[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

May 14



CHINA:

Kiwi drug accused Peter Gardner may know verdict in weeks



A Kiwi accused of attempting to smuggle $18 million of methamphetamine out of 
China should know if he faces the death penalty within weeks.

New Zealand-Australia dual citizen Peter Gardner claims he was duped after 
being arrested at Guangzhou international airport last November for carrying 
bags containing 30kg methamphetamine. His Australian travelling companion 
Kalynda Davis was arrested at the same time but later freed.

Gardner, 26, potentially faces the death penalty, with law experts rating his 
chance of acquittal "slim".

New Zealand human rights lawyer Craig Tuck, representing Gardner, said the 
trial had concluded and it could be a matter of weeks before a three-judge 
panel reached a verdict.

"The verdict is expected in weeks not months but that is entirely in the hands 
of the judicial panel," Tuck said.

If convicted, there would be a 10-day period to appeal, he said.

(source: stuff.co.nz)








INDONESIA:

Budget 2015: Aid cut not linked to execution of Bali 9 ringleaders, Indonesia 
says



Indonesia says it understands the reasons behind Australia's 40 per cent cut to 
its aid contribution and does not believe it is linked to strains in the 
relationship after the execution of Australian drug smugglers Andrew Chan and 
Myuran Sukumaran.

Indonesia says it understands the reasons behind Australia's 40 % cut to its 
aid contribution and does not believe it is linked to strains in the 
relationship.

Australia cut aid across the board in Tuesday's budget, with Indonesia losing 
$220 million a year or about $1 billion over the forwards estimates.

But Indonesia's foreign ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir said he understood 
Treasurer Joe Hockey's reasons for cutting aid.

Mr Nasir said it was not targeted at one country and did not think it was 
linked to the recent executions of Australian drug smugglers Andrew Chan and 
Myuran Sukumaran, which led the Government to recall its ambassador to 
Indonesia.

"3 points were made clear. First that aid given has been reduced [for] 
countries where they themselves provide aid," he said.

"Aid is being reduced to countries where the potential economic growth for the 
future is bright.

"Third, if I'm not mistaken, the focus is the Australian Government ... 
providing aid to the Pacific, which is the immediate region."

Mr Nasir pointed out that Africa suffered bigger cuts and that Australia was 
still providing some aid to Indonesia, which he said was a sign Australia 
wanted to maintain relations between the countries.

"That this is not directed to a single country and that has to be kept clear in 
our mind," he said.

"And I think when compared to ... countries in Africa for example where the 
cuts were up to 70 %, you can see the commitment of Australia to Indonesia is 
still there, is still strong, and we look forward to continuing this strong 
partnership for the future."

International relations lecturer at Binus University Don Marut said many in 
Indonesia could nonetheless see the cuts as a form of retaliation.

"If the public in Indonesia still connect this budget cut with the death 
penalty of the 2 Bali 9 persons, then it makes sense," he said.

"Because the timing is just close to the event and ... the Australian Foreign 
Minister, Julie Bishop, once said that Indonesia will get the consequences of 
this death penalty.

"Because in the explanation we have now there is no mention about, for example, 
the economic situation in Australia."

The ABC understands significant cuts were already being planned well before the 
executions.

(source: radioaustralia.net)








PAPUA NEW GUINEA:

Death penalty has 'no place in a Christian country,' says Papua New Guinea's 
bishops



Capital punishment has "no place in a Christian country, where true justice and 
mercy should prevail," the bishops of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands 
said in a recent statement.

"Pope John XXIII said that God's creative and is especially revealed at the 
moment of conception, at the beginning of a new human life," the bishops 
stated. "The life of every person must be respected from conception to natural 
death. Killing a killer violates the sanctity of every human life."

(source: Catholic Culture)








ZIMBABWE:

126 Zimbabwe laws marked for amendment



The government has gazetted the General Laws Amendment Bill in a development 
that will see 126 Acts of parliament being revised in a far reaching move aimed 
at realigning the legislation with the country's Constitution that came into 
force in 2013. The Bill, which was gazetted on May 8, is a significant step 
towards the government's stated objective of bringing more than 400 laws into 
conformity with the Constitution.

Major changes have been proposed in the Electoral Act; the interpretation Act; 
the Privileges, Immunities and Powers of Parliament as well as the Criminal Law 
(Codification and reform) Act.

Changes in other laws update titles or names of institutions that changed from 
the old Constitution such as the Prisons and Correctional Service that was 
previously referred to as the Prisons Service and the Civil Service that was 
previously referred to as the Public Service.

An amendment to the criminal law code, confirms the Constitutional position 
that a law may permit the death penalty to be imposed subject to certain 
restrictions; it cannot be imposed on women; it cannot also be mandatory but 
must allow a court's discretion and can only be imposed for murder committed in 
aggravating circumstances.

"Accordingly, the section in the Criminal Law Code providing for the crime of 
murder is amended to provide that the death penalty for murder is competent 
only where the crime is committed in certain aggravating circumstances, and 
even then a court has a discretion to impose a sentence of imprisonment for 
life or a prison sentence of a least 20 years," adds the Bill.

(source: chronicle.co.zw)








IRAN----executions

10 Prisoners Executed in Iran



During the past 4 days at least 10 people have been executed in Iran, according 
to the official Iranian sources. 1 of those executed was a woman convicted of 
drug related charges.

1 prisoner identified as "M. M." (44 year old) was hanged in the prison of 
edam2Rasht (Northern Iran) early Wednesday morning May 13, reported the Iranian 
state media. The prisoner was convicted of murder, said the report. Another 
prisoner who was hanged on Wednesday morning was "Kh. Ahmadi" (43) convicted of 
murder. Thi prisoner was hanged in the prison of Qazvin (Western Iran) 
according to the official website of the Judiciary in Qazvin province.

4 prisoners were hanged in the prison of Arak (Central Iran), and three 
prisoners were hanged in the prison of Hamedan (Western Iran), Tuesday morning 
May 12, reported the official websites of the Judiciary in the provinces of 
Markazi and Hamedan. All the prisoners were convicted of drug-related charges 
said the report. The 4 prisoners executed in Arak were identified as "Ali Y" , 
"Batool A." (woman), "Mansour G" and "Abolfazl M.", all convicted of drug 
related charges. None of the 3 prisoners executed in Hamedan were identified by 
name.

The Iranian daily newspaper Khorasan reported about the execution of a prisoner 
with the initials "M. B." on Sunday May 11 in the Vakilabad prison of Mashhad 
(Northeastern Iran). The prisoner was convicted of murder said the report.

(source: Iran Human Rights)








NORTH KOREA:

Revealed, North Korea's 20 crimes punishable by execution: Don't dare 'disrupt 
preparations for war' or commit an 'extraordinarily grave act of delinquency'

More than 20 crimes including theft are punishable by death in North Korea

Crimes split into two categories - mandatory and discretionary execution

List emerged in wake of brutal anti-aircraft gun execution of the country's 
defence minister for falling asleep during a meeting

Killed for falling asleep during meetings and answering back to Jong-Un



Selling jewels on the black market, disrupting preparations for war and the 
'extraordinarily grave act of delinquency' are among a long list of crimes 
punishable by death in North Korea.

Under dictator Kim Jong-Un's oppressive rule, the country's residents can be 
executed for more than 20 different crimes, many of them ambiguous, without a 
fair trial.

The practice of guilt by association is also used by the government to arrest 
not only those considered 'enemies of the state', but up to three generations 
of their families.

The list has emerged in the wake of the brutal murder of the country's defence 
minister for falling asleep during military meetings and answering back to Kim.

Hyon Yong-Chol, 66, who was named head of North Korea's military in 2012, was 
reported to have been executed in front of hundreds of bloodthirsty officials 
at a military camp in the capital Pyongyang on April 30.

South Korea's National Intelligence Agency told politicians that Hyon was 
killed by an anti-aircraft gun at Kang Kon Military Academy - a method cited in 
various unconfirmed reports as being reserved for senior officials who the 
leadership wishes to make examples of.

Thousands of executions have been carried out in North Korea since the 1950s, 
with the largest numbers in the 1990s and 2000s, according to the International 
Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).

The organisation, which represents more than 150 human rights across five 
continents, produced the list of crimes in a report after meeting with North 
Korean witnesses.

Michelle Kissenkoetter, director of the FIDH Asia desk, told MailOnline: 'Many 
of the crimes that are punishable by death are very ambiguous.

'It's not very clear what can have you committed to execution. That lack of 
clarity is extremely concerning.

'The judicial system in North Korea is not transparent. Even if you are accused 
of a crime you are not given a fair trial.'

Sokeel Park, director of research and strategy at Liberty in North Korea, an 
international NGO that works with North Korean defectors, said: 'There can be a 
huge divide between what is written in law and what happens in practice in 
North Korea.

'In fact it seems the law is applied in a more arbitrary and corrupt way in 
North Korea than any other country in the world.

'Ambiguity and arbitrariness is the rule, not the exception in North Korea, and 
particularly when it comes to power plays within the ruling elite, anything 
goes.'

The crimes punishable by death are split into two categories. At least nine are 
guaranteed to result in execution, including kidnapping, seizing state property 
and theft of private property.

The punishment for making counterfeit money, illicitly selling the state's 
resources and escaping from prison are discretionary.

In 2007, a law was passed allowing an execution if the authorities believe the 
crime is 'extremely serious'.

Ms Kissenkoetter added: 'For most North Korean people we have spoken to, as 
long as you toe the party line, don't ask any questions and you keep your head 
down, you should be fine.

WITNESS DESCRIPTION OF FAMILY'S EXECUTION FOR CANNIBALISM

A witness said that during the famine, cases of cannibalism were common, 
especially of isolated children, including orphans.

In 1995, an entire family was executed for eating a man they had killed.

According to the witness, the entire family was executed to deter acts of 
cannibalism and the children, aged 9 and 12, were included.

[source: International Federation for Human Rights ]

'However, in North Korea a simple accusation from a family member or someone 
you know can have you charged with a crime.

'FIDH is completely against the death penalty in any situation. We call on 
North Korea to end the death penalty.'

Of the killing of North Korea's defence minister - just the latest in a long 
line of officials and aides to fall victim to the country's trigger-happy 
leader - she added: 'This is not only shocking and terrible but it's also a 
violation of international law.'

Hyon is understood to have been arrested late last month and executed 3 days 
later without legal proceedings.

Since Kim Jong-Un rose to power in 2011, he has purged more than 70 officials, 
according to Yonhap news agency.

While he usually opts for firing squads using machine guns, there have been 
reports of officials being killed using mortar rounds at close range.

It was initially reported he had his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, eaten alive by a 
pack of starving dogs, although it's now believed he was executed by a firing 
squad.

Jang was detained on an array of charges, including treason and corruption.

Kim had described his 67-year-old uncle - who was married to his father's 
sister - as a traitor, a womaniser and a 'despicable human scum'.

It has also been alleged he ordered his own aunt, Kim Kyong Hui, Jang's wife, 
be poisoned.

In an interview, one of the country's most senior officials to defect said Kim 
was responsible for the death of Ms Kim, 68. It's alleged she was killed after 
she complained about her husband's death.

As well as disloyal aides, Kim also reportedly had an ex-girlfriend executed 
over claims that she had appeared in a porn film.

South Korean newspapers said singer Hyon Song-wol and 11 other members of 
performing groups were accused of making videos of themselves having sex and 
selling the videos for distribution in China.

Other band members as well as the families of the victims were made to watch 
the mass execution.

Since the start of the year, 16 senior officials are thought to have been 
executed - included 2 at vice-minister level - for opposing or complaining 
about Kim's policies.

In addition to the executions, in 2013 there were about 200,000 people, 
including children, in 6 main political labour camps

Many do not know why they have been placed there and remain there until their 
deaths with no access to a lawyer, according to the FIDH.

(source: Daily Mail)