[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Dec. 7



PAKISTAN:

SC stays execution of 2 convicts, summons military courts' record ---- Lawyer 
says decisions of military courts can't be implemented on past crimes


The Supreme Court on Monday ordered a stay of the execution of 2 terrorists 
convicted by military courts.

A 2 member bench headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed was hearing appeals of 
convicted terrorists, Haider Ali and Qari Zahir Gul. Counsel for convicts 
Advocate Asma Jahangir informed the court that Haider Ali and Zahir Gul were 
arrested 4 years ago from Swat valley under the Actions (in Aid of Civil Power) 
Regulation whereas the military courts were established through 21st Amendment 
in January 2015.

Thus decisions of the military courts cannot be implemented on past crimes, she 
said. She also argued that trial of the convicts by the military courts was 
unjust. Neither copies of the verdict were given nor were they allowed to hire 
lawyers of their choice. After hearing the arguments, the apex court suspended 
the death sentences of both the convicts and forwarded the matter to the chief 
justice for formation of larger bench to hear the case.

The court also summoned record of the military courts' verdict and adjourned 
the case hearing till December 16. It may be mentioned here that a division 
bench of the Peshawar High Court on October 15 had upheld the death sentences 
handed by the military court to t2terrorists and dismissed their appeals to 
reverse the verdict.

Pakistan has executed nearly 300 people since the death penalty was reinstated 
following a mass killing at a school in Peshawar last December.

(source: Daily Times)






PHILIPPINES:

Trillanes to back death penalty as VP----Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, however, 
rejects the arbitrary killing of criminals


Naming peace and order as his top priority, independent vice-presidential 
candidate Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said he wants to bring back the death 
penalty.

"I'm really hoping for the re-institutionalization of the death penalty," 
Trillanes said in a news conference Monday, December 7.

According to Trillanes, the death penalty is needed to curb illegal drug cases 
that form part of a "national security problem."

He clarified, however, that he rejects the arbitrary killing of criminals.

Trillanes acknowledged the "fascination" for brazen law enforcement given 
problems in public safety, especially in Metro Manila. Still, he said killing a 
suspect without due process will only worsen the situation.

"We don't need to kill people arbitrarily. Because once you start doing that, 
you can't control it. You wouldn't know when to stop. Next thing you know, the 
death squad you employ will be employed by others with the same interest," he 
said in a mix of English and Filipino.

In contrast, presidential bet Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly 
said he is willing to kill to stop criminality.

Asked if he will be the "Duterte" who won't bring criminals to funeral parlors, 
Trillanes answered: "Definitely."

Eyeing DILG

In his news conference on Monday, Trillanes also said he wants to be the 
interior secretary if he wins the vice-presidential race.

Should he get the post, he said he wants modernize the police and empower 
barangays.

"We should increase our budget for intelligence operations, and we should 
activate our barangay networks so we can be aware about what's happening on the 
ground at any given time. Barangay officials should be the most informed of all 
the public officials regarding what's happening," he said.

He also supported a national identification system as a tool to curb 
criminality.

The "Filipino ID" measure, which has been pending before a Senate committee, 
aims to integrate all government-issued IDs into one.

Leftist groups have strongly criticized the integrated ID system, arguing that 
it will only intrude into the privacy of citizens. But Trillanes said 
"developed countries all over the world" implement this to deliver better 
social services.

On BBL: I'm not holding my breath

The senator, who is a staunch critic of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), 
remained firm in his stance that the measure is not yet ready to be 
implemented.

"We need to put the necessary safeguards to make sure that this will not create 
a bigger problem. Aside from the unconstitutional provisions we need to insert 
specific security provisions," Trillanes said.

The senator said he doesn't see the BBL passed any time soon.

Trillanes said: "Based on the political climate right now, let's just say the 
windows are closing very fast and I'm not [going to] hold my breath. I 
sincerely doubt it."

"We need to pursue a more inclusive peace agreement with the Muslim 
insurgents," he added.

Trillanes ranked 6th in a recent survey of vice-presidential bets, with 5% of 
respondents saying they will vote for him.

(source: rappler.com)






BANGLADESH:

Executed war criminal Salauddin Quader's lawyer gets bail in tribunal verdict 
leak case


The High Court has granted bail to executed war criminal Salauddin Quader 
Chowdhury's lawyer Fakhrul Islam, who stands accused of leaking the war crimes 
tribunal???s verdict.

The bench of justices M Enayetur Rahim and Amir Hossain gave the order on 
Monday.

"There are no other cases against him, which means he can legally be released," 
said verdict Islam's counsel Joynal Abedin.

Deputy Attorney General Sheikh AKM Maniruzzaman Kabir said they will appeal 
against the decision.

Police pressed charges against seven people, including Islam, over the verdict 
leak.

The others are Chowdhury's wife Farhat Quader Chowdhury, son Hummam Quader 
Chowdhury, Mehedi Hasan, a staff to lawyer Islam and International Crimes 
Tribunal (ICT) employees Nayan Ali and Faruk Hossain.

On Oct 1, 2013, SQ Chowdhury was found guilty of 'crimes against humanity' in 
1971 and given the death penalty by the ICT.

But before the verdict was announced, the BNP leader's wife and other members 
of the family showed 'copies of the verdict' to journalists, claiming they had 
found them on the internet.

Amid a furore, the ICT admitted that the draft of the verdict had indeed been 
leaked. Shortly after, the tribunal registrar filed a case with police.

On Oct 5 that year, police arrested the accused ICT employees, who later 
confessed at court.

On Nov 20, 2013, Islam was arrested from his home in Dhaka.

According to police, the lawyer's assistant had induced the 2 ICT employees to 
leak part of the verdict's draft, promising them hefty payments.

The trial court is set to hear on the framing of charges over the case on Jan 
14 next year.

On Nov 21 this year, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury was executed after the Supreme 
Court upheld his death sentence and his mercy petition was turned down by the 
president.

(source: bdnews24.com)

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

AG for upholding Nizami's death penalty


The Supreme Court on Monday resumes hearing on prosecution's arguments on 
Nizami's appeal petition. In this AFP photo taken on October 29, 2014, the war 
criminal Nizami is seen seated inside a van as he is being taken to a prison 
after being sentenced to death.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam today prayed to the Supreme Court to uphold the 
death sentence of war criminal Motiur Rahman Nizami for his crimes against 
humanity during the country's Liberation war in 1971.

The death sentence is the appropriate punishment for Nizami as people of the 
country are seeking justice for 1971 martyrs, the attorney general told the 
court while placing arguments before the Appellate Division.

Nizami instigated Al-Badr Bahini, an auxiliary force of then Pakistani army, 
for killing people including intellectuals in 1971 war, he said at the court on 
the 10th day of the hearing today.

Soon after the court started hearing prosecution's arguments around 9:30am, 
Alam said defence lawyer's arguments on the charges brought against Nizami were 
not acceptable as the International Crimes Tribunal-1 has properly delivered 
the verdict.

On December 2, the principal lawyer for 75-year-old Jamaat-e-Islami chief 
Nizami appealed to the court to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment 
considering his old age and illness if he is found guilty of committing crimes 
against humanity committed during the Liberation War.

Earlier on that day, Khandker Mahbub Hossain also prayed to the apex court to 
acquit Nizami of all the charges levelled against him, claiming that he was not 
directly involved in any of those crimes.

International Crimes Tribunal-1 on October 29, 2014 handed Nizami the death 
penalty on 4 charges of war crimes, including murdering intellectuals. He was 
also awarded life imprisonment on 4 other charges.

On November 23 last year, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Nizami challenged the ICT-1 
verdict.

(source: The Daily Star)