[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Jan. 31



RUSSIA:

Naryshkin is against death penalty



The speaker of the Russian State Duma, Sergei Naryshkin said he is against the 
reintroduction of death penalty, even if Russia withdraws from the Council of 
Europe.

"I would not support based on my personal convictions - humanitarian and moral 
ones," he said in an interview with "Vesti on Saturday" on the Russia 1 TV 
channel.

On January 28 PACE refused to restore the full powers in the organization.

The speaker of the Russian State Duma, Sergei Naryshkin said he is against the 
reintroduction of death penalty, even if Russia withdraws from the Council of 
Europe.

"I would not support based on my personal convictions - humanitarian and moral 
ones," he said in an interview with "Vesti on Saturday" on the Russia 1 TV 
channel.

On January 28 PACE refused to restore the full powers in the organization.

(source: Vestnik Kavkaza)








PAKISTAN:

ATC awards 3 terrorists death penalty on 47 counts



An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) judge, Muhammad Qasim, on Friday awarded death 
sentence on 47 counts each to 3 terrorists for their involvement in an attack 
on the Rescue 15 building and the offices of the Inter-Services Intelligence 
(ISI) in Lahore.

The convicts are members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan group, Al-Toheed 
Al-Jihad, then led by Dr Umar Kundi, who belonged to Lodhran's Kehror Pakka 
Tehsil. The attack claimed the lives of 29 people, 19 police officials and a 
senior officer of an intelligence agency among them, besides injuring 416 
others. Several public and private buildings and vehicles were also damaged in 
the attack, followed by massive firing, on May 27, 2009.

The court convicted Abid Akram, Sarfraz and Hafiz Shabbir under Section 7 of 
the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. The court also imposed a fine of Rs25.35 million 
on each convict, along with additional 1-time life imprisonment. The court also 
directed authorities concerned to confiscate moveable and immoveable properties 
of all the 3 convicted terrorists.

The terrorists were further convicted 23 times each under Section 302 of the 
Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). 1-time death sentence has been awarded to each 
convict under Section 3 of the Explosives Substances Act, 1908. They have been 
further imprisoned for life under Section 4 of the same act.

In 2010, the police had arrested 5 militants - Sarfraz Ahmad of Chak 116, 
Faisalabad; Shabbir Ahmad (Chak 29, Thikriwala); Umar Hayat (Chak 423, 
Tandlianwala); Hafiz Mahmood (Chak 100, Karriwala Dak Khana Khas, Faisalabad); 
and Abid Akram (a resident of 33/A Qazi Park, Shahdara Town, Lahore) - in 
connection with the attack.

Dr Kundi was the mastermind of the attack and was also assigned the task of 
generating funds through kidnap-for-ransom and robberies for the TTP to run its 
affairs. Sarfraz and Shabbir had opened indiscriminate fire on the policemen 
deputed at barriers/check-post in front of the police 15 building seconds 
before the explosive-laden vehicle attack.

All the convicts had also kidnapped and killed people in Lahore, Faisalabad, 
Gujranwala and Sialkot. They were also planning more attacks in Lahore when 
they were arrested.The police seized a huge cache of weapons, hand-grenade 
pins, mortar shells and 4 suicide jackets from their possession. They got 
training from North Waziristan's Dattakhel tehsil and were assigned 
re-organisation of the group in Punjab after the death of Dr Kundi. Abid Akram 
replaced Kundi for the next 'assignments' in Punjab.

The vehicle which was used in the attack was snatched from Hangu district at 
gunpoint and a case was registered with Hangu police station on Feb 2, 2009, 
against unidentified people, the investigation report said.

Abid Akram and Sarfraz were also involved in kidnapping 14-year-old Arsalan 
from Samundari Road, Faisalabad, and killed him after 4 months for non-payment 
of ransom. Abid was also nominated in killing case of Mian Laeeque, a cloth 
trader of Faisalabad. They further confessed to kidnapping of a UK-returned 
man, Mian Bashir, from China Chowk, Sialkot, in August 2009. They later 
released him after getting Rs2.5 million ransomDr Umar Kundi alias Maaz was 
killed in February 2010 in Faisalabad. Rai Asif of Prosecution Department 
represented state in the case.

(source: The News)

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

Police-15 building attack: ATC awards death penalty to accused



An anti-terrorism court (ATC) Friday awarded death penalty on 47 counts to 3 
accused involved in police-15 building attack case.

The accused Abid Akram, Sarfraz and Shabeer were also awarded Life Imprisonment 
with a fine of Rs. 25.35 million each.

The ATC-I Judge announced the verdict after recording evidences, statements of 
witnesses and hearing arguments from both sides.

During the hearing, the prosecution submitted that the accused were involved in 
police-15 building case and there was concrete evidence available against them.

However, the accused' counsels denied the charges and claimed that the police 
did not have solid evidence. They requested the court to acquit their clients.

At least, 23 people were killed and several injured in attack on the offices of 
Police 15 and an intelligence agency on May 27, 2009 in Lahore. The accused 
were arrested from Shahdara and Faisalabad after being identified through the 
CCTV footage and other evidences.

(source: Associated Press of Pakistan)

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

Convict to be hanged in Haripur



Another condemned prisoner is all set to be hanged in Punjab's Haripur Central 
Jail as authorities received his death warrant. According to media reports, 
convicted murderer Shoaib Sarwar is likely to be executed in next 3 days. 
Sarwar is 1st civilian who is being hanged for a non-terror related offence 
since 2008. His death warrant was issued this week and received by the jail 
administration on Friday. Pakistan lifted a 6-year moratorium on the death 
penalty last month involving cases of convicted terrorists following a December 
16 Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar which killed 150 people. Since then, 
20 people have been hanged, with nearly 500 facing the noose. There are nearly 
8,000 death row convicts in the country.

(source: Daily Times)








INDONESIA:

Bali 9 executions: Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan pen letters from death row 
to the Indonesian President



Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan have written heartfelt letters from death row 
to the Indonesian President, asking for forgiveness and a 2nd chance at life.

The handwritten letters, to President Joko Widodo as well as the Supreme Court 
chief, are included in a bundle of documents submitted Friday in Bali as part 
of their application for a judicial review of their cases.

Photographs of the 2 Sydney men, showing the work they are doing in the jail to 
help other prisoners through rehabilitation programs, are also included in 
their last ditch legal bid to avoid the firing squad.

The application for a judicial review or PK of their case was officially lodged 
inside the jail and lawyers said they were "pretty confident" of saving the 
lives of Chan and Sukumaran. However the court has yet to decide if it will 
even hear the case.

In his letter, dated January 27, Chan says: "Your Excellency, I write this 
letter to beg your Excellency to understand me and for your Excellency to see 
from my heart that I am a human being that has been reformed ... I want to say 
that I am guilty of the crime that I have committed. I am not attempting to 
justify or minimise what I have done. I just ask Your Excellency to give me a 
2nd chance to show to your Excellency that I have changed. I am now spending my 
time teaching other people not to make the same mistakes that I have made."

Chan talks about the pain and suffering and sleepless nights he has caused his 
family and tells that he is now studying to be a priest.

"Your Excellency, I love Indonesian people and the country, and I hope your 
Excellency can see from (the) heart that I am a human being who has changed to 
be a better person, and maybe someway your Excellency can see directly. I hope 
from the bottom of my heart you give me the 2nd chance," he finishes the 
letter.

Included with Chan's appeal documents are a series of photographs of him in the 
jail - conducting church services and running programs and lessons.

Myuran Sukumaran says that while his letter may have no impact on his impending 
execution he wants the President to know that he has changed and that he 
regrets his crime of 10 years ago.

"I have caused many problems and I even don't know how to start to apologise to 
all of you for what I have done in 2005. I know that whatever I say will not 
mean a lot, but I strongly regret what I did. At that time, I was too young and 
stupid and not educated," Sukumaran said.

"I know that my words are very weak, but I want you to know that I have been 
trying from the time when I realised the huge suffering caused by my actions. 
After realising that there were many people who got hurt, I have been 
attempting to change ... by doing many positive and beneficial things for 
people around me."

He tells of the shame and hurt he has caused and of his regret for this. And he 
thanks the guards at Kerobokan jail who have shown him kindness and compassion 
and patience and allowed him to start a series of classes and rehabilitation 
programs for the inmates.

"I know that this letter will mean nothing for you or have impact on my 
execution that has become closer. But I want you to know that I have changed. I 
am now a good person because of my experience here," Sukumaran writes.

Also included in Sukumaran's appeal documents are photographs of the paintings 
he has done in jail of Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, who is deciding his 
fate, along with the previous President, the previous Foreign and Justice 
Ministers of Indonesia as well as Julie Bishop and Kevin Rudd.

Speaking outside Kerobokan jail, lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis said Myuran 
Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were rehabilitated and deserved "a 2nd life, a 2nd 
chance".

"We are not asking for acquittal, again and again I have to emphasise that. We 
are asking for 20 years imprisonment. With all their rehabilitation that took 
place, with all the changes that happened, I think they deserve a 2nd life, a 
2nd chance and I do believe common sense justice would give them a 2nd chance," 
Mr Lubis said after the appeal was lodged.

"These 2 men, the petitioners, have changed a great deal, they have become a 
good person ... we believe they did not deserve the death sentence because the 
death sentence is against the right to life under the Constitution," he said.

There is however still no certainty that it will make any difference to their 
fate with officials saying that the 2 men have already exhausted and lost their 
one chance at a judicial review or extraordinary appeal against the death 
penalty.

Indonesia's Constitutional Court recently ruled that more than judicial review, 
known as a PK, should be allowed if there is new evidence. However the Supreme 
Court countered by issuing a letter that banned more than one appeal. The 
Government has said it will soon make a new regulation that only 1 appeal is 
allowed but has yet to do so.

Chan and Sukumaran face imminent death, although no date has yet been set for 
the next round of executions which are said to include 11 people.

(source: news.com.au)

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

Melbourne vigil: No death penalty for the Bali 9



Vigils were held in Melbourne and Sydney for Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran 
on January 29. The 2 are facing the death penalty after having been convicted 
of drug smuggling in Indonesia.

Chris Peterson gave this speech to the Melbourne vigil.

***

I would like to thank everyone who came out on this cold windy night. We are 
continuing a movement. We no longer have the death penalty in Australia because 
people came out on cold evenings for justice.

In Michael Hyde's autobiography All Along the Watchtower, he tells the story of 
Ronald Ryan, the last person to be legally executed in Australia. As it took 
place, people gathered outside Pentridge prison in the bitter cold. It helped 
end this barbaric practice.

Australia does not have the death penalty so why did the Australian federal 
police dob these young men in when they knew the death penalty was a 
possibility?

Aboriginal resistance fighters Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheener were the 
first 2 people executed in Victoria. Today, the government knows their deaths 
were a crime: it is why they refuse to build a memorial to remember these brave 
men.

People should not be murdered for things they did when they were young and 
stupid. But equally, drug addiction should be treated as a health issue, not a 
criminal justice issue.

Drugs should not be criminalised. The money spent on prisons in the war on 
drugs would be better spent on schools, hospitals, cultural development and 
inclusion. The Australian government needs to bring these young men home to 
have a 2nd chance.

(source: GreenLeft.org)



JORDAN:

Jordan 'could fast-track execution' of Isis prisoners if hostage fighter pilot 
Muath al-Kasaesbeh is killed ---- Jordan says it has still not received proof 
the pilot is still alive



Jordan has reportedly threatened to expedite the trials of prisoners affiliated 
with Isis, some of whom may face the death penalty, if the group kills a 
Jordanian pilot it is holding hostage.

In its most recent video, Isis demanded Sajida al-Rishawi be released to the 
group by sunset in Mosul on Thursday, warning that it would kill Muath 
al-Kasaesbeh "immediately" if this did not happen.

Al-Rishawi was sentenced to death by hanging in Jordan after being linked to 
bomb attacks that killed 60 people. She is appealing her sentence.

Elijah Magnier, chief international correspondent for Kuwait's Al Rai 
newspaper, said he was informed this morning by a contact related to the 
Jordanian Government that Jordan had passed on a message threatening to fast 
track al-Rishawi's appeal and the executions of "jihadist prisoners close to 
Isis".

The Independent understands that Jordan will still follow due process, but 
could speed up the pending trials of prisoners suspected of being affiliated 
with Isis if the pilot is killed. Some of those detainees are understood to 
face charges that if convicted carry the death penalty.

This has not been confirmed by the Jordanian Government.

The latest audio released by Isis is believed to have been voiced by a 2nd 
hostage, Japanese journalist Kenji Goto.

Jordan warned it would not hand over al-Rishawi unless it received proof the 
pilot had not been killed. It says it is still waiting for proof of life.

The deadline expired on Thursday without a handover taking place, leaving the 
lives of both hostages hanging in the balance.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said every effort was being made to secure 
Mr Goto's release.

"We are gathering and analysing information while asking for cooperation from 
Jordan and other countries, making every effort to free Kenji Goto," he told a 
parliamentary panel.

His wife Rinko broke her silence on Thursday for the first time since her 
husband was catured. "My husband and I have 2 very young daughters. Our baby 
girl was only 3 weeks old when Kenji left. I hope our oldest daughter, who is 
just 2, will get to see her father again. I want them both to grow up knowing 
their father," she said in a statement.

(source: The Independent)








CHINA:

Supreme court eases attorney participation in death sentence review



The Supreme People's Court (SPC) issued a protocol to facilitate the 
participation of defense lawyers when reviewing a death sentence.

According to the document, if a defense lawyer requests a meeting with the 
judge to express the defendant's opinion about a death sentence, the judge 
should arrange the meeting promptly.

The meeting can be held at the SPC office in Beijing or at a local court house 
when the judge is visiting the defendant.

The content of the meeting will be logged into a transcript and it will be 
signed by the lawyer. If the condition allows, the meeting will be recorded or 
videotaped, according to the document.

Defense lawyers are allowed to read and copy legal documents of the cases at 
the SPC office.

The SPC verdict will be delivered to defense lawyers within 5 days after it is 
announced.

The protocol is considered part of the SPC's efforts to protect defendants' 
rights and adopt a more prudent attitude toward using death penalties.

The country's judicial system was alerted of wrongful convictions by the case 
of a teenager named Huugjilt in Inner Mongolia, who was wrongfully convicted of 
rape and murder, which led to his execution in 1996. In December 2014 a higher 
court in Inner Mongolia ruled that Huugjilt was innocent.

Last Thursday, top justice Zhou Qiang reiterated the criteria for issuing 
capital punishment should be strictly observed so as to ensure "the penalty is 
only used on an extremely few convicts whose crimes are extremely serious".

(source: ECNS.cn)

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

Chinese Man Executed for Rape of Minor



A man in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province was executed on Friday for the 
rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl, in collusion with his pregnant wife.

Bai Yunjiang was put to death by the Intermediate People's Court of Jiamusi 
City after the Supreme People's Court approved the death penalty.

In November, 2014, the Higher People's Court of Heilongjiang Province rejected 
the couple's appeals and upheld the sentences of the city court which sentenced 
Bai to death and his wife Tan Beibei to life imprisonment for intentional 
homicide, rape and robbery.

On July 24, 2013, Tan, who was pregnant at the time, lured the girl, identified 
as Hu, to their home by pretending to have pregnancy complications.

The couple then gave the teenager a yoghurt drink spiked with Clonazepam, a 
kind of sedative, and attempted to rape her. They were unsuccessful, but killed 
the girl anyway and buried her body, the court said.

Tan said her husband was aware that she had several extra marital affairs and 
the idea to acquire a young girl for her husband's pleasure had emerged out of 
guilt.

The couple were found to have previously failed in 2 similar attacks, 1, the 
attempted rape of one of their daughter's classmates in June, 2013, and the 
other an attempted robbery and murder of one of Bai's former classmates in mid 
July, 2013.

(source: CRI English News)


TAIWAN:

Outcry over Kaohsiung killer sentence



Family members and relatives of 2 murder victims said they were angered by a 
Greater Kaohsiung court decision this week, when the man found guilty of the 
crime was given a life term instead of the death sentence, because the judge 
said the killer "showed some remorse" during the trial. Many criticized the 
court's decision, saying that the judicial system cares too much about the 
rights of convicted killers, while it is not so concerned about the rights of 
the people affected by the criminals.

Tsai Yung-ching was found guilty of killing a mother and her daughter last 
year.

Prosecutors requested the death sentence, citing the cruelty of the murders; 
the mother was stabbed 25 times and her 19-year-old daughter 16 times.

"Tsai admitted to the murders and he showed remorse for his actions. If given 
an opportunity to live, perhaps he could make reparations to the family," a 
court statement said. "Thus it is not necessary to invoke the death penalty in 
this case."

Family members said: "There is no justice. It was a cold-blooded, brutal 
murder. Tsai deserves to die. We cannot accept a life sentence for him."

Alliance Against the Abolishment of Capital Punishment convener Chen Cheng-yu 
said that judges in the nation's courts tend not to hand out the death penalty, 
as they consider the situation of convicted killers more than considering the 
situation for the families and friends of people who are murdered.

"This does not serve justice for the people killed or their families," Chen 
said. "It also does not protect law-abiding citizens from fear of being 
victimized. It seems that judges are encouraging more murders to happen."

(source: Taipei Times)








MALAYSIA:

Fijian Faces Death Penalty



A Fijian woman may face the death penalty in Malaysia after being found with 
1.51 kilograms of methamphetamines on her at the Kuala Lumpur Airport. The 
26-year-old woman is currently in Malaysian Police custody.

She is being held under Section 39 (B) of Malaysian Dangerous Drugs Act of 
1952.

Carrying more than 50 grams of methamphetamines, also known as ice, can warrant 
the death penalty in Malaysia.

Acting Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Esala Nayasi yesterday confirmed 
that a team from the Fijian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur visited the woman 
in Police custody on Thursday.

"We are doing all we can to assist her. At this moment we are working closely 
with authorities in Fiji and Malaysia in trying to get more information about 
the woman," Mr Nayasi said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is yet to identify the woman's family in Fiji.

This is one of the rare occasions when a Fijian national has been caught 
allegedly smuggling drugs into Malaysia.

Malaysia and its neighbour Indonesia have stringent anti-drug trafficking laws.

Section 39 (B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act states: 39B. (1) No person shall (a) 
traffic in a dangerous drug; (b) offer to traffic in a dangerous drug; or (c) 
do or offer to do an act preparatory to or for the purpose of trafficking in a 
dangerous drug.

(2) Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of subsection (1) shall be 
guilty of an offence against this Act and shall be punished on conviction with 
death.

(3) A prosecution under this section shall not be instituted except by or with 
the consent of the Public Prosecutor.

According to Customs Today: The drugs were hidden in a luggage bag of the woman 
who had flown in from Hong Kong. The drugs were seized at 5.45 pm

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Customs director Datuk Chik Omar Chik 
Lim said they seized 1.51 kg of methampethamine valued at $163,319.82 from the 
26-year-old Fijian national.

"When the bag was scanned at KLIA, it was noticed that it contained what looked 
like crystalline powder suspected to be methampethamine stuffed into a special 
compartment. The woman was then held," Mr Datuk told reporters.

Chik Omar said the woman was being held under remand for 7 days for the 
investigation under Section 39(B) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

(source: Fiji Sun)

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

Gallows for 5 drug dealers



5 men including 2 Chinese nationals were handed the death sentence by the High 
Court here after being found guilty on 2 counts of drug trafficking 5 years 
ago.

The court yesterday found Goh Eng Tee, 40, from Johor; Sow Teik Lee, 40, from 
Penang; Emery Shazmal Abd Malek, 39, from Kuala Lumpur; Lin Xiren, 32, and Ye 
Yufeng, 31, both from Guangdong, China, guilty of trafficking ketamine and 
methamphetamine (syabu).

Justice Datuk Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil in his judgment said that the prosecution 
had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the 5 accused.

He said that the evidence shown by the accused's defence was mere denial and 
the explanations were totally unreasonable.

"It is clear that the accused were involved together with the intention to 
traffic and alternatively process drugs."

For the 1st offence, the 5 accused were charged with 2 other women, Teo Bee 
Keng, 43, who is Goh's wife from Ujong Pasir here; and maid Tursini Turida, 25, 
from West Java, Indonesia with trafficking 226.37g of syabu on June 4, 2010 at 
about 1.30am at a house at Jalan SP1, Taman Semabok Permai here.

For the 2nd offence, they were all charged with trafficking 2,575.34g of 
ketamine on the same day and same time at the same location.

Meanwhile, both Teo and Tursini escaped the gallows and were both acquitted and 
freed after Abdul Karim ruled that there were doubts on their roles in the 
cases and that the prosecution had failed to prove its case against them.

All the accused were charged under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 
1952, punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same act, and read together with 
Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries the mandatory death penalty upon 
conviction.

(source: The Star)



BAHAMAS:

Woman Could Face Death Penalty Over Long Island Murder



A woman arraigned on Friday in connection with the murder and robbery of a web 
shop employee in Long Island could be facing the death penalty if convicted at 
trial.

Daphanie Knowles, 47, stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt 
accused of murder charge under section 291 (1a) of the Penal Code chapter 84.

This gives the court the discretion to consider the death penalty as punishment 
if an accused is convicted of murder, allegedly committed while carrying out a 
felony.

Knowles is claimed to have intentionally caused the death between November 28 
and 29, 2014, of Andrea Carroll, who was found lifeless with a head injury and 
bound by her hands and feet.

It is further alleged that Knowles conspired with others, for some 58 days, to 
commit the offence of robbery and actually robbed Carroll of $68,000 which 
belonged to Bowe's Web Games Ltd.

Knowles, who was not required to enter a plea to the charges due to their 
nature, asked the magistrate: "Ma'am, who I conspired with and where's the 
money I supposedly took from her?"

"The Crown hasn't specified, at this time, who you are alleged to have 
conspired with. Regarding the second question, that's an evidential burden the 
Crown has to prove at trial," the chief magistrate replied.

Knowles is scheduled to reappear in Magistrates Court on March 31 for the case 
to be forwarded to Supreme Court. Knowles, who had no legal representation in 
yesterday's proceedings, was remanded to prison without bail but has the right 
to apply to the Supreme Court for a bond.

(source: Tribune242)