[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

April 14



NIGERIA:

Amnesty International says Nigeria had zero executions in 2015 but Kaduna state 
begs to differ


Last week, Amnesty International released its annual report on death sentences 
and executions in 2015. The report takes a look at countries all over the world 
that still use the death sentence, looking at the number of executions carried 
out in these countries. Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United States of America and 
Pakistan currently have the highest numbers of executions. Saudi Arabia killed 
at least 158 people, while Iran had 977 executions, most of them for 
drug-related offences. Nigeria, in contrast, had 171 death sentences with no 
execution while still retaining its death penalty laws. However, new reports 
concerning the clash between the Nigerian Army and the Shiite followers in 
Kaduna state Nigeria last year, suggest that Nigeria deserves to be a top 
executioner like Saudi Arabia and Iran.

One of the worst attacks on civilians by the Nigerian Army occurred last year 
when it attacked a procession of a Muslim sect in Nigeria. After the dust 
settled, officials of the Kaduna state government, where the incident occurred, 
finally released their findings about what went down. On their way to a 
military ceremony late last year, members of the Nigerian Army and their Chief 
of Staff, Tukur Buratai, were stopped by a procession of a Shiite Islamic group 
in Nigeria, the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) who people claim have been 
radicalised. In a video circulated after the incident, after a few minutes, 
Nigerian Army leaders were seen begging the procession to allow them pass 
through, while young members of the procession were seen bearing sticks and 
knives like they were going for a fight. The Nigerian army then attacked the 
sect using live ammunition, baffling especially when their counterparts in 
other nations have learnt to use rubber bullets and such to quell violence.

Reports after this became blurry and controversial as the head of the movement 
El Zakzaky was arrested by the Army while the group's headquarters was 
destroyed. Many reports of human rights abuse by the Nigerian Army and the 
senseless killing of children and women emerged, but this latest report has put 
a definite number on the number of Shiite followers killed by the Nigerian 
Army: 347 civilians, including women and children.

The Kaduna state government said all 347 people were "given a mass burial in a 
cemetery in Kaduna state" a few hours after they had been slaughtered by the 
army, according to Muslim rites. This latest report confirms that the Nigerian 
army is lawless, especially since the fight against Boko Haram started. 
Different Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have accused 
the Nigerian Army of human rights abuses and extra-judicial killings since the 
fight against Boko haram started. And just like every panel set up by the Army 
to allegedly investigate these killings, the panel set up to investigate the 
Shiite killings is heading for a dead end.

This is an indictment on former Military General and current Nigerian 
President, Muhammadu Buhari who has called himself a "reformed democrat" but 
his media silence about the Army killings suggests the reformation happened to 
his doppelganger in a parallel universe. Tukur Buratai could only have 
authorised such disregard for human lives, especially the ones he swore to 
protect, if he knew he was not receiving any censure from the 
Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria's Armed Forces, Buhari. Nigerians would surely be 
looking up to Amnesty International and the International Criminal Court to 
bring the Nigerian Army to justice, since the Federal Government seems 
reluctant to do so.

Amnesty International's report that Nigeria had no court-ordered execution in 
2015 is true, but the number of indirect executions due to government 
negligence and a glaring 'i-don't-care' attitude seems to suggest that we 
deserve a higher position in the "Death sentence and Execution 2015 report."

(source: venturesafrica.com)






UGANDA:

Government Insists on Keeping Death Penalty


Attorney General Fred Ruhindi says since the Supreme Court ruling in the Susan 
Kigula case ruled that the various provisions of the laws, which provide for 
the mandatory death are inconsistent with the Constitution, courts are best 
placed to make judgment.

(source: ugandaradionetwork.com)






EGYPT:

Diplomats attacked for accepting Egyptian authorities' word over Ibrahim Halawa


Diplomats have been criticised by a leading human rights body for accepting the 
word of Egyptian authorities over the incarceration of an Irish teenager.

Ibrahim Halawa was transferred between prisons in recent days without the 
knowledge of embassy staff in Cairo, Department of Foreign Affairs chiefs in 
Dublin or his family.

He has been held without trial for almost three years and could face the death 
penalty if convicted of involvement in protests over the ousting of the Muslim 
Brotherhood.

Reprieve, a human rights group which campaigns to stop state executions, said 
it was increasingly concerned over the 20-year-old's welfare.

Harriet McCulloch, deputy director at the agency, said it was shocking for both 
the Egyptians to mislead Irish diplomats and for authorities in Dublin not to 
demand more answers.

"Given recent widespread reports of enforced disappearances and deaths in 
custody in Egypt, it's shocking that Irish officials appear to have been misled 
over Ibrahim's whereabouts - and have taken the Egyptian authorities at their 
unreliable word," she said.

"Ibrahim, who was just 17 when he was arrested, has already suffered an 
unacceptable ordeal of torture, dire prison conditions, and an unlawful mass 
trial - which could see him sentenced to death.

"The Irish Government must escalate their demands to see Ibrahim without delay, 
and must challenge the Egyptian government on his appalling treatment."

Diplomatic chiefs in Dublin insisted Mr Halawa's case continues to receive high 
priority in the department.

A series of meetings have been ordered by Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie 
Flanagan amid the controversy, including sending the Irish Ambassador to Egypt 
Damien Cole for talks in the Egyptian foreign ministry to highlight concerns.

Mr Flanagan will meet the Egyptian ambassador to Ireland Soha Gendi on 
Thursday.

The department also said officials in the embassy in Cairo are to visit Mr 
Halawa in jail in the coming days.

Reprieve said it was concerned amid widespread reports of so-called 
disappearances of prisoners and deaths in Egyptian jails, including in the case 
of Italian student Giulio Regeni.

The 28-year-old Cambridge student's body was found in a roadside ditch outside 
Cairo on February 3, more than a week after he disappeared.

Meanwhile, Mr Halawa is understood to have been moved from Tora prison in Cairo 
to the Wadi el Natrun prison, north of the city, several days ago.

He was 17 when he was detained while taking refuge in a mosque near Cairo's 
Ramses Square as a "day of rage" was held over the removal of president Mohamed 
Morsi.

The mass trial he is facing, along with more than 400 others, has been 
repeatedly postponed since his detention in 2013.

Mr Halawa's detention has been raised in the European Parliament in Brussels 
and in a letter from leading human rights lawyers in London to British Prime 
Minister David Cameron.

Reprieve said that a report on the death penalty in Egypt last year found that 
more than 70% of recent death sentences were handed down in relation to 
protests. The report also detailed the frequency of torture and incommunicado 
detention in the country's prisons.

Mr Halawa, from Firhouse in Dublin, was initially arrested with 3 of his 
sisters.

His lawyers, who were refused access to him until September, said he was denied 
medical treatment for a gunshot wound to his hand following his arrest and he 
has been left permanently disfigured as a result.

Somaia Halawa, Ibrahim's sister, said the family's dealings with Irish 
diplomats had been disappointing on a number of occasions.

She said the department had not informed them of the planned meetings between 
officials in Dublin or Cairo as the final trial looms in late June in the 
courthouse beside Wadi el Natrun.

"That is what is making our campaign a bit harder," she said.

"We feel we have 2 fights with two governments. You feel you are not just 
having a problem with Egypt but a problem with the Irish Government."

Ms Halawa said she got confirmation of where Ibrahim was being held after 
another brother, Ahmed, made contact with him.

(source: The Independent)



INDIA/SRI LANKA:

BJP claims it stopped death penalty on 5 Indians in Sri Lanka


BJP President Amit ShahIndia's ruling BJP says it ensured that the death 
penalty given to five fishermen in Sri Lanka was not carried out.

BJP President Amit Shah also claimed that due to the steps taken by the Modi 
Government, the firing at Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy had 
stopped.

Indian news agencies said that while speaking to reporters in Tiruchirapalli, 
around 340 km from Chennai, after chairing a party meeting today, Shah alleged 
that that the AIADMK, DMK as well as the Congress were corrupt parties.

The Bharatiya Janata Party can provide the alternative to the existing 
political parties in the state, Shah said.

He said Tamil Nadu voters normally voted out a Government but in the May 16 
assembly elections, they should decide which party must come to power.

He added that the BJP could provide the "alternative" Tamil Nadu was seeking. 
The BJP will give a transparent and good governance, he said.

According to him, the AIADMK and DMK had ruled Tamil Nadu alternatively for the 
past nearly 50 years and it was time for a change.

The BJP leader said Tamil Nadu had not progressed because of corruption.

He said that due to the non-cooperation of the state government, central 
Government schemes were not being implemented in Tamil Nadu.

(source: Colombo Gazette)






GLOBAL:

Where In The World Is Homosexuality Punished By The Death Penalty


There are many countries and states where homosexual acts could land you the 
death penalty. Of these countries all are located in Central Africa or in the 
Middle East.

There are the countries places on earth that have specific laws which call for 
the death penalty of those who are found to have engaged in homosexual acts.

Afghanistan----Men could face execution, but are more likely to receive long 
prison sentences. No executions are known to have been handed out since the end 
of the Taliban rule.

Brunei*----Gay men in Brunei could be stoned or given 10 years in prison if 
found guilty of homosexual acts.

Iran----In Iran gay men can be lashed up to 74 times for "immature men" and the 
death penalty for mature men of sound mind - and where the acts were 
consenting. Women can be lashed 50 times and can face the death penalty after 
their fourth conviction.

Mauritania----Homosexuality is against the law in Mauritania and could attract 
the death penalty however there have been no public executions since 1987.

Qatar---In Qatar gay men may face execution if they are Muslim otherwise men 
can face fines and a prison sentence which lasts 7 years.

Saudi Arabi----A 2nd conviction of homosexuality in Saudi Arabia will land a 
death penalty. For first offence men can face fines, castration, flogging, 
prison and torture.

Sudan----Homosexuality has been illegal in Sudan since 1899. Death penalty 
occurs on the 3rd offense for men and 4th offense for women.

Yemen----Married men can expect to be stoned to death if caught having same-sex 
relations. Unmarried men will receive 100 lashes or one year imprisonment.

* Brunei is a Sovereign state and not a country.

Countries where you might be executed if you're found to be gay.

There are some countries where although capital punishment might not be 
constitutionally ratified there are cases where gay people have been killed 
because of their sexuality.

Libya----Gay men could face death in Libya.

Nigeria----Homosexuality is illegal in some states of Nigeria and could attract 
the death penalty. These states include: Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, 
Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara

Somalia----Homosexuality is illegal in Somalia and could attract a death 
penalty. Syria----The actual penalty that gay men should face for homosexual 
acts is prison for up to 3 years, however due to the rise in ISIS a highly 
advertised death awaits those found guilty of engaging in same-sex sexual acts.

(source: thegayuk.com)






BANGLADESH:

Son, lawyers meet Mir Quasem


Condemned war criminal Mir Quasem Ali has claimed that the government is 
conspiring to punish him based on false allegations.

Quasem's son barrister Mir Ahmed Bin Quasem alias Arman and 2 other lawyers met 
him at Kashimpur jail yesterday morning, said Jailer Nashir Ahmed. They stayed 
there for around 45 minutes.

"My father is in a good state. He said 'I did not do anything wrong. Death is 
decided by Allah, not any human being. They are conspiring to punish me on 
totally baseless allegations,"' Arman told reporters.

After the apex court upheld Mir Quasem's death penalty on March 8, his family 
members and lawyers met him at the jail on March 12 and April 9. The full text 
of the judgement is yet to be published, following which the convict would get 
15 days to file a review petition against the verdict.

Arrested in 2012, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem enjoyed division in the 
jail until 2014. Later he was shifted to the condemned cell.

(source: dhakatribune.com)

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

HC likely to start hearing death reference, appeals in May ---- Says Deputy 
Attorney General Shaikh AKM Moniruzzaman Kabir


The High Court is likely to start hearing the death reference and appeals in 
the Ramna Batamul bomb blast case in the 1st week of May.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Amir Hossain might begin 
the hearing on May 5, said Deputy Attorney General Shaikh AKM Moniruzzaman 
Kabir, adding that the death reference and appeals have been included in the 
hearing list of the HC bench as per sequence.

A Dhaka court on June 23, 2014 handed down death penalty to 8 militants of 
Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (Huji), including its top leader Mufti Abdul Hannan 
Munshi, for killing 10 people in the attack on the Chhayanaut function during 
the Pahela Baishakh celebration at Ramna Batamul in 2001.

6 other militants of the banned Islamist outfit were sentenced to life 
imprisonment for their involvement in the blasts.

Later, 8 of the condemned accused filed 9 separate appeals with the HC 
challenging the trial court verdict on them, added DAG Moniruzaman.

(source: The Daily Star)