[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

May 11




INDIA:

Alwar rapists should be hanged: Mayawati----A woman was allegedly gang-raped by 
5 men while her husband was beaten up in Thanagaji area of Alwar district in 
Rajasthan on April 26.



Coming down heavily on Congress-led Rajasthan state government, BSP chief 
Mayawati demanded death sentence for the accused in the Alwar gang-rape case 
and asked the Supreme Court of India to take Suo Motu cognizance of the 
incident and act against the Rajasthan government and police.

“The guilty in Alwar gang-rape case should be hanged till death. Supreme Court 
should take action against the Congress government, police and the 
administration in the state. This matter is not just related to Dalits but 
entire womanhood,” said the BSP chief while interacting with media persons here 
on Saturday.

Mayawati also charged the election commission with inaction against those who 
were indulging in making derogatory remarks against women during the ensuing 
polls. The case of gang rape came to the fore in Alwar where a Dalit woman 
alleged that she was gang-raped by 5 men in front of her husband.

The couple was travelling on a bike when they were waylaid by 5 men who beat up 
the husband and recorded a video of the crime and circulated it on social 
media. The incident took place on April 26 but a case was registered on May 2 
as the victim was being threatened by the accused.

Police have arrested all 6 accused -- Indra Raj Gurjar, Mahesh Gurjar, Ashok 
Gurjar, Hansraj Gurjar, Chhote Lal Gurjar and Mukesh Gurjar -- on charges of 
gang rape and filming the crime.

The Rajasthan government has been facing flak from the opposition BJP after the 
number of rape and abduction cases shot up in last one month. The BSP chief 
claimed that the Ashok Gehlot government had proved to be a total failure in 
ensuring justice to the victim. She also claimed that as per her belief, 
Congress was incapable of delivering to the gang-rape victim.

Mayawati accused the Gehlot government of intimidating the victim's asking them 
to keep the incident within wraps till the end of the Lok Sabha elections. 
“There my people mounted pressure on the state government to act and then the 
authorities moved,” claimed the BSP chief.

On Friday, National SC/ST Commission Vice Chairman L Murgan, recommended that 
an FIR be registered against police officers whose alleged negligence led to 
delay in action in the Alwar gang rape case. The victim’s husband had claimed 
that following the incident, he approached the police but the FIR was delayed 
till May 2.

The victim’s family submitted a memorandum for speedy trial, compensation and 
government job. The Commission has also asked the state government to check how 
the victim’s husband can be provided compensation under SC/ST (Prevention of 
Atrocities) Act.

(source: newindianexpress.com)








BAHRAIN:

Prevent Execution of 2 Men (Bahrain: UA 69.17)



   Urgent Action

   On 6 May 2019, the Bahraini Court of Cassation upheld the convictions and 
death sentences of Ali Mohamed Hakeem al-Arab and Ahmed Issa Ahmed al-Malali.

The 2 men were convicted of offenses which include “forming and joining a 
‘terrorist’ group”, following an unfair mass trial. Both men were tortured.

The death sentences will now go to the King for ratification.

Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or 
both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.

Sheikh Hamad bin 'Issa Al Khalifa

King of Bahrain

Office of His Majesty the King

P.O. Box 555

Rifa'a Palace, al-Manama, Bahrain

Fax: +973 1766 4587

Ambassador Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa

Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain

3502 International Drive NW

Washington DC 20008

Phone: 1 202 342 1111 -- Fax: 1 202 362 2192

Email: ambsecretary at bahrainembassy.org

Twitter: @BahrainEmbDC

Salutation: Dear Ambassador

Your Highness,

On 6 May 2019 the Court of Cassation upheld Ali Mohamed Hakeem al-Arab and 
Ahmed Issa Ahmed al-Malali’s convictions and death sentences. The Fourth High 
Criminal Court in Bahrain had convicted the two men of offenses which include 
“forming and joining a ‘terrorist’ group”, after a mass trial involving 60 
people in January 2018. A year later, on 28 January 2019 their sentences were 
upheld on appeal. Security officers tortured and ill-treated the two men to 
force them to sign “confessions” they had not read.

In a December 2018 letter, a group of United Nations experts stated that they 
were “extremely concerned by allegations that confessions implicating several 
defendants were obtained under torture and used as evidence in court.” The 
defendants in the letter included Ali al-Arab and Ahmed al-Malali.

I call upon your Highness not to ratify the death sentences imposed on the two 
men and ensure they are not executed. I urge you to order a retrial that fully 
complies with international fair trial standards, excludes evidence obtained 
under torture and without recourse to the death penalty; and to carry out an 
independent and impartial investigation into their allegations of torture. I 
acknowledge the authorities’ duty to prevent crime and bring those responsible 
to justice, but emphasize that this should always be done in accordance with 
Bahrain’s international human rights obligations; and urge you to commute all 
death sentences to terms of imprisonment and immediately establish an official 
moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty.

Kind regards,

(source: Amnesty International)








MALAWI:

Meet Malawi’s first female lawyer who fought for a multi-party system and spent 
12 years on death row



Vera Chirwa made history in 1966 as the first female to become a lawyer in 
Malawi when she was called to the Bar in London after years of studying and 
raising a family. Although her name is not widely known across the globe and in 
Africa, within the region of East Africa, she is celebrated as the woman who 
stood up for the right of women and the political development of Malawi.

Born in 1932 when Malawi was still known as Nyasaland, Vera was the first child 
and daughter of a medical officer who believed that despite her gender, she was 
entitled to a good education. She spent the early parts of her childhood living 
with her paternal grandparents and became very close to her grandfather, who 
was one of the first black Reverands in Malawi.

In 1951 at 19, shortly after finishing school, she married Orton Chirwa, a 
celebrated lawyer and politician who was by then a teacher. After 3 kids, her 
husband left for the UK to study law and returned in 1958 becoming the leader 
of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and then Minister of Justice and 
Attorney-General after the MCP’s victory in the 1961 elections.

Vera started the Nyasaland African Women League to support the MCP’s fight for 
an independent country while working as a clerk. However, the couple had to 
leave the country to escape the wrath of the president after a few 
misunderstandings in 1964.

The couple settled in Tanzania during which time Vera went to study Law and 
became Malawi’s 1st female lawyer. After her call to the bar in the UK, she 
moved back to Tanzania to work as a prosecuting state attorney.

While in Tanzania, Vera secretly communicated with the MCP and the Nyasaland 
African Women League to help fight against the ruling government and for a 
multi-party system but unfortunately, her dealings with the two bodies were 
leaked. On December 24, 1981, the couple and their son were abducted by 
Malawaian security in Zambia. The two were taken to Malawi and charged with 
high treason with a death sentence that followed in 1983 when they were 
pronounced guilty.

Vera would spend the next 12 years of her life awaiting her death. She was 
separated from her husband who she only saw again in 1992 three weeks before he 
died at age 73.

On January 24, 1993, at age 61, Vera received a pardon from president Banda and 
upon her release, she immediately started work on leading campaigns for police 
reforms and the end of the death penalty in Malawi.

She was appointed by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights as a 
Special Reporter on prison condition in Africa and founded the Malawi Centre 
for Advice, Research and Education on Rights (Malawi CARER).\ She also started 
work on her autobiography – Fearless Fighter – which was released in 2007. She 
has also received several awards from human rights organisations and school in 
and outside of Malawi.

After her release from prison, she is quoted as saying: “I am still available, 
watching with keen interest. If the current government fails, I will certainly 
stand as a presidential candidate in the next elections.”

She continues to be an example of bravery and ambition to women and paved the 
way for women in law and politics.

(source: face2faceafrica.com)