[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide----BARBAD., THAI., INDIA

[Rick Halperin]

June 7




BARBADOS:

Be decisive on capital crimes


IN 1993 the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council ruled in the famous case of 
Pratt and Morgan that it is inhuman and degrading to keep a condemned prisoner 
on death row for more than 5 years after his conviction and therefore contrary 
to the Constitution.

This ruling has effectively outlawed the death penalty in Barbados and the 
Caribbean, and has been championed by Amnesty International.

The United States of America ratified the American Convention on Human Rights 
just as Barbados did, but still we find that on May 17, 2017, J.W. "Boy" 
Ledford was executed by firing squad 25 years after his conviction for murder 
in 1992.

Then on May 26, 2017, Tommy Arthur was executed by lethal injection, 35 years 
after his conviction for murder in 1982.

Mr Arthur had previously been scheduled to be executed on 7 occasions. The 8th 
proved unlucky for him.

Does not the American chapter of Amnesty International keep abreast of 
executions in the US, or are they too busy trying to force their views on 
countries like Barbados whilst ignoring their own backyard?

In the meantime, we are witnessing an unprecedented upsurge in violence and 
murders in Barbados. Whilst most of the victims seem to be bordering on the 
fringes of society and might well have been involved in dubious activities, it 
does not negate the fact that there is too much violent crime in this country, 
and that all members of society are entitled to protection under the law.

The law also says that there is a death penalty for murder. If changes must be 
made to our legislation to establish a differentiation between capital crimes, 
then let us stop wasting time and have the legislation implemented and get on 
with the business of upholding the law and punishing those who deserve the 
death penalty with dispatch.

(source: Commentary; Rollins Howard, The Nation)






THAILAND:

3 HK youths could face life term or death after Thai drug bust


3 young Hongkongers were arrested in Thailand for trying to smuggle 12.3 
kilograms of cocaine worth about HK$11 million (US$1.41 million).

Because the amount of drugs they were carrying exceeds 100 grams, the suspects 
- a 19-year-old woman surnamed Fong, a 22-year-old woman surnamed Tung and a 
24-year-old man surnamed Yau - could face a jail term of 20 years to life, or 
even the death penalty, based on Thailand's stringent laws against drugs, Sing 
Tao Daily reported.

Thailand and Hong Kong have no extradition treaty.

Thai authorities were looking for a woman who had allegedly paid them HK$8,000 
each to transport the drugs from Brazil.

Based on a tip from Hong Kong authorities a day earlier, Thai customs and 
anti-narcotics agents intercepted the trio at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport on 
Sunday.

They were arrested after parcels of cocaine were found in secret compartments 
of their suitcases.

Hong Kong's Immigration Department said it has asked Office of the Commissioner 
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong SAR and the Chinese Embassy in 
Thailand to give assistance to the suspects upon the request of their families.

Sources said Tung, a bar waitress in Hong Kong, was hired by a woman, known as 
Ming Jie, to transport the illegal drugs from Brazil to Bangkok.

Tung then recruited Fong and Yau online to join her in the operation.

Ming Jie, who is said to be working for a drug syndicate, allegedly paid the 3 
HK$8,000 each for the job, Ming Pao Daily reported.

The woman was supposed to wait for them at a hotel in downtown Bangkok to 
receive the cargo, but she was nowhere to be found when police officers arrived 
at the place and could have returned to Hong Kong, sources said.

Thai and Kong Kong authorities are working together to hunt her down.

Separately, a Hong Kong man, 18, was arrested and prosecuted in Osaka, Japan by 
local police last month after he was caught receiving a package from Hong Kong 
that contained 5 kilograms of methamphetamine, also known as "ice", worth about 
HK$23 million, Sing Tao Daily said.

(source: ejinsight.com)






INDIA:

The 2006 Nithari serial murders case----Nithari killings: Allahabad HC to hear 
Surinder Koli's commutation plea


The Allahabad HC will hear a petition by Surinder Koli, who raped and killed 7 
children in Nithari village a decade ago, seeking commutation of death 
sentence.

In 1 of the first 6 cases, the HC had reduced his punishment to life.

In 2014, the SC had stopped his hanging at a midnight hearing, saying 
inordinate delay in execution was valid grounds for commutation.

Timeline

Dec 2006: 2 Nithari residents suspect Surinder Koli

2 residents of Noida's Nithari village claimed Surinder Koli, the domestic help 
at Moninder Singh Pandher's house, was involved in the disappearance of many 
children since 2004.

With the help of former RWA President SC Mishra, the residents conducted 
searches and found a decomposed hand in the tank drain.

A case was filed; residents claimed the police were corrupt who didn't take 
necessary action.

Arrests: Carcasses of children found in the drain

The case was strengthened when dead bodies of children were found in the drain 
outside Pandher's house.

Pandher and his domestic help Koli were arrested in December 2006; police 
recovered bones, biological material, and clothes from the drain.

In January 2007, Koli, who was lodged in Ghaziabad's Dasna jail confessed he 
cut victims' bodies with an axe and threw the pieces in poly bags.

CBI: CBI re-registered 19 cases

The CBI had taken up the investigation, re-registered 19 cases and charged Koli 
for rape and murder.

However, a final report was filed only in 3 cases; Koli's employer Pandher was 
charge-sheeted in 1 case.

During the trial, a Ghaziabad court summoned Pandher as a co-accused in 6 
cases.

Koli was accused of raping girls before killing them and also allegedly eating 
them.

Rape, Murder: Rape and murder of 2 women

Koli was accused of raping and murdering 20-year-old Payal, and 25-year-old 
Nanda Devi who stopped working at Pandher's house in Aug 2006 due to pregnancy.

Koli had reportedly asked Devi to rejoin work in October 2006, only a day 
before she disappeared.

Payal's disappearance was one of the first cases for which Pandher and Koli 
were picked up by police.

Life Imprisonment: Allahabad HC commutes Koli's sentence to life term

In February 2009, a Ghaziabad court found Koli and Pandher guilty of killing a 
victim Rimpa Haldar; both were sentenced to death.

Subsequently, Koli was awarded death sentence in 4 other cases.

In September 2009, the Allahabad High Court acquitted Pandher of all charges 
and upheld Koli's sentence.

However, in Jan'15, the Allahabad HC commuted Koli's death sentence to life 
term in a case.

Fact: UP Govt's plea

In Jul'16, the Uttar Pradesh Government filed a plea in the Supreme Court 
challenging the ruling of Allahabad HC to commute Surinder Koli's death penalty 
to life term. The SC agreed to hear the appeal and sought Koli's response on 
the same.

06 Oct 2016: Nithari Killings Case: Surinder Koli found guilty in 6th case

A Ghaziabad special Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) court held Surinder Koli 
guilty of Nanda Devi's murder in the 6th case of the 2006 Nithari killings 
case.

Devi, 25, was a domestic help hailing from Nepal, who worked at Moninder Singh 
Pandher's house before disappearing on 31 October 2006.

CBI public prosecutor JP Sharma said the quantum of punishment would be 
pronounced on 7 Oct'16.

Fact: The 6 cases Koli was awarded the death sentence for the murders of Rimpa 
Haldar (Feb 2009), Aarti (May 2010), Rachna Lal (Sep 2010), Deepali (Dec 2010), 
and Payal (Dec 2010). The hearing in the 6th case involving the killing of 
Nanda Devi began in 2013.

07 Jun 2017: Nithari killings: Allahabad HC to hear Surinder Koli's commutation 
plea

(source: newsbytessapp.com)