[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

April 15



PAKISTAN:

Lifting of moratorium on death penalty in line with constitution: President 
---- Mamnoon Hussain says strict punishment to terrorists was the demand of the 
people of Pakistan.



President Mamnoon Hussain says lifting of moratorium on execution of death 
penalty is in line with the constitution of Pakistan and international laws.

He was talking to Chairman German-South Asian Parliamentary Group of German 
Parliament in Islamabad on Wednesday.

The President said strict punishment to terrorists was the demand of the 
people.

He said over 60,000 innocent people have fallen victims to terrorism. Besides, 
the national economy suffered a hundred billion dollars loss.

The President said the government has prepared a National Action Plan to 
counter-terrorism. The plan is reflective of Pakistan's determination against 
terrorism. He said operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists is continuing 
successfully.

The President said steps are being taken to prevent misuse of Blasphemy Law. 
This law applies equally to the followers of all religions.

(source: Radio Pakistan)








MALAYSIA:

Suhakam hopes Malaysia will abolish death penalty



The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) expressed disappointment that 
the government did not accept the recommendation in the 2013 Universal Periodic 
Review (UPR) to abolish the death penalty.

"We want to encourage Malaysia to join other countries which have outlawed the 
mandatory death penalty," said its chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam at the release 
of Suhakam's 2014 Annual Report at its headquarters.

"The commission has actively asked for discretionary powers to be returned to 
the judges in sentencing those convicted for certain drug offences. Under the 
current laws, the death penalty is mandatory for serious drug offences."

Of the 232 recommendations from 104 member states regarding changes to existing 
laws, regulations and policies, Malaysia accepted 150 and rejected 83.

"We are concerned that this will hinder the country from improving its human 
rights record as well as from achieving the status of a developed nation," said 
the commission's vice-chairman Datuk Dr Khaw Lake Tee.

Besides the death penalty, the Suhakam Annual Report 2014 also highlighted a 
few other key human rights issues.

The commission said it was disappointed that the government did not support the 
6 main recommendations on indigenous people's rights particularly regarding 
their land rights.

Under the freedom of assembly, the commission said that police must understand 
their role in public assemblies and rallies was only for traffic management and 
control of crowds.

Suhakam welcomed the government's decision to develop the nation's 1st ever 
National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP).

They, however, expressed concern that the government should ensure that the 5 
core issues the NHRAP raised were realistic, practical and achievable by the 
target date.

On deaths in police custody, Suhakam said a total of 242 deaths in police 
lock-ups were recorded, based on statistics provided by the Royal Malaysia 
Police, between 2000 and February 2014.

In response to the public's concern regarding this issue, Suhakam has launched 
a study into the matter and it was due to be completed in 2015.

Suhakam also recommended alternatives to detention for refugee and 
asylum-seeking children held in immigration detention centres.

Suhakam said these children, who were sometimes unaccompanied, face an 
increased risk of abuse and ill-treatment when they were detained in the same 
cell with adults, which was usually the case here.

Suhakam also made several observations regarding some controversial laws. It 
recommended that the "repressive and obsolete" Sedition Act of 1948 be 
repealed, and also to strengthen the enforcement of the Anti-Trafficking in 
Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM).

(source: New Straits Times)








INDONESIA:

Graphic details of Kiwi's Bali murder revealed as wife faces death penalty 
threat



The violent details of an New Zealand born man's murder in his own Bali villa 
have been aired in the trial of his wife, who is accused of ordering the hit.

Noor Ellis faces charges of pre-meditated murder over the death of her husband 
of 25-years, Robert Ellis, whose body was found in a rice field last October.

Also known as Julaikah Noor Aini, Noor Ellis could face the death penalty.

In her defence she claims she only asked her maid's boyfriend to take care of 
her problems with her husband, not kill him.

But the trial has already heard from the maid, and a second maid, that the 
order was given to kill Mr Ellis.

Today, the man who cut Mr Ellis' throat, 23-year-old Urbanus Yohanes Ghoghi, 
told the court in graphic detail of the roles he and four other men played in 
the killing.

Ellis had given one of the men, Martin, a towel and pillow, and the men first 
tried to suffocate him, Urbanus said.

When their victim fought back, Martin handed him the kitchen knife he used to 
slash his throat.

Afterwards, Ellis handed Martin the plastic to wrap her husband's body in, 
Urbanus' co-accused, Yohanes Sairokudu, said.

"That night, Mrs Noor gave Rp 50 million ($5000) to Martin. It was then split, 
Rp 10 million each," he said.

"Martin also said to us that tomorrow, there will be more."

Yohanes was also asked about a meeting Ellis called prior to the murder, where 
other witnesses say she gave the order to kill her husband.

"Mrs Noor said that when killing Mr Bob, don't use a sharp weapon," he said.

"Close his nose and mouth with a pillow only.

"To be neat, basically."

Ellis later took the stand as a witness in the trials of the 2 men, who are 
also charged with premeditated murder.

Asked by Judge Beslin Sihombing where Mr Ellis was now, she replied: "In 
heaven".

Asked who gave the order to have him murdered she said: "probably me".

The judge replied: "Probably? Or did you order them?"

She replied: "Because of the order from me. I asked Martin's help to teach a 
lesson".

Judge Hadi Masruri asked Ellis why she gave the order.

"For a long time he hadn't given me sufficient (money), (he) even took the 
money for my kids' schooling," she replied.

"Because his attitude didn't change, I couldn't stand it anymore. Once I asked 
for divorce but he didn't want to. He said we should just go on, in our own 
way."

The trial continues next week with Ellis' defence.

(source: tvnz.co.nz)

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

Bali 9 pair's lawyer says executions must be delayed for latest appeal ---- 
Attorney general???s spokesman says Indonesia is considering executing 
Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran as soon as next week



To ignore the latest legal challenge of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan and 
send them for execution would betray the spirit of human rights, their lawyer 
has said.

Todung Mulya Lubis joined human rights advocates in Jakarta on Wednesday to 
explain the latest action lodged with the constitutional court last week.

The rights groups have brought the action because legally, foreigners can't 
challenge the constitutional court.

The application seeks to challenge that point, as well as the fact no reasons 
were given when the Indonesian president, Joko Widodo, refused mercy to the 
Bali 9 pair, based only on the fact they were drug offenders.

The attorney general, HM Prasetyo, said the court action would not stop the 
executions, because it could only impact future cases.

His spokesman said they were considering carrying out the executions after next 
week's Asian-African Conference in Jakarta.

Lubis said he'd tried to meet with Prasetyo to underline that it was an 
important case, and a matter of life or death.

"I respectfully ask the attorney-general to respect the judicial review process 
because it is a legal process," he told reporters.

The case was about more than the 2 Australians, he argued.

"If you have thought this over and over, if you, if you've thought of the 
general picture, it's not only for the 2 young men, it's for the others," he 
said. "You have to give reasons, you have to make it more humane.

"A clemency rejection is not a means to dehumanise."

Lubis also expressed his disappointment in Indonesia's use of the death penalty 
in light of Saudi Arabia's execution on Tuesday of Indonesian domestic worker 
Siti Zaenab.

Jakarta had fought hard to save the woman, and Lubis feared the inconsistent 
position could only weaken its leverage to negotiate for others on death row.

Al Araf of rights group Imparsial agreed. "It's funny when its domestic 
politics is different with its foreign politics," he said of the government.

"This has made it difficult for Indonesian diplomacy when fighting for the 
lives of Indonesian citizens abroad."

Haris Azhar of rights group Kontras slammed the Indonesian government's conduct 
and the president's "1 size fits all" clemency decisions.

"With the supreme court website, all cases on death penalty suddenly can't be 
accessed," he said. "This matter of the death penalty has been made into some 
kind of secrecy.

"This is an evil practice, an abuse of authority, maladministration, that makes 
it difficult for someone to defend."

(source: The Guardian)

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

CBCP asks counterpart in Indonesia to help commute Mary Jane Veloso's death 
sentence



The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has asked the help 
of its counterpart in Indonesia for the reversal of the death sentence imposed 
on Filipina Mary Jane Veloso.

In a letter to Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, archbishop of Jakarta and 
president of Episcopal Conference of Indonesia, CBCP president Socrates 
Villegas requested the Indonesian Church official to help convince its 
government to spare the life of Veloso, who has been sentenced to die by firing 
squad in Indonesia for allegedly possessing 2.6 kilos of heroin in 2010.

"May I then ardently request the Catholic Bishops Conference of Indonesia to 
implore the President of Indonesia to commute the harsh sentence meted out on 
Mary Jane and to allow her children to grow up in the loving embrace of their 
mother?" Villegas said in a statement.

The Lingayen-Dagupan prelate is convinced that Veloso was not given a fair 
trial since she did not have an effective translator.

"On inquiry with the Philippine diplomatic mission in Indonesia, we were 
informed that Mary Jane had for a translator one who, though able to understand 
and to speak both English and Bahasa, was totally unfamiliar with Tagalog that 
Mary Jane speaks. She then may not have been properly and completely understood 
by the trial court," Villegas said.

He added, "Mary Jane is one of thousands of overseas Filipino workers who leave 
their families behind in the hope that their sacrifice will allow those they 
love to live more comfortable lives. Mary Jane is in fact a mother and no 
mother will leave her children for a foreign land unless strongly motivated by 
a desire to better the lot of her family."

Meanehile, Villegas assured that the Catholic Church would continue to teach 
and guide Filipino workers to avoid problems overseas. "We, for our part, as 
the CBCP, will do our utmost towards the proper education and orientation of 
our Overseas Filipino Workers to avoid unfortunate events."

With this, the CBCP head reiterated the Church's stand against death penalty.

"As bishops, we are committed to the Gospel of Life and united with the Holy 
Father in our unequivocal rejection of the death penalty," Villegas said.

Earlier, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle asked the Indonesian 
government to give Veloso, a single parent from Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija and 
other OFWs accused of violating Indonesia laws, the proper hearing that they 
deserve.

"I appeal that Mary Jane Veloso be given due process. While I do respect the 
laws of other countries. I appeal on behalf of all people who will be arrested, 
that their rights be respected by that due process be extended to them," Tagle 
said.

(source: Philippine News Agency)








SOMALILAND:

EU Heads of Mission and Member States Condemn the Execution of 6 Prisoners



The Heads of Mission of the European Union and Member States condemn in the 
strongest terms the carrying-out of 6 death sentences by the Somaliland 
authorities at the Mandera maximum-security complex after a long de facto 
moratorium.

This completely unexpected act is a step back in the progress made in spreading 
the Rule of Law in Somaliland. The EU Heads of Mission strongly and 
unequivocally oppose the death penalty and consider that the death penalty 
constitutes a serious violation of human rights and human dignity.

The EU Heads of Mission deplore this grave backlash after 9 years of suspended 
executions and urge Somaliland authorities to rethink its decision to leave the 
progressive path followed so far.

The EU Heads of Mission call upon the Somaliland authorities to immediately 
halt the execution of death sentences as a 1st step towards adopting 
appropriate legislation, which aims at the abolition of the death penalty. The 
EU Heads of Mission look forward to working with the Somaliland authorities in 
achieving this.

(source: Somaliland Sun)