Salim Wijaya and Andika 
will undergo separate trials on November 13.

(source: tempo.co)






KUWAIT:

Appeals court looks anew into Al-Sadeq mosque blast case - 7 suspects face 
death penalty


The Court of Appeals, presided over by Justice Hani Al-Hamdan, begans 
proceedings yesterday in the case of the Imam Al-Sadeq Mosque blast, allowing 
the suspects' lawyers to deliver their defense. On November 5th, the court 
hearing focused on the civil claimants' pleadings.

On October 29, the court heard the testimony of the case's officer in a 
closed-door-session. On October 25, the Court of Appeals heard the testimony of 
defendant Abdulrahman Aidan who was sentenced to death by the Criminal Court, 
where he and other defendants denied their previous confessions.

The Criminal Court had sentenced 7 suspects to death, 8 to 2-15 years in 
prison, but acquitted another 15 suspects. The defendants are accused of 
spreading terror, committing murder, joining an internationally-banned group 
that promotes toppling the ruling system with illegitimate means, namely 
terrorism, thus threatening the country's national unity.

The court had held its 1st session on the explosion on August 4th, to look into 
the cases presented against 7 Kuwaiti defendants, 5 Saudis, 3 Pakistanis, 13 
illegal residents and 1 fugitive with unidentified nationality.

The Public Prosecution had demanded tough sentences against the defendants, as 
the prosecution's representative had presented thorough details on the case. 
They also provided visual evidence on the role of the 29 defendants in the 
blast, including hiding vital evidence and helping the driver, Abdulrahman 
Eidan, to escape. The terrorist attack took place on June 26 during the holy 
month of Ramadan, leaving 26 worshippers dead and 227 others wounded. The blast 
sparked wide-scale condemnations from Arab, Muslim and other countries which 
rejected all forms and manifestations of terrorism.

(source: Kuwait times)






IRAN----executions

4 Prisoners Hanged in Northern Iran on Drug Charges


On the morning of Sunday November 8, 4 prisoners were reportedly hanged at 
Karaj Central Prison on drug related charges.

According to close sources, the names of the prisoners are: Kambiz Shahbazi, 
Iraj Tizmaghz, Mehdi Aflaki, and Cyrus Cheshmeh. According to the human rights 
group, HRANA, the 4 prisoners were transferred from their prison cells to 
solitary confinement last Wednesday in preparation for their executions. Their 
family members were reportedly allowed to visit them for the last time on 
Friday November 6.

Iranian official sources have been silent on these 4 executions.

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

President Rouhani Defends Executions of Hundreds For Drug Offenses in Iran


In an interview with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera, President Hassan 
Rouhani defends Iran's execution of alleged drug offenders. Responding to a 
question about Iran's large number of executions, Rouhani repeated the answer 
often given by Iranian authorities: "Most executions in Iran are related to 
drug trafficking crimes, due to the long and porous border shared with our 
Afghan neighbour. If we abolish the death penalty, we would make it easier for 
drugs to be trafficked to European countries, and that would be dangerous for 
you." The comments were made on Thursday November 12, 2 days before the start 
of Rouhani's scheduled visit to Italy and France.

Iran Human Rights calls on the Italian and French governments to put the dead 
penalty on top of the agenda during President Rouhani's visit to these 
countries. "When the president of a country which executes an average of 3 
people a day comes to visit, the death penalty must be the main issue of 
discussion with him. Italy and France are 2 of the world's foremost countries 
engaged in the abolition of the death penalty, it is expected that Iran's use 
of the death penalty will be on top of the agenda in their talks with Mr. 
Rouhani," says Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR.

Iran is the country with the highest rate of executions per capita. According 
to reports by IHR, more than 830 people have been executed in Iran since the 
beginning of 2015, the highest number in more than 25 years. The number of 
executions has increased by more than 30% since Hassan Rouhani became the 
Iranian President.

Most Executions in Iran For Drug Offenses

Since 2010 more than 2500 people have been executed for drug offences in Iran. 
Unlike what Rouhani says, executions have not deterred drug offenses. Official 
reports indicate that drug problems, including trafficking and addiction, have 
been on the rise during the past years. Drug offenders often belong to the poor 
and marginalized groups in Iranian society; and there are many reports of 
torture, forced confessions, unfair trials and lack of access to lawyer.

(source for both: Iran Human Rights)


SAUDI ARABIA----executions

Saudi Authorities Deny Medical Help for Protester Sentenced to Death as a Child


The Saudi authorities are refusing to allow Ali al-Nimr, who was sentenced to 
death aged 17, access to a doctor, according to his family.

Ali was arrested following anti-government protests in 2012, and sentenced to 
death in a secretive trial on the basis of a "confession" extracted through 
torture, even though he was a child at the time.

However, despite international criticism over the case, the Kingdom's 
authorities are refusing to allow Ali access to a doctor, and today defended 
their plans to behead him in the UK's Daily Telegraph.

A statement on planned "reforms' provided by King Salman's advisers to the 
newspaper said that they "cannot understand" calls to stop the execution of Ali 
and other protesters. The statement comes in the wake of an opinion piece 
written by the Saudi Ambassador to the UK, in which he criticised the British 
Government's refusal to provide services to the Saudi prison system due to 
human rights concerns.

Maya Foa, director of the death penalty team at international human rights 
organization Reprieve said: "Despite claims of reforms, the Saudi Government 
remains unrepentant over plans to execute protesters, many of whom were 
sentenced to death as children. It is astonishing that they 'cannot understand' 
why there is such outrage over this issue. Worse still, they are now denying 
Ali al Nimr - sentenced to 'crucifixion' after severe torture when he was just 
17 - access to a doctor. The international community should demand real reform, 
not smoke and mirror measures to hide these vile abuses."

(source: commondreams.org)






MALAYSIA:

G seeking to abolish mandatory death penalty


Attorney-General Tan Sri Apandi Ali said he will propose to the Cabinet that 
the mandatory death penalty be scrapped, so that judges are given the option to 
choose between sentencing a person to jail or the gallows.

He said mandatory death sentences were a "paradox", as it robbed judges of 
their discretion to impose sentences on convicted criminals.

"If I had my way, I would introduce the option for the judge in cases where it 
involves capital punishment. Give the option to the judge either to hang him or 
send him to prison.

"Then we're working towards a good administration of criminal justice," Apandi 
told The Malaysian Insider in an exclusive interview. He said that this would 
be in line with the "universal thinking" of capital punishment, although he 
denied calling for the death penalty to be abolished altogether.

"Not to say that I am for absolute abolition of capital punishment, but at 
least we go in stages. We take step by step," he said.

A mandatory death sentence is imposed in Malaysia in cases involving murder, 
certain firearm offences, drug-trafficking and treason. In May, Prisons 
Department director-general Datuk Seri Zulkifli Omar reportedly said some 1043 
prisoners are on death row, with many waiting for the outcome of their appeal 
to the Federal Court or Pardons Board.

He reportedly said 46% of those awaiting their execution were convicted for 
drug offences. Apandi told The Malaysian Insider that many judges were actually 
reluctant to pass the death sentence on "mere mules", those assigned to carry 
drugs for syndicates.

"The judges are also hesitant to pass the death sentence on mere mules, the 
drug trafficker who (is) just earning RM1,000 to feed his family," he said. He 
said the A-G's Chambers will prepare a memorandum to the Cabinet to scrap 
mandatory death penalties.

If the Cabinet agreed, then it would propose for the relevant laws to be 
amended.

(source: themalaysianinsider.com)