[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Aug. 14



SAUDI ARABIA:

Import kolanut, get death sentence - Saudi govt tells pilgrims


The Saudi Arabia authority has slammed a death penalty for any pilgrim who 
travels to the holy land with kolanuts, hard drugs and other contraband.

Hence, the Lagos State government yesterday warned intending pilgrims for the 
2016 hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia to stay out of trouble and likely death 
sentence by not traveling to the holy land with contraband items.

The state government described kola nuts as a caffeine-based edible seed, 
otherwise known as "goro" and "obi" and often used ceremonially by Nigerians to 
show a gesture of friendship and warmth and also used in the production of 
beverages and energy drinks.

But the Saudi Arabia authority prohibits Kola nuts and other hard drugs items 
identified as harmful to their citizens.

In guidelines for Hajj 2016, the Saudi Kingdom has notified the Nigerian 
authorities to ban kola nuts carriage by pilgrims during the annual pilgrimage.

Sunday Telegraph also gathered that some criminals during hajj pilgrimage 
smuggle cocaine usually hidden in the kolanuts while traveling to the holy 
land. Reacting to this at the Murtala Mohamed International Airport, Lagos 
State Amir Hajj, Dr Abdulhakeem Abdullateef, noted that the National Hajj 
Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has confirmed the directive.

The implored Nigerian pilgrims to desist from including contraband such as Kola 
nuts in their luggages to the holyland.

To stay out of trouble in the holyland, Dr. Abdullateef, who is also the Lagos 
state Commissioner for Home Affairs, said complying with the rules and 
regulations of Saudi Arabia is the best for the intending pilgrims.

He said: "The Saudi authorities have prohibited the importation of kola nuts 
and other hard drugs into the Kingdom, noting that it is a criminal offence 
that attracts death penalty.

"My appeal to those who are going to Hajj with Lagos State and other pilgrims 
across the country is to follow rules and regulations guiding the Hajj 
exercise. We shall continue to educate our pilgrims to have a hitch-free Hajj 
operations"

"Necessary arrangements have been concluded for their airlift between Tuesday 
16 and Thursday 18 of August, 2016. Pilgrims are, therefore, advised to contact 
their coordinators to know their flight schedule."

(source: today.ng)






IRAN:

Relatives of PMOI martyrs in Shahr-e Kord denounce mass executions in Iran


Relatives of executed members of the main Iranian opposition group People's 
Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI or MEK) in Shahr-e Kord, the capital city 
of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province in central Iran, have condemned the mass 
execution last week of Sunni political prisoners in Iran.

In a statement earlier this week, the families and supporters of the PMOI (MEK) 
in Shahr-e Kord said:

"The mullahs' regime once again committed a crime. The mass execution of Sunni 
prisoners demonstrates the weakness of this sinister regime. They committed 
such a crime on the anniversary of the massacre which occurred in 1988. The 
oppressive regime hopes to survive through such acts.

This only shows that this regime will inevitably fall at the hands of the 
people with the price that has been paid by the blood of the martyrs of the 
1988 massacre.

Therefore, we condemn these crimes and ask all international organizations, 
institutions, and the freedom-loving countries to condemn this brutality and to 
prosecute those responsible for them.

Martyrs' families and supporters of the PMOI in Shahr-e Kord - August 2016"

On August 2, the regime mass executed at least 25 Sunni political prisoners. On 
August 9 it hanged another political prisoner Mohammad Abdollahi.

Last week, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, 
described the mass execution of Sunni political prisoners in Gohardasht Prison, 
carried out on the anniversary of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in 
Iran, an appalling crime against humanity. The regime is trying in vain to 
contain the volatile social atmosphere and popular protests by terrorizing the 
public, she said.

The time has come for the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Security Council 
to end their silence and bring the record of the Iranian regime's crimes before 
the International Criminal Court. Ali Khamenei and other leaders of the regime 
as well as direct perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice, 
Maryam Rajavi reiterated.

In the summer of 1988, the mullahs' regime massacred some 30,000 political 
prisoners in Iran. The political prisoners were mainly affiliated to the PMOI 
(MEK).

(source: NCR-Iran)

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

PMOI spokesman: Sunni executions in Iran proves human rights sanctions are 
necessary


The mullahs' regime is carrying out mass executions in Iran in a vain attempt 
to contain the volatile social atmosphere and popular protests, writes Shahriar 
Kia, a press spokesman for residents of Camp Liberty, Iraq, and members of the 
People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran opposition group (PMOI, also known as 
MEK).

The following is the text of his op-ed published on Saturday on The Hill:

At a time when one would think Iran after the nuclear agreement with the 
international community would begin to wind down its human rights violations, 
especially the use of executions, recent reports indicate 33 individuals were 
sent to the gallows on Tuesday, Aug. 2. Congress should dismiss any call for 
appeasement vis-a-vis Iran and continue pursuing and holding firm its sanctions 
against the mullahs', especially those punishing Tehran's atrocious human 
rights violations.

Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi condemned Tehran's mass execution of 
Sunni prisoners as "an appalling crime against humanity."

"The mullahs' anti-human regime carried out the mass execution of our Sunni 
brothers on the anniversary of the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners 
in Iran. They are trying in vain to contain the volatile social atmosphere and 
popular protests by terrorizing the public," she said.

This is while the Iranian Diaspora communities across the globe are marking the 
28th anniversary of the extensive 1988 massacre of over 30,000 political 
prisoners in Iran in the course of a few months, pledging to have their voices 
heard and raise awareness on Iran's horrendous human rights record.

This marks one of Iran's most atrocious mass executions in recent times. 
Iranian judiciary officials claim 20 of these individuals were Sunni Kurds, 
executed in Gohardasht (Rajaie Shahr) Prison in Karaj, west of the capital, 
Tehran. These individuals had denied all charges raised against them, and in 
video clips and text posted on the Internet revealed they had spent time in 
"solitary confinement" and placed "under torture."

Iran is known for its skyrocketing number of executions and practice of 
obtaining coerced confessions through torture and other banned methods. The 
mullahs have also proved their "sickening enthusiasm" of sending juveniles to 
the gallows, all in violation of international laws and respecting no bounds in 
this regard, said Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Middle East and North Africa 
Program Director of Amnesty International. International law, including the 
Convention on the Rights of the Child to which Iran is a state party, 
absolutely prohibits the use of death penalty for crimes committed when the 
defendant was below 18 years of age. Yet apparently this is a pretext Iran 
refuses to respect.

Shahram Ahmadi, amongst those recently executed, had spent 33 months in 
solitary confinement and sentenced to death after a "5-minute" trial. He never 
enjoyed access to a lawyer.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein issued 
a statement condemning this mass execution of Sunni Kurds in Iran as a "grave 
injustice." The High Commissioner expressed his doubts over the fact that these 
individuals ever received a fair trial. Al-Hussein also referred to Ahmadi's 
case, adding he was forced under pressure to sign an interrogation paper 
including false allegations raised against him.

This horrific act of carnage by Iran has sparked a series of global 
condemnations from a large number of international organizations, accusing the 
regime in Tehran of launching these executions with sectarian objectives, and 
demanding a halt to human rights violations. The International Federation of 
Human Rights Societies and Center of Human Rights Advocate also issued separate 
statements condemning the execution of Sunni prisoners in Iran.

Iran was one of the world's top executioners in 2015 after putting 977 people 
to death, according to Amnesty International. Iran hanged 44 convicted drug 
traffickers in the span of just 2 days in 2009. This spelled one of the 
country's biggest mass executions to that. While international law absolutely 
limits the application of the death penalty to the "most serious crimes", which 
refers to intentional killing, the mullahs' so-called laws and constitution 
criminalize various measures and sentence people to death under such terms, not 
seen anywhere else. Even human rights advocates, including the highly praised 
Narges Mohammadi, are thrown behind bars for publicly advocating anti-death 
penalty campaigns. This mother of twins has been deprived by Iranian officials 
and authorities of seeing her own children, and only permitted one phone call 
in over a year.

The recent execution of nearly 3 dozen Sunni Kurds in 1 day adds to Iran's 
already dismal human rights history, especially in the past 3 years after the 
"moderate" Hassan Rouhani came to power.

In his statement to the UN Human Rights Council - Session 31- on March 14, 
2016, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran, Dr. 
Ahmed Shaheed, said: "At least 966 persons - the highest rate in over 2 decades 
- were executed in 2015. At least 73 juvenile offenders were reportedly 
executed between 2005 and 2015. In the past 2 years alone, 16 juvenile 
offenders were executed."

In their practice of executing juveniles the mullahs have illustrated yet again 
their callous disregard for human rights. 160 individuals remain in torment on 
death row in prisons spanning across Iran for crimes allegedly committed during 
their juvenile years.

The shocking stroke of irony in the recent executions lies in the fact that 
this incident comes as the European Union is reportedly suggesting to launch 
human rights negotiations with Iran. Any reasonable party figures Iran would at 
least consider halting executions prior to such talks. However, this proves 
once again that Iran takes serious only a brazen and decisive language. This 
should also serve as a lesson on how Iran disregards and in fact abuses any 
interceding measures and has refused to budge on any of its old tactics after 
the much boasted "historic" nuclear agreement.

(source: Kia is a press spokesman for residents of Camp Liberty, Iraq, and 
members of the People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran opposition group (PMOI, 
also known as MEK). He graduated from North Texas University----NCR-Iran)

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

5 Survivors of Sunni Prisoners' Executions Returned to the Ward


5 of at least 36 Sunni prisoners in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj who had been 
transferred to solitary confinements on this prison's Black Monday, were taken 
back to Hall 7. According to Tehran prosecutor who had claimed that 20 
prisoners had been executed, the number of prisoners who had not been executed 
must be more than this, but still there is no news about the rest of them.

According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran (HRANA), 
Farshid Naseri, Barzan Nasraollahzade, Seyed Jamal Seyed Mousavi, Farzad 
Shahnazari, and Teymoor Naderzadeh, 5 Sunni prisoners in Rajai Shahr prison, 
were taken back to Hall 7 of the Revolutionary Guards in Rajai Shahr prison 7 
days after the Black Monday.

On Monday, August 1, at least 36 death row Sunni prisoners in Hall 10 of Rajai 
Shahr prison, were taken to solitary confinement in handcuffs, shackles and 
blindfolded under strict security measures and at least 20 of them were 
executed.

Despite revealing the identity of 5 of these prisoners who were not hanged, yet 
there is no information about the fate and identity of the other possible 
survivals.

(source: HRA News Agency)






BANGLADESH:

Court sentences 5 persons to death for the murder of Chittagong teenager Him


The court of Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Nurul Islam awarded 
the death penalty to the 5 convicts on Sunday.

3 convicts were present in court during the verdict - 2 others are absconding.

Himu, a student of Summerfield School and College, was pushed off from the roof 
of his friend Junaid Ahmed Riad???s house in the port city's Panchlaish 
Residential area on Apr 27, 2012.

Riad and his friends, Shahadat Hossain Saju, Mahbub Ali Danny and Jahidur 
Rahman Shaon, beat Himu before setting a pack of Doberman dogs after him.

The 18-year-old succumbed to his wounds 26 days later at Dhaka's Square 
Hospital. The family later started the murder case at Panchlaish Police Station 
against 5 persons.

They are Riad, his father Shah Selim Tipu, Saju, Danny and Shaon. Of them, Riad 
has been absconding from the start while Shaon has jumped the bail.

Himu had passed his A-Levels examinations and was a member of Shikor, a local 
group against drug abuse.

Those convicted of his death were involved in dealing of drugs among other 
criminal offences, Himu's uncle Sri Prakash Das, who filed the murder case, 
said in his testimony.

They assaulted Himu and set dogs after him because he was against what they 
were doing, said Das.

The feud between Shikor and the youths, now facing death, began after one M 
Ismail Ahmed filed a general diary on behalf of the organisation on Oct 26, 
2011.

"The court ordered that the 5 be executed by hanging after finding them guilty 
under Section 302/34," said Prosecutor Anupam Chakraborty.

Section-34 of the Penal Code explains acts done by several persons with a 
common intention for which each of such persons is liable in the same manner.

Section-302 falls under offences affecting the human body and ensures death as 
punishment for murder.

The convicts can move the higher court against their sentences, but fugitives 
are allowed appeal only if they surrender.

(source: bdnews24.com)






SINGAPORE:

Man arrested for Yishun Ring Road murder


A 37-year-old man has been arrested for the murder of a woman at Yishun Ring 
Road.

Police said in a statement that they found a 29-year-old woman with injuries at 
Blk 342B Yishun Ring Road on Saturday (Aug 13) after receiving a call that 
evening. According to police, she was conscious when she was taken to Khoo Teck 
Puat Hospital, where she was subsequently pronounced dead.

The man arrested will be charged in court on August 15 for the offence of 
murder. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

(source: channelnewsasia.com)