[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Rick Halperin
rhalperi at smu.edu
Tue Dec 1 09:35:05 CST 2015
Dec. 1
INDONESIA:
Medan Prosecutors Seek Death for Drug Dealers
Prosecutors plan to appeal for the death sentence after North Sumatra's Medan
district court sentenced four drug dealers to 20 years in prison on Monday.
Abdul Jabar, 40; Abdullah Ibrahim, 38; Sukri Ismail, 38; and Zuklifli Muhammad,
35, were arrested at Pelangi bus station in the provincial capital on May 8
while carrying 21.8 kilograms of methamphetamine and hundreds of thousands of
ecstasy pills.
The 4 claimed they had only acted as couriers but investigators from the
Provincial Narcotics Agency (BNNP) maintained they were part of an
international drug syndicate.
"The defendants were proven to be in possession of narcotics. They are required
to pay a fine of Rp 1 billion [$72,477]," said the presiding judge,
Parlindungan Sinaga.
The verdict was met with criticism from prosecutor Sindu Utomo who insisted
justice would only be served if the four were given the death penalty, pointing
to the large amount of drugs confiscated at their arrest.
"The verdict falls far from our expectation. We will appeal immediately," he
said.
(source: Jakarta Globe)
*********
Lay group pushes for death penalty moratorium in Indonesia----Temporary
suspension should lead to permanent abolition, protesters say
The lay Community of Sant'Egidio has staged simultaneous peaceful rallies in
several cities across Indonesia to push the government to immediately issue a
moratorium on the death penalty.
Dozens of members of the community gathered in the capital Jakarta on Nov. 28.
Some carried banners that read, "Cities for Life; Cities against Death Penalty;
No Justice Without Life," while distributing 500 red roses and pamphlets to
passersby.
Similar actions, which marked the World Day of Cities for Life/Cities against
the Death Penalty, were carried out by community members in Atambua, Ende,
Kefamenanu, Kupang and Maumere in East Nusa Tenggara province; Bandung in West
Java; Pontianak in West Kalimantan; Duri in Riau; Medan in North Sumatra, and
Yogyakarta.
"This movement is a symbol showing that life must be respected. It's like
expressing love to others. And the distribution of red roses is a way to
express love," Aprianus Michael Angelo Zengedoe, the community's coordinator,
told ucanews.com.
The community was seeking to push the government into revoking laws permitting
the death penalty or to immediately issue a moratorium on capital punishment,
he said.
Kristina Veronika, a Sant'Egidio member, believes many Indonesians want the
government to immediately issue a moratorium on the death penalty.
"No one can take away someone else's life, no matter what the reason.
Executions must not be done. Life imprisonment can replace the death sentence
as there should be a chance for prisoners on death row to change," she told
ucanews.com.
In early November, Luhut Panjaitan, Indonesia's security affairs minister, said
there would be a temporary suspension of executions while the government
focuses on improving economic growth. His remarks prompted media reports that
the government had declared a moratorium on the death penalty.
However, Panjaitan told "The Jakarta Post" on Nov. 19 that "we are not thinking
about carrying out death sentences as long as our economy is still like this."
Azas Tigor Nainggolan, coordinator of the human rights desk of the Indonesian
bishops' Commission for Justice, Peace and Pastoral for Migrant-Itinerant
People said the Indonesian people deserve better than empty promises from their
government.
"What's his purpose anyway? What we need is not promises, which are then taken
back," he told ucanews.com.
Joining the rally was Karsiwen, coordinator of the Jakarta-based Indonesian
Migrant Workers Network, who learned of the Sant'Egidio action against the
death penalty in April, when Filipino migrant worker Mary Jane Veloso was
scheduled to be executed on drug charges.
In 2010, an Indonesian court sentenced Veloso to death after she was caught
with 2.6 kilograms of heroin in her bag at the international airport in
Yogyakarta. In April, President Widodo granted a temporary reprieve just before
she was set to be executed.
Veloso, a devout Catholic, said she was tricked into transporting the heroin by
a friend. Philippines justice officials have filed cases against Veloso's
alleged recruiters, including the friend, with the intent of investigating them
for human trafficking and illegal recruitment.
"Our deepest hope is that we can save Veloso and other death convicts. The
government must review their policy on the death penalty. We believe that the
death penalty can never resolve problems," Karsiwen said.
(source: ucanews.com)
MALAYSIA----female gets death sentence
China woman gets death for trafficking
A 35-year-old woman from China was sentenced to death by the High Court here on
Monday for trafficking 336gm of syabu.
Lan Yi Ling from Guangdong, Shenzhen, was found guilty and convicted of
committing the offence at 6.30pm on Aug 17, 2014 at the International Arrival
Hall in Terminal 1 of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), here.
Judge Datuk Nurchaya Haji Arshad in delivering her decision, ruled that the
court found the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Lan broke down on hearing the court decision interpreted to her in Mandarin by
the court's interpreter.
The offence under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 carries the
death penalty on conviction.
Lan, who was ordered to enter her defence on Oct 22 had opted to give her
evidence under oath.
On Nov 2, Lan, who was the sole witness in her defence, told the court that she
was asked to bring samples of women's clothing and accessories by an African
man, who she had befriended on the Internet, to be delivered to his elder
brother in Kuala Lumpur.
However, Lan claimed that while on board a flight, she was shocked to learn
that the flight would transit in Kota Kinabalu.
As she was not familiar with the city, she had asked an air stewardess to
assist her.
Lan testified that she disembarked from the flight to get a connecting flight
to Kuala Lumpur.
She however, was detained by the authority here after the syabu was found in a
box that was scanned.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Wan Farrah Fariza Wan Ghazali stood in for Customs
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nazir Amir Johan, who prosecuted the case.
Lan was represented by assigned counsel Gilbert Bulagang.
(source: Daily Express)
***************
Madpet shocked at 2 undisclosed hangings in 2014
Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (Madpet) is shocked by the recent
revelation that Malaysia did execute 2 persons in 2014 for murder, a fact that
was disclosed by Nancy Shukri, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department. The
de facto law minister said this in a news report (asiaone.com, Nov 29, 2015,
'Malaysian on S'pore death row: Malaysia mulls abolishing mandatory death
sentences'). No information is disclosed as to who and when.
It is most disturbing that these executions seemed to have been carried out in
'secret', more so since in 2014, when prior knowledge of impending hangings did
result in lives being saved. Our sultans and the government need to be praised
for their prompt action that stayed 2 executions.
We recall the case of Chandran s/o Paskaran, who was convicted for a murder in
2003 and sentenced to death by the Johor Baru High Court in 2008. His execution
scheduled for Feb 7, 2014 was known a few days before that date. This knowledge
moved concerned persons and groups including the Malaysian Bar to do the
needful to try to save a life.
At the 11th hour, compassion moved the Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan of Johor,
who intervened and stopped the hanging of Chandran s/o Paskaran.
Then, in March 2014, we have the case of Osariakhi Ernest Obayangbon (aka
Philip Michael), who was convicted of murder, and was alleged to have been on
death row for 18 years, who was scheduled to hang on March 14, 2014.
Yet again, prior notice of impending execution moved people to action. The
government of Malaysia, and in particular Nancy Shukri, the de facto law
minister, and Abdul Ghani Patail, the then-attorney-general, then acted to
obtain a stay of execution.
Chandran s/o Paskaran and Osariakhi Ernest Obayangbon (aka Philip Michael)
escaped the gallows because people were made aware of the impending executions,
which made it possible for them to act and safe lives. In both cases, people
knew about the execution dates at the last minute, but hopefully in the future
such information will be disclosed much earlier.
Now, if executions are carried out in secret, that opportunity for people and
even the government to do the right thing and stop the hanging is lost, and
Malaysia extinguishes another human life.
We note that the global trend has been consistently towards abolition,
reflected also by the ever increasing support for the United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA) Resolutions since 2007, which also do call for a moratorium of
all executions pending abolition. In 2014, being the 5th time for an anti-death
penalty Resolution, saw 117 nation states voting in favour, 38 against, 34
abstentions with 4 absentees.
Every time it was passed, we see the number of countries in favour of abolition
of the death penalty growing.
1,022 persons on death row
Minister Nancy Shukri disclosed that as of October 2015, there are 1,022
persons on death row in Malaysia. She also said that there has been no
executions for drug offences for a long time.
Madpet is with the minister when she said, "We hope they get their pardons from
state rulers...", and hope that all persons on death row will have their
sentence commuted.
Madpet urges that the Malaysian government immediately declare a moratorium on
all executions, which will also be in line with the UN General Assembly
Resolutions.
In the event, that Malaysia still intends to execute persons, then a reasonable
notice should be given to Malaysians, giving us all yet another opportunity to
demonstrate our humanity and respect for human life by saving yet another from
the hangman's noose as was done in the case of Chandran s/o Paskaran and
Osariakhi Ernest Obayangbon.
Madpet also urges that Malaysia to adhere to the United Nations General
Assembly Resolutions, which amongst others urges the need to '...make available
relevant information with regard to their use of the death penalty, inter alia,
the number of persons sentenced to death, the number of persons on death row
and the number of executions carried out...', whereby these should be made
available promptly.
Madpet welcomes Malaysia's recent commitment to abolish the mandatory death
penalty for drug traffickers, but urges Malaysia to go 1 step further and
abolish the death penalty.
(source: Charles Hector is a coordinator of Malaysians Against Death Penalty
and Torture (Madpet)----malaysiakini.com)
BANGLADESH:
Of war criminals and hypocrites
Much has happened over the last week including: 1) the executions of SQ
Chowdhury and Mujahid and 2) the UN's call for abolishing the death penalty in
Bangladesh. A few thoughts:
One.
I agree with the United Nations. The death penalty is inhuman and inhumane.
What I don't understand, however, is how the UN can call for its abolition in
Bangladesh while it [the death penalty]thrives around the world - from
neighboring India to the land of the free (the United States). If we are to
invoke stories of inhumanity, let us think about Glenn Ford, an African
American man in Louisiana who spent 30 years in death row for a murder he
didn't commit. Let us recall how Yakub Memon was put to death without
reasonable evidence for "terrorism" only because his brother was Mushtaq
"Tiger" Memon, a wanted criminal.
Two.
When I read that SQ Chowdhury didn't want to get up on the scaffold, I could
distinguish between a human being and a demonised war criminal. In some ways, I
could empathise with the fear that he must have felt, as he was hanged, his
head covered . This, knowing, that he was at the helm of a spate of terrorism
against minorities in 1971; knowing, that his house was a terror cell. Knowing
that he took my grandfather, Lutfe Ahmed Chowdhury, to have him killed (and
saved by Nabi Chowdhury, who under the guise of a Peace Committee member,
helped many Bengalis in Chittagong).
Three.
As I see the various condemnations of the 2 executions from countries like
Turkey and Pakistan, I can't help but wonder why they never stood up for the
young Muslim man, Dzhokar Tsarnaev, who was, according to his lawyers,
compelled to help his brother carry out a bomb attack in which several people
died during the Boston Marathon, and according to analysts was a convenient
scapegoat (details here:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/fbi-evidence-proves-innocence-of-accused-bo...).
What happened to Muslim brotherhood in that situation? Why did the
justice-hungry Muslim leaders of these two great nations shy away from the
plight of a young man caught in the worst web of seemingly extremist values and
Islamophobic propaganda?
Four.
Speaking of Dzhokar, if I was on the jury panel of Dzhokar Tsarnaev, I am not
sure what I would have said to the other jurists, but I would not have
condemned this man to death - even if I believed he was guilty. One court
reporter said that Dzhokar's poise may have cost him his life; he stared at the
table or ahead of him as witnesses recounted their anguish and pain on the day
of the bombing for which he and his brother was found responsible. His lawyers
painted the picture of a young man in the shadow of an older brother.
Dzhokar, on the other hand, had no verbal or non-verbal response. He simply sat
there. Many in the media called him "evil" and the crimes "mindless." What tore
at people was the lack of empathy, perhaps. Because there was no "rationale"
that they could buy into. But can his lack of empathy justify the lack of
empathy shown towards him?
Five.
I personally find celebrations of death rather distasteful. The celebrations in
Boston and Dhaka left me befuddled because I tend to think that most people
understand that human beings consist of a complex web of traits and states that
inform their actions. But clearly they don't, so here's a spiel: While traits
are genetically determined, states can change, which means people are not
static. They are capable of great change, but only when they are given the
opportunity to do so, when they take the opportunity to change their states. In
pedagogical terms, it's like encouraging students by focusing on their
strengths rather than beating them down by focusing only on the things they
struggle with. It's like students who take responsibility for their own
learning, instead of waiting to be spoon-fed.
Point being (and I'm sorry if it sounds didactic): let us learn to give people
a second chance. Let us give them a chance to repent. And if they don't, it's
not on us. But if they do, we have helped a man redeem himself.
Six.
Palestinian poet, Fady Joudah, while speaking at a panel at the Dhaka Lit Fest,
mentioned his experience in India where he received a lot of support re:
Israeli oppression against Palestinians but no one mentioned oppression in
Kashmir. Just like no one mentioned any form of oppression taking place in
Bangladesh against minority groups, be it in the Chittagong Hill Tracts or
against Hindu minorities across the nation. And there lies the answer to how
"hypocrisy" is created: some prefer to pick and choose causes to support.
But, it is important to condemn all forms of oppression; picking and choosing
creates a hierarchy that undermines the larger cause of fighting all systems
that promote oppression and all the isms that plague the world today. Picking
and choosing also speaks to camps we are in rather than standing up against
oppression, undermining the 'causes' themselves.
(source: Nadine Shaanta Murshid; The writer is Assistant Professor, School of
Social Work, University at Buffalo----The Daily Star)
************
Man gets death penalty for killing
A court sentenced a man to death for killing his brother-in-law in Sadar
upazila in 2011.
The condemned convict was identified as Motaleb Bepari, 57.
According to the persecution, Motaleb stabbed his brother-in-law Sohrab over a
land dispute at Jakir Tabak village in Sadar upazila on February 19, 2011,
leaving him dead on the spot.
Nurjahan, wife of the deceased, filed a murder case accusing her brother
Motaleb on the same day.
Police submitted charge sheet accusing Motaleb.
After examining the witnesses and documents, Judge of the District and
Session's Judge's Court Barekujjaman handed down the verdict.
(source: Dhaka Tribune)
RUSSIA:
Russian lawmakers submit bill on death penalty for terrorism
Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) deputies representing A Just
Russia party, Sergey Mironov and Mikhail Yemelyanov, have submitted to the
government and the Supreme Court for comments a bill introducing death penalty
as capital punishment for organizing, effectuating, aiding and abetting
terrorist acts.
"By way of exercising my right to launching legislative motions, today I sent
to the Supreme Court and the government a bill aimed at toughening punishments
for terrorism," Mironov told TASS.
He added that the bill envisioned death penalty as capital punishment for the
terrorist acts that entail purported infliction of death on 2 or more persons,
as well as for organizing and aiding such acts.
"The problem of terrorism is looming large over the world of nowadays," Mironov
said. "Terrorist ideology does not recognize basic human values, or cultural
and spiritual foundations, or the supremacy of inalienable human rights, like
the right to living."
"Terrorism has put itself into an opposition to the entire civilized world and
the most recent unprecedented terrorist acts with numerous human victims like
the explosion of the Russian A321 jet or the terrorist attacks in Paris prove
this only too well," Mironov said.
"The masterminds and perpetrators of such crimes deserve the harshest possible
punishment ranging up to their physical elimination," he said. "It appears that
the objective of correcting such criminal can't be attained while the
punishments to them should be proportionate to the menaces the actions posed to
the public and serve as warnings against repetitions of the crimes of this
category in the future."
Kremlin against death penalty
Russia suspended death sentences in 1997. The last death verdict was carried
out in 1996. Moscow assumed an extra obligation to cancel the death penalty
when it signed Protocol 6 to the European Convention on the Protection of Human
Rights and Basic Freedoms in April 1997. On that condition, it was admitted to
the Council of Europe.
Debates over whether punishment by death should be reinstated have never ceased
since the moratorium took effect. Society's attitude is mixed.
Kremlin officials have repeatedly commented on proposals to introduce death
penalty. Kremlin Administration Chief Sergey Ivanov said n November that it
would be premature to introduce capital punishment for terrorists.
"If a referendum is held in Russia on whether the death penalty should be
restored [for a number of crimes], I have no doubt that over 90% of our
citizens will vote for the restoration of this measure of punishment," Ivanov
said adding that it's not always possible to give vent to emotions.
"Sometimes, it is necessary to act out of reason in compliance with Russia???s
international commitments," the Kremlin administration chief stressed.
"Therefore, I personally believe, though I fully share these emotions, that
this move would be premature and inexpedient to put it mildly," Ivanov said.
Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters commenting on the
suggestion that the Kremlin proceeds on the assumption that a moratorium on the
capital punishment is currently in effect in Russia.
"The issue of death penalty is extremely complicated, he noted. "After all,
there is a decision on the moratorium, we proceed from this moratorium," the
Kremlin spokesman said.
When asked whether the stance of the Russian President Vladimir Putin who
earlier called the return of the death penalty pointless has changed, Peskov
said the president "had not come up with any alternative points of view."
(source: tass.ru)
GLOBAL:
Cities for Life Rally Against the Death Penalty
People all over the world, including locally, came together on Monday. The
message they were all pushing, get rid of the death penalty.
Dozens of people attended this special get together at one of the Catholic
churches in Venice. The people who were there say they are against the death
penalty.
"I want to get rid of the death penalty in Florida," said Marietta Jaeger Lane.
Someone like Marietta Jaeger Lane has every reason to be for the death penalty,
her 7-year-old daughter was kidnapped and murdered back in 1973. She was the
featured speaker at the Cities for Life prayer vigil at Epiphany Cathedral
Catholic Church.
"I wanted to honor her by something more noble and honorable and beautiful than
a cold blooded, premeditated state sanctioned killing," said Lane.
The scene that unfolded in Venice played out in nearly 2,000 cities worldwide.
People everywhere are taking a strong stance against the death penalty.
"The death penalty was established quite some time ago with the responsibility
with states to protect their citizenry," said Diocese of VeniceBishop Frank
Dewane, "well I think there are a lot of other ways we can do that now besides
taking the life of someone."
Here are some facts about the death penalty in the US, the electric chair was
first used in 1890. America started using lethal injection in 1976. In Florida,
there have been 2 executions this year compared to 8 last year. But people like
Bishop Dewane and Marietta Jaeger Lane won't stop pushing hard against the
death penalty until there are no executions.
"That person is just like you and I, who are we to take it away," said Bishop
Dewane.
"I feel that what I'm doing honors her memory," said Lane and instead of taking
on the mindset of the person who took her life by asking for the death penalty,
I would never do that."
Cities for Life originated in Rome, Italy. In addition to the prayer
gatherings, it gives cities a chance to light up their tallest buildings.
(source: WWSB news)
IRAN----executions
Iranian-American Hanged in Iran
An Iranian-American man has reportedly been hanged in Iran.
According to confirmed sources, Iranian authorities carried out the death
sentence for Hamid Samiee and another prisoner at Karaj's Rajai Shahr Prison on
Wednesday November 4. Samiee, reportedly accused of committing an act of murder
in California, was arrested by Iranian authorities upon his return to Iran. He
was sentenced to death by Branch 71 of Tehran's Criminal Court for the murder
of an Iranian man identified as Behrouz Janmohammadi. Confirmed sources say
Samiee was arrested in 2008 after the murder victim's family had reported him
to Iranian auhorities.
An individual close to Samiee who asked to be anonymous tells Iran Human
Rights: "Hamid and Behrouz were friends in California until they were involved
in an altercation that resulted in Behrouz drawing a knife on Hamid; and Hamid
exercised self defense, which resulted in Behrouz's death. Following the
incident, Hamid managed to make his way back to Iran where he was arrested by
authorities just a few months after his arrival. Hamid endured extreme torture
and was forced to confess against himself; and a lot of his confessions were
false. Iranian authorities extracted forced confessions from Hamid even before
the murder scene was reconstructed and the murder weapon discovered.
Authorities did not even consider Hamid's testimony that he acted in self
defense; all they cared about was that Hamid confessed the way they instructed
him to."
According to this individual, Samiee's relatives visited the embassy of
Switzerland in Iran and met with Ms Tamaddon and Mr Meyer, representatives who
are responsible for protecting the interests of the US in Iran. Mr Meyer
reportedly informed the relatives that he would personally look into Samiee's
case and will coordinate his efforts with the US Department of State. At the
same time, Samiee's relatives wrote a letter to Iran's Head of Judiciary
requesting for a halt in execution pending proper investigation and a new
trial. According to Samiee's relatives, they never received a response to their
letter.
"Following an investigation conducted by detectives in Los Angeles, a police
department in California charged Hamid with murder in self defense [justifiable
homicide] and not first degree murder. These details were included in Hamid's
case file with Iran's Judiciary, but were not considered by the Judge," says
the anonymous source.
According to Iran's Islamic Penal Code, when an Iranian from any part of the
world enters Iran, they are subject to the laws of the Islamic Penal Code.
**************
4 Prisoners Hanged in Iran: 2 in North and 2 in South
At least 4 prisoners were hanged in Iran between Saturday and Monday.
On Saturday November 28, 2 prisoners were reportedly hanged at Rasht's Lakan
Prison on drug related charges. On Monday November 30, 2 prisoners were
reportedly hanged to death at Zahedan Central Prison on rape charges.
The press department of the Judiciary in Gilan has identified the prisoners who
were executed on Saturday as A.Z., 31 years old, and A.R., 30 years old.
According to the press department, the prisoners were sentenced to death for
purchasing and possessing 650 grams of crystal meth and possessing 813 grams of
heroin.
According to confirmed information received by IHR from close sources, the
prisoners who were executed on Monday are Mohammad Dehghan, about 30 years old,
and Javad Samar, about 25 years old. Iranian official sources have been silent
on the Monday executions.
(source for both: Iran Human Rights)
IRAN----executions
Iranian-American Hanged in Iran
An Iranian-American man has reportedly been hanged in Iran.
According to confirmed sources, Iranian authorities carried out the death
sentence for Hamid Samiee and another prisoner at Karaj's Rajai Shahr Prison on
Wednesday November 4. Samiee, reportedly accused of committing an act of murder
in California, was arrested by Iranian authorities upon his return to Iran. He
was sentenced to death by Branch 71 of Tehran's Criminal Court for the murder
of an Iranian man identified as Behrouz Janmohammadi. Confirmed sources say
Samiee was arrested in 2008 after the murder victim's family had reported him
to Iranian auhorities.
An individual close to Samiee who asked to be anonymous tells Iran Human
Rights: "Hamid and Behrouz were friends in California until they were involved
in an altercation that resulted in Behrouz drawing a knife on Hamid; and Hamid
exercised self defense, which resulted in Behrouz's death. Following the
incident, Hamid managed to make his way back to Iran where he was arrested by
authorities just a few months after his arrival. Hamid endured extreme torture
and was forced to confess against himself; and a lot of his confessions were
false. Iranian authorities extracted forced confessions from Hamid even before
the murder scene was reconstructed and the murder weapon discovered.
Authorities did not even consider Hamid's testimony that he acted in self
defense; all they cared about was that Hamid confessed the way they instructed
him to."
According to this individual, Samiee's relatives visited the embassy of
Switzerland in Iran and met with Ms Tamaddon and Mr Meyer, representatives who
are responsible for protecting the interests of the US in Iran. Mr Meyer
reportedly informed the relatives that he would personally look into Samiee's
case and will coordinate his efforts with the US Department of State. At the
same time, Samiee's relatives wrote a letter to Iran's Head of Judiciary
requesting for a halt in execution pending proper investigation and a new
trial. According to Samiee's relatives, they never received a response to their
letter.
"Following an investigation conducted by detectives in Los Angeles, a police
department in California charged Hamid with murder in self defense [justifiable
homicide] and not first degree murder. These details were included in Hamid's
case file with Iran's Judiciary, but were not considered by the Judge," says
the anonymous source.
According to Iran's Islamic Penal Code, when an Iranian from any part of the
world enters Iran, they are subject to the laws of the Islamic Penal Code.
**************
4 Prisoners Hanged in Iran: 2 in North and 2 in South
At least 4 prisoners were hanged in Iran between Saturday and Monday.
On Saturday November 28, 2 prisoners were reportedly hanged at Rasht's Lakan
Prison on drug related charges. On Monday November 30, 2 prisoners were
reportedly hanged to death at Zahedan Central Prison on rape charges.
The press department of the Judiciary in Gilan has identified the prisoners who
were executed on Saturday as A.Z., 31 years old, and A.R., 30 years old.
According to the press department, the prisoners were sentenced to death for
purchasing and possessing 650 grams of crystal meth and possessing 813 grams of
heroin.
According to confirmed information received by IHR from close sources, the
prisoners who were executed on Monday are Mohammad Dehghan, about 30 years old,
and Javad Samar, about 25 years old. Iranian official sources have been silent
on the Monday executions.
(source for both: Iran Human Rights)
INDIA:
HC drops treason charge against Hardik but upholds sedition
HC notice to Guj govt on plea by Hardik aide in cheating caseFIR against Hardik
for holding meeting without permissionCourt books Amravati varsity's
ex-registrar for cheating IPC doesn't apply to re-marriage under Shari'ah:
Gujarat HC Gujarat HC again asks Hardik to substantiate abduction claim
In partial relief to firebrand Patel quota agitation spearhead Hardik Patel,
the Gujarat High Court today dropped the treason charge against him for which
death sentence is the maxiumum penalty but declined to quash the sedition
charge that is punishable upto life term.
Justice J B Pardiwala, after hearing the arguments, ordered the removal of
three IPC sections in the FIR--section 121 (waging war against government),
153-A (promoting enmity between different communities) and 153-B (assertions
prejudicial to national integrity)--against Hardik and 5 of his close aides.
The court, however, refused to drop IPC sections 124 (sedition) and 121-A
(conspiracy to wage war against government), which attract punishment of life
imprisonment or up to 10 years.
In October, the city Crime Branch had lodged an FIR against 22-year-old Hardik
and 5 of his close aides under charges of sedition and waging war against the
government.
Later, Hardik, Chirag Patel, Dinesh Bambhaniya and Ketan Patel were arrested.
They are currently behind bars.
2 other aides of Hardik--Amrish Patel and Alpesh Kathiriya--were not arrested
as the high court had granted them interim protection.
In another development, the high court today extended their interim relief from
arrest for another 15 days.
This was the second sedition complaint against Hardik after he was booked under
the same charge by Surat Police.
In November, Hardik and others moved the high court to set aside the FIR
against them, claiming that their protest to seek reservation for Patel
community does not amount to "sedition or waging war against government".
During the arguments on November 2, public prosecutor Mitesh Amin had strongly
defended the stand of Crime Branch for slapping stringent charges against the
Patel leaders, stating that the FIR is based on the call interceptions made by
it.
(source: Press Trust of India)
*******************
Death Penalty an Aberration in Democracy, Abolish It: Congress Leader Shashi
Tharoor----According to Shashi Tharoor, around 70 % of the UN member nations
have abolished death penalty.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor today demanded abolition of death penalty,
describing it as an "aberration in a healthy democracy".
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, he said hanging people does not deter crime
and there is a lot of subjectivity in application of death penalty.
"It (death penalty) is an aberration in a healthy democracy," Mr Tharoor said,
adding that instead preventive and reformative measures should be strengthened
to prevent crimes.
Contending that death penalty has mostly affected the marginalised people, the
Congress leader said the state should not become killer.
"We should abolish death penalty to uphold the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi," he
said.
According to him, around 70 % of the UN member nations have abolished death
penalty.
MB Rajesh (CPI-M) urged the government to review the hike in cancellation
charges for railway tickets saying it is creating great difficulties for the
passengers.
The "exhorbitant hike" in cancellation charges is exploitation of passengers
and the Railway Minister should have a re-look at the matter as well as restore
the old charges, he said.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Cong) claimed that over 200 tea workers have died in
the last 2 months in West Bengal and alleged that the workers are not given the
minimum wages.
He voiced concern over the deaths and said the Centre and state government
should work together to address the situation.
Mr Chowdhury said since Prime Minister Narendra Modi "boasts" of being a
tea-seller in his childhood, he should help in giving a fair deal to the tea
plantation workers.
Keshav Prasad Maurya (BJP) alleged that law and order situation in Uttar
Pradesh has deteriorated and demanded the dismissal of the Akhilesh Yadav
government.
He said many BJP workers have been killed in the state but action has not been
taken by the state government.
Dushyant Chautala (INLD) sought amendment to MPLADS rules as he alleged that
officials are delaying implementation of programmes that are funded with money
from it.
The rules need to be amended to ensure that programmes under it are implemented
at the earliest, he said.
He was supported by members cutting across party lines.
(source: ndtv.com)
SAUDI ARABIA:
Saudi Woman Given Death Penalty For Adultery, Partner To Receive 100 Lashes
A Sharia court sentenced a 45-year-old married Sri Lankan woman to death by
stoning after she admitted to committing adultery.
Her partner, also a Sri Lankan migrant worker, was given a lesser punishment of
100 lashes on account of being single.
According to Central Bank data, 279,952 Sri Lankans went to work in Arab
nations in 2014, generating over $7 billion in remittances, around 9 % of Sri
Lanka's total GDP. The woman had been working as a maid in the capital since
2013. Lawyers are working on an appeal, reports India TV News Nov. 30.
"She has accepted the crime 4 times in the courts", Upul Deshapriya, spokesman
for the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau, told Reuters.
The case has reignited pressure on south Asian governments to negotiate a
better deal for the army of cheap labourers who prop up Gulf economies but are
afforded few rights.
They include alleged al-Qaeda terrorists, but also at least 5 Shia protesters -
among them Ali al-Nimr, who was only 17 when arrested in 2012 - who took part
in anti-government protests against Sunni oppression. In August, under Sharia,
or Islamic law, she was sentenced to the death penalty for her transgression.
It is not uncommon for stoning to be chosen as the method of death. In some
cases, the deceased's body is further subjected to public condemnation.
The Sri Lankan maid's sentence comes as Saudi Arabia plans to execute 55 people
convicted of terrorism in an apparent warning to would-be jihadists at a time
of militant attacks on the kingdom.
Amnesty International writes that as of this year, Saudi Arabia will surpass
its annual execution record.
(source: NYSE Post)
***********
Al Qaeda Threatens Over Saudi Mass Executions
Al Qaeda's wing in Yemen has vowed to attack Saudi Arabia over the kingdom's
plans to kill some of its members in a mass execution.
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) pledged on Twitter to carry out
attacks in response to the executions.
"We swear to God, our blood will be shed before the blood of our captives, and
their pure blood will not dry before we shed the blood of the soldiers of al
Saud," the group said in a post on Tuesday.
"We will not enjoy life unless we get the necks of the al Saud rulers."
Over the past year, a new wave of terror attacks, mostly claimed by Islamic
State, have killed dozens in bombings and shootings in the kingdom.
Last week it was reported that Saudi authorities were planning to execute more
than 50 people convicted of "terrorist crimes".
Some of those facing execution were affiliated with al Qaeda, it was reported.
Others were from the eastern town of Awamiya, where the government has
suppressed Shi'ite demonstrations for equal rights.
One of the prisoners awaiting execution is Ali Mohammed al Nimr, who was
reportedly sentenced to death for his part in anti-government protests,
including breaking allegiance to the king and rioting.
He was 17 when he was arrested in 2012.
His case has drawn international condemnation - including from France as well
as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - because of his age, as well as allegations he
was tortured and did not have a fair trial.
More than 1,000 Shi'ites protested against the planned executions at a mosque
in Awamiya.
Saudi Arabia has already executed over 150 people this year, the most in 20
years, according to Amnesty International.
Many of those killed have been foreigners convicted of drug-related crimes.
In August, 2 men from Chad were executed in Mecca for their part in an al Qaeda
terror attack a decade ago, officials said.
Executions are carried out in public, mostly by beheading with a sword.
(source: Yahoo news)
More information about the DeathPenalty
mailing list