[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

April 2



SAUDI ARABIA:

Saudi Arabia 'on course to double number of beheadings this year'


This would be more than double the 158 executions carried out by the Kingdom 
last year.This would be more than double the 158 executions carried out by the 
Kingdom last year.

Saudi Arabia has already executed 82 people this year and is on course to 
behead twice as many prisoners as it did in 2015, according to new statistics 
compiled by a leading human rights organisation likely to raise fresh concerns 
about the UK's close ties to the Kingdom.

The British government has been urged to do more to put pressure on its Gulf 
allies to halt the bloodshed in light of the figures, which would see the total 
death toll in Saudi Arabia reach a record high of more than 320 by the end of 
the year if the current rate is maintained.

This would be more than double the 158 executions carried out by the Kingdom 
last year, which was in itself a dramatic rise on the 88 people it beheaded in 
2014. The figures were compiled by the UK organisation Reprieve using a 
combination of official statements from the Saudi government and reliable local 
media reports.

Earlier this week, the defence secretary Michael Fallon paid a low-key visit to 
Saudi Arabia to "help strengthen the UK-Saudi defence relationship", meeting 
Crown Prince Muhammad bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the minister of interior 
who is in charge of ordering executions. Days later, at least two more 
prisoners were beheaded.

During his trip Fallon also met Saudi defence minister Mohammed bin Salman bin 
Abdul Aziz and other members of the Saudi Royal family. The Ministry of Defence 
(MoD) said he had "reiterated the importance of working together to deal with 
global threats, including countering the poisonous ideology of Daesh and 
regional instability".

However, it did not say whether Mr Fallon had raised the subject of executions 
with the interior minister. Human rights groups are increasingly concerned 
about the fates of Ali al Nimr, Dawoud al Marhoon and Abdullah al Zaher, who 
have all been sentenced to death by the Saudis despite being children at the 
time of their alleged crimes. All three were convicted for alleged offences 
connected to protests calling for reform in the Kingdom and could be executed 
at any time without warning.

"As Saudi Arabia looks set for yet another record breaking year of beheadings, 
it is more important than ever that its allies in the UK, Europe and the US 
call for it to stop," said Harriet McCulloch, deputy director of the death 
penalty team at Reprieve.

"The deep injustices of the Saudi system mean that those being sent to the 
swordsman's blade are in many cases tortured into 'confessing', guilty of 
nothing more than calling peacefully for reform, or even sentenced to death as 
children. The UK and US must immediately call for Ali, Dawoud and Abdullah's 
sentences to be commuted before it is too late - given the rising tide of 
beheadings, vague reassurances are not enough."

A government spokesperson said: "The Defence Secretary visited Saudi Arabia to 
discuss a range of regional issues. The UK is opposed to the death penalty in 
all circumstances and we make our views well known to Saudi Arabia. We have 
raised these particular cases at the highest levels and will continue to do so. 
Our expectation remains that the 3 individuals will not be executed."

(source: The Times of India)






SINGAPORE:

Standoff in Ang Mo Kio amid CNB operation; A 48-year-old chopper-wielding man 
refused to open the door to authorities and threatened to burn himself.


Heroin and "Ice", with an estimated street value of S$57,000, have been seized 
by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). 3 suspects have also been arrested.

According to a press release on Friday (Apr 1), CNB said it mounted the 
operation to dismantle the activities of a suspected drug trafficking 
syndicate. The syndicate was suspected of trafficking in different types of 
controlled drugs.

The operation started on Thursday after CNB officers were deployed to observe a 
suspected drug trafficker in the vicinity of Ang Mo Kio. The 39-year-old 
Singaporean woman, who was believed to be receiving a fresh consignment of 
drugs, was seen meeting up with a 62-year-old Singaporean man near Ang Mo Kio 
Avenue 10. Both were subsequently arrested.

About 48g of heroin was seized from the woman, while about 160g of heroin was 
recovered from the man.

A search of the woman's hideout at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 uncovered about 480g of 
heroin and 25g of "Ice". About 40g of heroin was seized from the 62-year-old's 
hideout.

Investigations also led officers to a unit in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, belonging to 
a suspected drug associate of the woman.

At the scene, the suspected drug offender, a 48-year-old Singaporean man, 
refused to open the door and threatened to burn himself. He was also seen 
holding a chopper. CNB said that for safety reasons, the police and the 
Singapore Civil Defence Force were activated. Residents from neighbouring units 
were also evacuated.

At about 10am on Friday, the 48-year-old was arrested. A small amount of "Ice" 
and heroin were recovered from his unit.

Preliminary screening showed that he tested positive for the consumption of 
controlled drugs. Another occupant who was in the unit was unharmed, said CNB.

Investigations into the drug activities of the suspects are ongoing. They face 
the death penalty, under the Misuse of Drugs Act, if the amount of pure heroin 
trafficked exceeds 15g.

(source: channelnewsasia.com)






ISRAEL:

Executing Palestinians, a sign of Israel's strength?


There was no military necessity for last week's slaying of Abdel Fattah 
Al-Sharif in Hebron. He was clearly wound, incapacitated and posed no imminent 
threat to the Israeli soldier who shot him. Even by Israel's standards it was a 
callous act of murder. The Israeli daily Haaretz newspaper rightly described it 
as a "cold-blooded execution"; one that can and must, therefore, reinforce 
calls for an international investigation into Israel's policy of extrajudicial 
executions in the occupied Palestinian territories.

When Sweden's foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom called for such an 
investigation back in January the Israeli foreign ministry dismissed her 
intervention as "irresponsible and delusional". The shooting of 21-year-old 
Al-Sharif, which was recorded on video and has since gone viral on the 
internet, will now revive and add a greater sense of urgency to her call.

Despite its cruelty the murder of Al-Sharif was by no means an isolated act. 
The grim reality is that almost every day young Palestinians are killed in 
almost similar circumstances. All it takes is for a fanatic settler or 
trigger-happy soldier to suspect him, or her, of being a "terrorist".

Admittedly, Israel's political and religious establishments have both 
encouraged this culture of impunity. In mid-March the chief Sephardi Rabbi 
Israel Yitzhak issued an edict stating that it was a religious imperative to 
kill Palestinians armed with knives, and urged soldiers not to worry about the 
courts or the army on the matter.

For several years now Israeli politicians have been toying with the idea of 
writing into law the death penalty for Palestinians. In 2006, the leader of the 
Yisrael Beiteinu party, Avigdor Lieberman, argued during a parliamentary debate 
that Arab parliamentarians who talk to Hamas should be executed.

Last year the Israeli news website Mako reported Lieberman as saying: "Anyone 
who's with us should be given everything - up to 1/2 the kingdom. Anyone who's 
against us, there's nothing to do - we should raise an axe and cut off his 
head; otherwise we won't survive here."

In the wake of the current intifada in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, 
Israeli politicians have revived, yet again, the debate on capital punishment. 
They have been egged on by an out pouring of public support for Elor Azarya, 
the soldier who "executed" Al-Sharif. More than 50,000 Israelis signed an 
online petition demanding he be awarded a medal; others have staged public 
rallies in support of the offending soldier.

Despite these pressures it is unlikely that even the Israeli establishment will 
accede to calls for the death penalty or even exonerate Azarya completely. The 
international fallout from the execution is yet to run its course. Philip 
Luther, director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Amnesty 
International said: "The shooting of a wounded and incapacitated person, even 
if they have been involved in an attack, has absolutely no justification and 
must be prosecuted as a potential war crime." Similar concerns have been raised 
even from within the normally subservient US Congress.

A recent decision to defer a ministerial discussion on the death penalty does 
not mean that it has been taken off the agenda. The Israeli establishment has 
only done so for now because of the damage the execution of Al-Sharif has done 
to its claim of being a liberal democracy and bastion of civilised values. 
Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu???s oft repeated mantra that the Israeli army 
is the most "moral" army in the world has been exposed as a shameless canard.

To the Palestinians, it hardly matters if Israel legislates to adopt capital 
punishment. It is, after all, a postscript of a practice that has long been in 
effect, all be it without due process in courts of law. For them, life under 
military occupation is no longer an option.

Clearly, the Netanyahu government wants its people to believe that executions, 
house demolitions and deportations are all signs of strength. They are not. At 
best, they reflect the weakness and ineffectiveness of a government that is 
politically bankrupt and incapable of finding a solution to the current 
uprising. If he is to withstand the challenge posed by opposition figures like 
Lieberman and his fellow travelers, Netanyahu must continue to give a free hand 
to his "moral" army and extremist settlers to act with impunity. Ultimately, 
for the Palestinians it is only through self-defence that they will ensure 
self-preservation.

(source: Commentary, Dr. Daud Abdullah----Middle East Monitor)



BARBADOS:

Don't set them free!


He has been the overseer of the last executions to take place in Barbados. And 
ironically he has been a fierce opponent of the death penalty.

But former superintendent of prisons Carl Harewood is vigorously opposed to 
convicted murderers being released on humanitarian grounds.

"I've read about it but I could not believe it. It's unbelievable. Any person 
who has committed murder should spend the rest of their life in prison - and 
without any chance of coming out at all," Harewood told the SATURDAY SUN 
yesterday.

His comments followed the release of a number of convicted murderers by the 
Barbados Mercy Committee, whose membership includes the Governor General, Prime 
Minister, Opposition Leader and head of the Anglican Diocese.

(source: nationnews.com)






BAHAMAS:

Death Penalty Decision On Men Convicted Of American Sailor's Murder Deferred


A judge has deferred her decision on whether she will impose the death penalty 
on 3 men convicted of murdering an American sailor as he tried to prevent 2 
women visitors being robbed.

Justice Indra Charles adjourned her decision to May 5 after she heard the last 
submissions yesterday from counsel for Anton Bastian, 21, and 23-year-old 
Marcellus Williams concerning their role in the events that led to Kyle 
Bruner's fatal shooting on May 13, 2013.

Roberto Reckley and Walton Bain, respective lawyers for Bastian and Williams, 
argued that the circumstances of the case did not warrant the imposition of the 
discretionary death penalty when balanced against their clients' ages, lack of 
antecedents, reasonable prospects for reform and other factors outlined in 
probation and psychiatric reports that were presented to the court.

At an earlier hearing on March 8, Nathan Smith, lawyer for 22-year-old Craig 
Johnson, made similar arguments to the court. He further noted that that the 
"right to life" was one of many factors the Privy Council - the country's 
highest court of appeal - had set out for judges to consider, the others being, 
but not limited to, the extremity of the murder, the question of the convict's 
ability to be reformed, and whether or not justice could only be met through 
death of the convict.

Johnson, Bain, Williams and 30-year-old Jamaal Dorfevil denied having any 
involvement in the armed robbery and the killing of Bruner, who was shot in the 
neck as he tried to help two women who were being mugged by 2 armed men.

At trial in November last year, they testified that they were at home on the 
early morning in question and had been lied on and assaulted by the police, who 
produced videotaped interviews of Johnson, Williams and Dorfevil taking 
officers through the crime scene.

The jury heard evidence from Sean William Cannon, a first mate aboard the 
Liberty Chipper sailboat, who witnessed the shooting and later identified 
Johnson during an identification parade.

The Crown also submitted the police statement of another witness, Delano Smith, 
which implicated the remaining accused men concerning the crimes.

The jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts for Johnson, Bastian and Williams 
for Bruner's murder. The 3 men were further convicted with Dorfevil on 2 counts 
of armed robbery as they were alleged to have accosted 2 women while armed with 
a firearm, robbing one of $150 cash, her $3,000 handbag and the other of cash, 
a handbag and an iPhone.

Dorfevil was represented by Sonia Timothy who yesterday asked the court to 
impose no more than 6 years imprisonment for his minimal involvement in the 
matter based on the evidence.

A 5th accused, 21-year-old Leo Bethel, had all charges discontinued against him 
by way of a nolle prosequi within moments of Justice Charles concluding her 
summation of the evidence. Ian Cargill represented him.

(source: tribune242.com)






BELARUS:

The regime hopes to sell the death penalty moratorium for the highest possible 
price


The regime hopes to sell the death penalty moratorium for the highest possible 
price Though the EU lifted its sanctions against Belarus in early 2016, the 
authorities seem to remain reluctant to address a moratorium on capital 
punishment, Lizaveta Kasmach writes.

On 10 March 2016, Minsk hosted an international conference titled The Death 
Penalty: Transcending the Divide.

According to Stavros Lambrinidis, the EU Special Representative for Human 
Rights, a moratorium on the death penalty would send a positive signal for 
relations between Belarus and the EU and improve the international image of 
Belarus.

The existence of the death penalty has contributed to the pariah image of 
Belarus - it lost its guest status at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council 
of Europe (PACE) after the 1996 referendum, when more than 80 % of the 
population voted in favour of maintaining capital punishment.

Currently, Belarus remains the only European state in which the authorities 
continue to execute criminals convicted of serious offences.

The EU's recent lifting of sanctions has created a window of opportunity for 
the improvement of relations with the EU in all spheres. The introduction of a 
moratorium on the death penalty appears to be an easy yet important symbolic 
step for sealing rapprochement with the EU and demonstrating Belarusian good 
will. Yet while public opinion shifts more towards accepting the moratorium, 
the government appears to be treating the death penalty issue as a bargaining 
chip.

Dark secrets of death row

Currently, 14 articles of the Belarusian Criminal Code foresee capital 
punishment as one of the available penalty options. These include war crimes, 
genocide, international terrorism, use of weapons of mass destruction and 
various categories of serious crimes, including murder. The Belarusian Interior 
Ministry has also pointed out that those Belarusians who signed up as 
mercenaries in Ukraine could be accused of committing crimes against the 
humanity and potentially face the death penalty.

According to the Ministry of Justice, Belarusian courts have handed down death 
sentences to over 300 people since 1990. Yet the transparency and availability 
of information leave a lot to be desired.

For instance, official statistical information on the website of the Interior 
Ministry is not up-to-date, reflecting only the numbers of death penalties 
carried out between 1998 and 2010. According to officially released 
information, over the last decade the average number of executions ranged from 
between 2 to 9 people per year.

The government keeps all procedures secret and neither society nor the families 
of the convicted know what has happened to them after they hear their verdict. 
One of the few sources of information available to the public is the book The 
Death Squad by the former chief of the Minsk detention centre Aleh Alkaeu, who 
used to be in charge of executions.

The most infamous case in recent years featured Uladzislau Kavaliou and Dzmitry 
Kanavalau, found guilty of organising explosions in the Minsk subway on 11 
April 2011. Both were promptly tried and convicted before the year was out. 
Resonance of the case and the haste with which the trail was organised resulted 
in the 1st serious instance of public debate on capital punishment, exacerbated 
by growing distrust of the judicial system.

Lukashenka and public opinion: pros and cons

With regard to the issue of the death penalty, President Alexander Lukashenka 
persistently refers to the results of the notorious 1996 November referendum, 
when 80 % of voters refused to abolish the death penalty. Therefore, the 
president has typically maintained that as "a servant of the people, who knows 
the popular mood" he has no power to force society to accept a moratorium.

Yet his recent statements on the death penalty indicate some potential for a 
change of heart. On 9 March 2016, the president noted that Belarus has 
developed "its own interpretation of humanitarian issues, including on the 
question of human rights." He tied progress in the sphere of human rights to 
the economic situation, hinting that changes in public opinion depended on the 
material well-being of the people. In other words, the death penalty would be 
abolished if the EU provided an economic incentive.

According to a 2013 survey carried out by Penal Reform International, 37 % of 
Belarusians did not know that Belarus still employed the death penalty. 
Belarusian civil society actors, including the Helsinki Committee and the human 
rights organisation Viasna with the support of the EU institutions, engage in 
information campaigns to raise public awareness on the issue.

Gradually, these efforts are creating a potential shift in public opinion. The 
president's reminders that 80 % of the population is in favour of the death 
penalty sound less and less credible. According to a sociological survey 
conducted by the consulting company SATIO in cooperation with Penal Reform 
International and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee in 2014, the number of 
death penalty opponents for the 1st time exceeded those supporting it, with 
43.3 % against versus 41.9 % in favour.

Opponents are convinced that the death penalty is not an effective means of 
punishment. According to IISEPS opinion polls, these people are more social 
responsible, are tolerant towards minorities and tend to oppose the current 
political regime. On the contrary, supporters of the death penalty are more 
likely to trust the police and state authorities.

Capitalizing on the death penalty moratorium?

On 5 January 2016, the Minsk Regional Court handed down the 1st death sentence 
of the new year. Genadz' Jakavitski from Vileika was tried and convicted for 
the cruel murder of his girlfriend. On 15 February another verdict of a certain 
"Kh." followed.

The EU promptly expressed its concerns, urging the Belarusian authorities to 
introduce a moratorium on the death penalty and to encourage public debate on 
the issue. Since the EU lifted its sanctions against Belarus in February 2016, 
governing circles have started to show some willingness to co-operate with 
their EU counterparts.

On 10 March 2016, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry together with the United 
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) hosted an international conference titled 
The Death Penalty: Transcending the Divide. Despite acknowledging the need to 
launch a broad dialogue about capital punishment, Belarusian organizers 
requested that journalists be removed from the conference venue following the 
official opening ceremony. The unregistered human rights organisation Viasna, 
known for its active position on the issue of the death penalty, was not 
invited to participate.

These circumstances throw a shadow of doubt over the government's commitment to 
a genuine dialogue. The authorities remain reluctant to address a moratorium on 
capital punishment. It is also likely that the president is unwilling to 
relinquish the absolute symbolic power he holds over the lives and deaths of 
Belarusian citizens.

However, the main issue appears to be in the practical realm of politics. 
Recent statements by Lukashenka specifically point to the connection between 
human rights issues and the economic well-being of the population. For now, the 
Belarusian regime is attempting to raise the stakes in what it perceives to be 
a trade process with the EU. It hopes to sell the death penalty moratorium for 
the highest possible price.

(source: eurobelarus.info)