[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Feb. 24




TANZANIA:

9 ivory poachers accused of shooting hero British helicopter pilot out of the 
sky as he tried to save elephants in Tanzania appear in court charged with 
murder and may face death penalty if guilty; Niles Gunga, 28, is charged with 
murder in Bariadi District Court, Tanzania


Roger Gower was fatally shot down by an AK47 while taking part in a helicopter 
operation to catch a gang in a game reserve next to Serengeti National Park.

Niles Gunga, 28, is alleged to have fired a bullet through the bottom of the 
pilot's helicopter on Friday, January 29, bringing the aircraft crashing down.

Gunga appeared alongside 8 others who had also been accused of murder.

He denied the charges along with co-defendants Shija Mjika, 38, Dotto Pangali, 
42, Moses Mandago, 28, Iddi Abdullah, 50, Dotto Huya, 44, Mwigulu Kanga, 40, 
Mapolu Gabida, 50 and Mange Buluma, 47.

Prosecutors say that the men were an experienced poaching gang, with known 
insiders such as Iddi Abdullah, who had worked for the Ngorongoro Conservation 
Authority as a Wildlife official.

They were also charged with possessing $15,000 (10,765 pounds) worth of ivory.

Gunga is also is accused of making a career out of killing elephants, and 
working with other poachers to sell to bigger gangs.

If the men are found guilty, they could face the death penalty. Tanzanian 
authorities are still investigating the killing, but the case could be heard in 
the country's highest court.

Senior State Attorney Yamiko Mlekano said: 'We are still looking for DNA 
evidence and ballistic evidence as well. Plus other pieces of evidence that I'm 
not ready to disclose. But once we are finished, we will prosecute the case in 
the high court.

'The case will not be difficult. We are confident that we will get a 
conviction.'

However, the atmosphere was tense in the courtroom, with prosecutors asking not 
to be filmed or photographed to protect their identity from the gangs, who make 
millions from poaching.

15 armed soldiers were also standing guard outside the magistrates court as 
proceedings began - another sign of how seriously Tanzania takes the threat of 
those allegedly involved in poaching gangs.

Outside the court, community leader Masunga Liyabuyenze expressed his 
frustration with poachers.

He said: 'The community cares about the animals. Other people come in and kill 
them, but most people care.

'I feel bad, as a human being, about someone being killed. Here in Tanzania we 
value a person's life. So when I heard of someone being killed, I felt sad.'

On the day of Mr Gower's death, the Friedkin Conservation Fund - the 
organisation the trained accountant was working for - had found two dead 
elephants, and had sent him out in a helicopter.

The organisation's director Pratik Patel, who was working on the same 
anti-poaching operation, said: 'He saw a third dead elephant which had only 
very recently been killed and flew back to investigate, which was when a man 
appeared and shot straight at the helicopter.'

The shot went up through the floor, going through Mr Gower's leg, shoulder and 
eye before exiting through the roof.

But before the helicopter crashed into the ground, Mr Gower managed to save his 
colleague, South African spotter Nick Bester, who was able to jump to safety 
after the Brit manoeuvred out of the way of a tree.

The 9 men face a number of other charges, including committing economic crimes 
- poaching - and possessing weapons.

A woman was charged with working as one of their accomplices.

The cases were sent to a higher court, where the men will enter their pleas.

(source: The Daily Mail)






INDONESIA:

Amnesty call for moratorium in death penalty in Indonesia


The international human rights organization Amnesty International calls for 
death penalty moratorium in Indonesia with long term goal of abolishing death 
penalty.

"Amnesty International asks the Indonesian Government for moratorium in death 
penalty and to review the court verdicts of death penalty," Deputy Director for 
Southeast Asian Campaign of Amnesty International Josef Benedict said when 
launching global human rights annual report here on Wednesday.

Benedict quoted the Amnesty International report as saying that in 2015, the 
Indonesian government executed 14 death prisoners on death row and more is to 
follow this year.

He said death penalty places the life of prisoners on death row in risk and put 
their families in distress, fear and heavy pressure.

Benedict also called for an end to whipping punishment, which he described as 
inhumane, cruel, insulting to human dignity, adopted in Aceh.

He said in 2015, around 108 people, who were found guilty of gambling, alcohol 
drinking and adultery, were punished with whipping under sharia law in Aceh.

In October 2015, Qanun Jinayat, was enacted in Aceh a punishment for committing 
homosexuality and adultery respectively with whipping 100 times and 30 times.

"Qanun Jinayat in Aceh is against human rights and we call on the central 
government to annul the law," Benedict said.

Earlier Pope Fransiskus called for death penalty moratorium ahead of an 
international conference of "A World Without the Death Penalty" began in Rome 
last Monday.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon also denounced death penalty 
saying "death penalty has no place in this 21st century."

(source: Antara News)