[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

July 23




INDIA:

Chamarajanagara: Man who killed 5 awarded death sentence



The chief district and sessions court here, through a verdict delivered on 
Saturday July 22, awarded death penalty to Muugeshan (49) for killing 5 persons 
at Harale village in Kollegal taluk of the district. The judge felt that this 
being 1 of the rarest of rare cases, is fit to be considered for death penalty.

Murugeshan alias Muruga belongs to Pariyar Nagar in Mettur taluk, Salem 
district in Tamil Nadu. He had come here to harvest sugarcane for Bannari Amman 
sugar factory at Kunthur in Kollegal taluk. At around 1.30 am on May 12, 2015, 
he had hacked 4 coolies and a girl including 2 women to death with a sickle 
used for cutting sugarcanes.

A mason named Rajendran (37), Rajamma (36) and their daughter, Rosa (8), 
natives of Andiyoor in Erode district,Tamil Nadu, as well as Kashi Shivakumar 
(38) from Makampalya and Shivamma (37) from Cuddalore had been murdered by 
Murugeshan.

(source: daijiworld.com)








IRAN----executions

4 Prisoners Including Afghan Citizens Executed



A prisoner was reportedly hanged at Zabol Central Prison, and 3 prisoners were 
reportedly hanged at Zahedan Central Prison. 2 of the prisoners were reportedly 
Afghan citizens.

According to a report by the human rights news agency, HRANA, the prisoner at 
Zabol Central Prison was hanged on the morning of Saturday July 22 on drug 
related charges. The report identifies the prisoner as Salman Mirshahi, 
sentenced to death on the charge of 1 kilogram and 900 grams of crack, father 
of 2 children.

According to a report by the Baluch Activists Campaign, 2 prisoners at Zahedan 
Central Prison were also hanged on the morning of July 22. The report 
identifies the prisoners as Kheir Mohammad Saadat, 46 years of age, and Bashir 
Rasouli, 37 years of age. Both of these prisoners are Afghan citizens and were 
held in prison for more than 8 years before they were executed. Another 
prisoner was hanged at this prison on Wednesday July 19 on murder charges. The 
prisoner has been identified as Mahmoud Damani.

The execution of prisoners with drug charges continues in Iran while the 
Iranian Parliament has approved a general plan to amend the law for combating 
drugs. The Parliament is scheduled to vote on the bill again following a 2-week 
holiday. In the event of the final approval of the plan, the death sentences 
for many prisoners will be commuted to a prison sentence.

Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and state-run media, have not 
announced these executions.

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

3 Prisoners Hanged While Iranian Authorities Stay Silent



2 prisoners were reportedly hanged at Bandar Abbas Central Prison on drug 
related charges, and a prisoner was reportedly hanged at Rajai Shahr Prison on 
murder charges.

According to close sources, the prisoner at Rajai Shar Prison was executed on 
the morning of Monday July 17. Close sources have identified the prisoner as 
Mansour Mohammadi, and he was transferred to solitary confinement on Saturday 
July 15 in preparation for his execution. It is not usual for prisoners at 
Rajai Shahr Prison to be executed on a Monday, executions at this prison are 
typically carried out on Wednesdays.

Close sources say the 2 prisoners at Bandar Abbas Central Prison were executed 
on Sunday July 16. The prisoners have been identified as Nasser Khosravi, 45 
years of age, and Hashem Ghanbarloo, 41 years of age. These 2 prisoners were 
convicted in the same file on the charge of 6 kilograms and 800 grams of 
crystal meth.

"Hashem and Nasser would purchase and sell cigarettes, and they were arrested 
in their cars in 2011," an informed source tells Iran Human Rights.

The execution of prisoners with drug charges continues in Iran while the 
Iranian Parliament has approved a general plan to amend the law for combating 
drugs. The Parliament is scheduled to vote on the bill again following a 2-week 
holiday. In the event of the final approval of the plan, the death sentences 
for many prisoners will be commuted to a prison sentence.

Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and state-run media, have not 
announced these executions.

(source for both: Iran Human Rights)








ISRAEL:

Minister calls for death penalty for Halamish killer----Yirael Katz says Israel 
already has legislation in place that would allow a military court to impose 
the measure



Israel's intelligence minister said Saturday that he would push for the death 
penalty for the 19-year-old Palestinian terrorist who stabbed to death 3 
Israelis as they celebrated their Sabbath meal.

Yisrael Katz said that Israel's military court system already had statutes in 
place for the death penalty in cases like this.

"We need to use the option that we have in military rule and I call on the 
military prosecutor to demand the death penalty," Katz told Channel 2 TV.

In Israel, the death penalty is applicable only in limited circumstances, and 
has only been carried out once, in 1962, against the Nazi war criminal Adolf 
Eichmann, one of the architects of the Final Solution.

But Katz said it was permissible under existing military law that applies to 
Palestinians in the West Bank.

"There was recent discussion and the attorney general said it is a possibility. 
I think that the security establishment should aim for this," he said, adding 
that he would push for this in cabinet meetings.

The Knesset has several times rejected legislation that would apply the death 
penalty to Palestinian terrorists.

On Friday evening, 19-year-old Omar al-Abed, from a nearby village, burst in to 
the Salomon family's house at the Halamish settlement armed with a large knife 
and stabbed to death Yosef Salomon, 70, his daughter Chaya Salomon, 46, and son 
Elad Salomon, 36. Yosef's wife Tova, 68, was seriously hurt.

A neighbor, who serves in an elite IDF unit, heard the cries and rushed over, 
shooting and wounding the terrorist through the window of the house. On 
Saturday afternoon Abed was released from hospital and handed over to the 
security services for questioning.

The army said it appeared Abed had posted a Facebook post detailing his 
intention as he walked toward the community. Before crossing the fence, he 
apparently performed some type of purification ritual, anticipating he would be 
killed. Empty water bottles and a Quran were found at the site.

In initial questioning, Abed said he bought the knife 2 days ago, wanting to 
commit a terror attack because of events surrounding the Temple Mount in 
Jerusalem.

Upgraded Israeli security measures at the Temple Mount were introduced after 3 
Arab Israelis shot dead 2 Israeli police officers on duty there on July 14, 
using guns they had smuggled into the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Meanwhile IDF forces early Saturday morning raided the home of Abed and 
arrested his brother.

Troops were searching the village of Kaubar for weaponry and suspects. They 
also mapped the Abed's family home in preparation for its likely demolition. An 
army official told Ynet the 19-year-old terrorist's parents were known to be 
affiliated with the Hamas terror group. Hamas hailed the attack late Friday as 
"heroic."

(source: The Times of Israel)