[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Jan. 16



BAHRAIN:

Statement on executions carried out in Bahrain


The EU reiterates its strong opposition to the use of the death penalty in all 
circumstances. This case is a serious drawback given that Bahrain had suspended 
executions for the past 7 years, and concerns have been expressed about 
possible violations of the right to a fair process for the 3 convicted.

The EU rejects violence as a political tool and fully supports the stability 
and development of the Kingdom of Bahrain, but believes this can only be 
achieved through a sustainable and inclusive national reconciliation process.

(source: eureporter.co)






NIGERIA:

Nigeria state governors responsible for high number of condemned inmates 
-Prison Service


The Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) has accused state governors of being 
responsible for the high number of condemned inmates in prisons across the 
country as they were unwilling to approve the execution of inmates on death 
penalty. The Service Public Relations Officer (PRO), Francis Enobore stated 
this at the weekend in Abuja during a parley with journalists.

While revealing that 1,640 condemned persons were presently in prison 
formations across the country, Enobore appealed to the state governors to do 
the needful by either signing the condemned persons death execution or 
commuting their death sentences to terms of imprisonment.

"The problem of condemned prisoners is still a very big challenged to NPS and 
we have been appealing to the relevant authorities especially to the Chief 
Executives" he said. "When someone gets to his last bus stop and is condemned 
to death and he has exhausted his appeal to the Supreme Court, the only 
opportunity he has to escape the death is the Chief Executive commuting his 
death sentence to a term of imprisonment or sign the death warrant for this 
person to take his last breath.

"But there is a kind of silent moratorium that most governors are not too 
willing to endorse death sentences.

"You are not signing their execution, yet you are not commuting their death 
sentences to terms of imprisonment, so that we can get them transferred to a 
place where they can be remodelled or rebranded for the society.

"So they create a very big problem for us. But we keep appealing that governors 
to do the needful so that we will be able to really manage these people 
effectively."

While disclosing that the present management of the NPS was ready to take the 
Service to greater heights, Enobore said apart from massive promotion of 
personnel, the government had provided more logistics to the Service.

"10, 979 officers across board who were stagnated for several years have been 
promoted. As a result, there is high motivation now in the Service.

"Government provided 400 vehicles and infrastructure. We are currently 
expanding cells too," he said.

(source: nigeriamasterweb.com)






BANGLADESH:

Narayanganj 7-Murder Case----Ex-AL men, Ex-RAB officials among 26 handed death 
penalty


A Narayanganj court on Monday awarded death penalty to 26 people including 
former Awami League leader Nur Hossain and 16 ex-RAB officials in the 
sensational 7-murder case.

9 others were also sentenced to different terms in the verdict handed down by 
Narayanganj district and sessions judge Syed Enayetur Rahman.

Out of a total of 35 accused in the gruesome murder, 23 were present before the 
court while delivering the verdict.

1 of the prime convicts Nur Hossain was a leader of ruling Bangladesh Awami 
League (AL) and a councillor of the Narayanganj city corporation at the time of 
the murder.

The suspended RAB officials who were awarded death penalty are: lieutenant 
colonel Tarek Sayeed, major Arif Hossain, commander lieutenant Masud Rana, 
habildar Emdadul Haque, ROG-1 Arif Hossain, lance nayek Hira Mia, lance nayek 
Belal Hossain, sepoy Abu Toiyob, constable Md Shihab Uddin, SI Purnendo Bala, 
sainik Asaduzzaman Nur, sainik Abdul Alim, sainik Mohiuddin Munshi, sainik Al 
Amin, sainik Tajul Islam and sergeant Enamul Kabir.

All of them were in the RAB-11 officials when the murder took place and later 
they were sacked when their involvement was found in the preliminary 
investigation.

The other convicts who are now behind the bars are: Nur Hossain and his 
accomplices-Ali Mohammad, Mizanur Rahman Dipu, Raham Ali, Abul Bashar and 
Mortuza Zaman (Charchil).

The absconding convicts are: corporal Mokhlesur Rahman, sainik Abdul Alim, 
sainik Mohiuddin Munshi, sainik Al Amin, sainik Tajul Islam, sergeant Enamul 
Kabir, ASI Kamal Hossain constable Habibur Rahman and Nur Hossain's 
cohorts--Selim, Sanaullah Sana, Shahjahan and Jamal Uddin.

Those who have been convicted to different jail terms are: Nasir Uddin, Bazlur 
Rahman, constable Habibur Rahman Habib, sub-inspector Kamal Hossain, Abdul 
Alim, Ruhul Amin, Syed Nuruzzaman, sub-inspector Abul Kamal Azad and Babul 
Hossain.

On 27 April in 2014, 7 people, including Narayanganj city corporation panel 
mayor Nazrul Islam and senior lawyer Chandan Sarker, were abducted from the 
Dhaka-Narayanganj link road.

On 28 April 2014, a case was filed over case filed over kidnapping Narayanganj 
panel mayor Nazrul Islam, his 3 associates and driver were abducted from 
Fatullah area.

3 days after the abduction, bodies of 6 of the missing people were found 
floating in the Shitalakkhya river on 30 April 2014 while the body of the rest 
abducted man was found floating in the river on 31 April.

(source: prothom-alo.com)






PAKISTAN:

Mother gets death penalty for burning daughter in Pakistan


An Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore on Monday sentenced a mother to death for 
burning her daughter alive in June 2016 after she contracted a 'free-will 
marriage'.

Zeenat Rafiq, 18, of Lahore's Factory Area was set on fire by her mother 
Parveen Bibi more than a week after the girl reportedly eloped with Hasan Khan 
to marry him in a court in Lahore, Dawn reported.

Parveen Bibi confessed she murdered her daughter for "bringing shame to the 
family".

(source: business-standard.com)
INDIA:

Women activists want death penalty for arrested paedophile ---- The 38-year-old 
is accussed of targeting several minor girls aged between seven and 11 years of 
age.


Women rights activists have demanded a death penalty for serial rapist and 
paedophile Sunil Rastogi, who was arrested from the national capital on Sunday, 
said reports. Rastogi was arrested from Delhi's Kondli Village and is said to 
have confessed to his crime.

The 38-year-old is accussed of targeting several minor girls aged between seven 
and 11 years of age.

Former DCW chief Barkha Shukla termed the arrest as a 'big acheivement' and 
demanded that a the accused should be 'hanged' for such heinous crime, reported 
news agency ANI.

Emminent lawyer and activist Abha Singh expressed shock over the fact that 
Rastogi had been committing these acts for years and was caught only now. She 
said that it failure on part of the police to have let him roam free for years.

According to reports, the accused is said to have molested around 500 children 
not only in Delhi but also in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

His confession has baffled officials who say that he would target young girls 
and would tell them that their father had sent something for them and would 
then take them to an isolated place.

Preliminary inquiry shows that he was beaten and thrown out of his home in 2004 
after he attacked a neighbour's daughter. He has also been charged with drugs, 
theft and molestation. First 2 instances when he assaulted girls, no complaint 
was filed against him. Thinking that he could get away with his crime, he 
continued assaulting minor girls.

He told police officials that he would prey on young girls and enjoyed it for 
sexual satisfaction.

(source: oneindia.com)






MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE:

Death row inmate's judicial review bid not interfering with Singapore affairs, 
says lawyer


The judicial review bid by a Malaysian death row inmate in Singapore to compel 
the Malaysian government to take his case to an international court is not an 
"interference" in Singapore affairs, his lawyer N. Surendran said today.

S. Prabagaran, 29, who is facing death sentence for drug trafficking in 
Singapore, and his mother V. Eswary, both filed the judicial review at a High 
Court here today, seeking leave to obtain a mandamus for the Malaysian 
government to institute legal action against Singapore at the International 
Court of Justice (ICJ).

"We are not entering Singapore's affairs. It's just wanting justice done for a 
Malaysian citizen," he told reporters after filing the judicial review here 
today.

"Malaysia has the right to raise any cases regarding the treatment of its 
citizens abroad," he added.

Surendran said that such a case has never been filed by Malaysia before, but 
there have been precedents elsewhere in the world, such as Mexico taking United 
States to the ICJ over Mexican citizens in death row in the US.

Prabagaran, who allegedly drove a car with drugs to a Singapore immigration 
checkpoint in 2012, has exhausted all his appeals, but his lawyers said that he 
has not received a fair trial.

Prabagaran has claimed he did not own the car he was driving and had identified 
individuals who are the original owners of the car, but Singapore authorities 
reportedly have not sought the other individuals with the assistance of 
Malaysian authorities.

"It is customary international law for an individual to receive fair trial.

"The aspect of a fair trial has been contravened in Prabagaran's case," he 
added.

Prabagaran is facing execution in just a few weeks and the judicial review 
filed today is his last resort to get the case brought to the ICJ.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International Malaysia director Shamini Darshini, who was 
also present, said the human rights watchdog will start a petition to stay 
Prabagaran's execution and abolish the death penalty, directed towards both 
Malaysian and Singapore governments.

(source: Yahoo News)






PHILIPPINES:

Passage of dealth penalty bill within 4 months eyed


House Justice Committee Chairman Rey Umali hopes the bill that seeks the 
revival of death penalty will pass the 3rd and final reading before the 1st 
regular session of the 17th Congress ends in May.

Umali says, he used to be against the reimposition of the measure but he 
changed his mind.

"I'm not in favor of passing death penalty but after the Bilibid hearings, I'm 
now in favor of the death penalty for heinous drug crimes," he explains.

Umali is referring to the recent House inquiry on the proliferation of illegal 
drug trade in New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

He notes, lawmakers will have to finalize the decision on whether or not to 
lower the age of criminal liability that will be covered by the bill.

"When you lower the juvenile age, may corresponding rehabilitation (there is 
corresponding rehabilitation). It is still evolving and we cannot yet say what 
it will be," he says.

Umali says, the seeming lack of interest of the Senate in passing the bill does 
not bother him.

"We respect that. We will do what is needed to pass it in the House," he adds.

Umali spoke at a press briefing in the House of Representatives on Monday 
morning.

Under the consolidated bill of the House, 21 heinous crimes are punishable by 
death penalty.

These include penalties relating to terrorism and illegal drugs.

(source: Manila Standard)

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

Death penalty for terrorists - Senator Manny


Senator Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao on Monday said terrorists should be penalized 
with death penalty. This was stressed by Pacquiao in his speech during the 
celebration of the 38th anniversary of the Philippine National Police (PNP) 
Intelligence Group in Camp Crame, Quezon City where he was guest of honor.

Paquiao said Senate Bill No. 186, which imposes death penalty for terrorism and 
other heinous crimes, would be a big help in the PNP's anti-crime drive.

He added it is now time to restore the death penalty because criminals, 
especially the terrorists, seem to have nothing to fear anymore.

The senator said the terrorism has 4 reasons such as hatred, katuwaan (just for 
fun), opposition to the government and religion.

Nevertheless, Pacquiao said the crime of terrorism is not only against some 
individuals, but rather, against mankind.

Hence, he said, everybody should unite against terror threats.

(source: update.ph)



BENIN:

Death row prisoners held in cruel limbo


Prisoners on death row in Benin are languishing in a cruel limbo after a court 
decision last year effectively abolished the death penalty, but failed to 
commute existing death sentences, said Amnesty International in a new report 
today.

The 14 remaining death row inmates have been informed by prison authorities 
that they will not be executed but are still being held in terrible conditions 
separately from other inmates at Akpro-Misserete Prison, close to Port Novo, 
Benin's capital.

"These men have already suffered almost 20 years on death row, unsure every day 
that they wake whether or not it will be their last," said Oluwatosin Popoola, 
Amnesty International's Adviser on the death penalty. "They face an unclear 
fate in appalling detention conditions, without adequate food and medical 
care."

"The Benin authorities must urgently commute their sentences officially and 
ensure that the conditions they are being held in comply with minimum 
international standards. This would bring to a close the cruel uncertainty that 
the men have been living with for nearly 2 decades and demonstrate Benin's 
commitment to eliminating the last vestiges of the death penalty in the 
country."

Azonhito Yaovi, aged 54, has been on death row for 18 years after being 
sentenced to death in August 1998. He told Amnesty International:

"The fear of death is often worse than death itself. For years, I woke up 
wondering: will I be executed today, tomorrow, in a few months or in a few 
years?"

According to Amnesty International's new report, prisoners on death row have 
very limited contact with the outside world. They are only allowed out of their 
cells 5 times a week when they have access to a small courtyard separate from 
the larger one used by other inmates. They are given just 2 small meals a day 
which they have to supplement where possible with food brought by their 
families.

If 1 of the death row prisoners is disciplined for misconduct, the whole group 
is locked up in their cells for several days as a collective sanction.

Death row detainees were convicted for a range of offences including armed 
robbery and assault, which do not meet the threshold of "most serious crimes", 
which is the only category of crimes for which international law allows the 
death penalty.

Additionally, many of the men said they have been unable to properly appeal 
their convictions as they could not afford lawyers or never heard the result of 
their appeal procedure. All the men were convicted in either 1998 or 1999. The 
authorities must ensure they are provided with legal aid to pursue any 
outstanding appeals or seek judicial review against their convictions.

The report also highlights how the prisoners had suffered from life-threatening 
diseases, including malaria and tuberculosis, and that 3 death row prisoners 
had died due to inadequate medical care when held in Cotonou Prison, before 
they were transferred to Akrpo-Miss???r???t??? Prison in 2010.

Death row prisoners said that they had to rely on relatives bringing them 
medication from outside. The prison authorities acknowledged that medical care 
for the inmates is limited.

Fatai Bankole, 52, told Amnesty International:

"When we are sick, we rely on the help we can get from outside. If you have 
money and family to provide you with treatment, you survive. If you don't, you 
die."

In addition to commuting the death sentences of all death row prisoners, 
Amnesty International is calling on the National Assembly of Benin to adopt 
legislation to remove death penalty provisions from its books.

"Benin is the 104th country in the world and the 19th country in sub-Saharan 
Africa to abolish the death penalty for all crimes and we applaud its efforts," 
said Oluwatosin Popoola.

"However, it needs to formalize the abolition in its laws to make absolutely 
sure there's no chance of sliding backwards on this achievement."

Background

The last known execution in Benin was carried out in 1987. In 2012 the country 
acceded to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil 
and Political Rights, aiming at abolishing the death penalty (ICCPR-OP2). The 
treaty commits Benin not to carry out executions and to take all necessary 
measures to abolish the death penalty within its jurisdiction. Benin has 
fulfilled its obligation, under the treaty, not to carry out executions.

In addition, 2 landmark decisions of the Constitutional Court have entrenched 
abolition of the death penalty in Benin. A recent 2016 judgement makes it 
impossible for the courts to impose death sentences, effectively abolishing the 
death penalty in Benin.

Death penalty provisions have already been removed from the Criminal Procedure 
Code while a bill is pending at the National Assembly which would revise the 
Criminal Code and completely remove death penalty provisions.

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception, 
regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime; guilt, innocence or 
other characteristics of the individual; or the method used by the state to 
carry out the execution. The death penalty is a violation of the right to life 
and the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.

(source: Amnesty International)