[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

March 24



QATAR:

Court upholds death penalty for citizen



A higher criminal court yesterday upheld a death sentence against a citizen 
convicted of the murder of a 24-year-old British school teacher.

The Criminal Court of Appeals confirmed the sentence as Lauren Patterson's 
mother Alison, who flew here from England to attend the court proceedings, 
watched on.

The court, however, ruled that it was not within its jurisdiction to consider 
Alison's plea for a monetary compensation of QR20m ($5.5m), reports Al Sharq. 
"That jurisdiction lies with the civil court."

A prominent lawyer, Yusuf Al Zaman, told The Peninsula that the main convict 
can challenge the verdict of the higher criminal court in Qatar's Supreme Court 
(the Court of Cassation) within 60 days.

He said that if the convict fails to challenge the ruling of the Criminal Court 
of Appeals the Public Prosecution must do that within the above timeframe.

"This is because the sentence involves death. It is not an ordinary sentence, 
so the highest court must review the ruling," said Al Zaman.

So, for the next 60 days the verdict of the Criminal Court of Appeals will 
remain suspended, the lawyer added.

When told that the last death sentence was carried out in Qatar 12 years ago, 
in March 2003, Al Zaman said he wasn't sure.

Arun Abraham, an Indian, had killed a woman family friend Lija Abraham, also an 
Indian, late in April of 2001 and was sentenced to death 2 years later.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court of Appeals sentenced an accomplice of the 
convict, also a young Qatari, to 3 years in jail for helping burn Patterson's 
body and destroy the evidence.

Patterson, from Kent in England, was murdered in October 2013 after leaving a 
bar in a star hotel here with a female friend and the 2 convicts after 
midnight.

She was friendly with the convicts and it seems they were together in the bar. 
Patterson's female friend insisted that she stay with her overnight since she 
was heavily drunk. But the main convict dropped Patterson's female friend at 
her home and promised her that he will be dropping her (Patterson) also home 
safely.

But police investigations, according to Al Sharq, revealed that the main 
convict took her to a rented house of his accomplice, the 2nd convict.

According to investigation he had intercourse with Patterson forcibly and then 
stabbed her with a knife in the chest.

"The crime took place just because the convict became crazy and wanted to have 
intercourse with the victim ... And, moreover, she was killed unnecessarily," 
the Public prosecution said in its charges filed in the court.

The convicts wrapped Patterson's body in a carpet which had blood stains, put 
it in a car and drove to a deserted area and put it on fire using charcoal and 
wood.

They also put Patterson's mobile phone and handbag with her body to destroy 
evidence completely.

Some people in the area where the victim's body was burnt said they smelt the 
stench of burning flesh and saw the 2 men moving in a car nearby.

Al Sharq said during investigations the duo confessed to the crime and even 
re-enacted the gory episode which the police, understandably, had video-graphed 
to produce in the court.

The Prosecution told the court it wanted death penalty for the main convict as 
the victim was murdered in cold blood and a "knife was used not for 
self-defence".

(source: The Peninsula)








PAKISTAN:

Death warrant re-issued: Court orders to hang Saulat Mirza on April 1



An anti-terrorism court in Karachi has re-issued black warrant for death row 
convict Saulat Mirza today (Tuesday), Dunya News reported.

The court has ordered to execute Mirza at 5:00am on April 1, 2015.

The administration of Machh central jail had sent a letter to the court, 
seeking fresh death warrant of Saulat Mirza.

He was handed death penalty in a case pertaining to killing of managing 
director of then named Karachi Electric Supply Corporation Shahid Hamid, his 
driver and guard in 1997.

Earlier, the convict was scheduled to be hanged on March 19 at 5:30am, but his 
hanging was postponed at 11th hour following a presidential order.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar informed the National Assembly that Mirza's 
execution was postponed due to his health condition.In a video message from 
death cell on April 18, the convict alleged that he killed former KESC Director 
Shahid Hamid on the directives of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf 
Hussain.

Mirza alleged that he received the order to kill him from Altaf Hussain at MQM 
leader Babar Ghauri's residence through telephone.

He further alleged that people whom the party wanted to save from police 
torture are provided protection by Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad.

In response, the MQM Coordination Committee denied all the allegations.

(source: Dunya news)