[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Dec. 31




PHILIPPINES:

A moral, ethical issue for our people


In the ongoing discussion on the death penalty, which President Duterte wants 
to return so as to strengthen the rule of law, it is useful to note that the 
world - and the Philippines with it - has long debated this issue in the United 
Nations.

In 1966, the UN General Assembly, of which the Philippines is a founding 
member, adopted the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 
(ICCPR) which, together with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 
International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, make up what 
is known as the International Bill of Human Rights. The Philippines signed the 
ICCPR on December 19, 1966, and ratified it on October 23, 1986.

In 1989, the General Assembly adopted the Second Protocol on Civil and 
Political Rights, calling on all states to abolish the death penalty. The 
Protocol was a treaty signed by 83 states, including the Philippines. The 
Philippines signed the Protocol on September 20, 2006, and ratified it on 
September 20, 2007.

In between these 2 international agreements, the Philippines became the 1st 
Asian country to abolish the death penalty when the nation ratified the 
Constitution in 1987, but Congress could reimpose it should the need arise. In 
1993, such a law was passed to address the rising criminality in the country. 7 
convicts were executed in 1999, followed by a moratorium in observance of the 
Catholic Church's "Jubilee Year." In 2003, 2 men were about to be executed when 
new evidence came up that exonerated the 2.

All the while, the Commission on Human Rights vehemently opposed efforts to 
reimpose the death penalty. It said it was not convinced that the death penalty 
is the answer to rising criminality. The proper response, it said, lies in 
effective law enforcement, quick and impartial delivery of justice, and a 
responsive penal system. "To mete out to criminals the very final and 
irrevocable and inhuman verdict of death is tantamount to punishing them for 
the failure of the system," it declared.

Today we are again in the middle of debate on the death penalty. Right after he 
won the presidential election last May, President Duterte said he wanted 
Congress to restore the death penalty - by hanging - for convicts involved in 
illegal drugs, gun-for-hire syndicates, and for those who commit "heinous 
crimes" like rapists and robbers who kill their victims.

We are also in the middle of a nationwide anti-drug campaign in which thousands 
have already been killed, many allegedly for resisting arrest - moving some to 
ask if there is still need for a death penalty to discourage criminals.

The critical debate on this issue will soon be taking place in the halls of 
Congress. Along with all the legal arguments and all the Philippines' 
commitments to the international community, the Church has also weighed in 
against the ancient system of "a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life." More 
than a legal issue, it will be a moral and ethical one which will determine 
what we really are as a people.

(source: Editorial; tempo.com.ph)






INDIA:

Sessions court awards death penalty to 2, lifer to 1 accused


Justice D P Mishra, Third Additional Sessions Judge, awarded death penalty to 2 
and lifetime imprisonment to an accused in case of abduction and murder of a 
minor boy. According to Gorakhpur police, on March 27, 2013, appellant Rajvanti 
Kaur (46), wife of Darbara Singh Pal, a resident of Polipathar, filed a 
complaint that her son named Ajit Pal alias Bobby (15) was missing on March 26, 
2013. Acting on the complaint, police registered a case of missing person. On 
March 28, maternal uncle of missing boy named Mitthu alias Amarjeet Singh (50), 
son of Pal Singh Sardar, resident of Narmada Nagar, Polipathar, received a 
threatening call from an unidentified person that he had abducted Ajit Pal and 
demanded ransom of Rs 50 lakh otherwise he will kill the boy.

Gorakhpur police filed a complaint under Section 365 and 64(A) of the IPC and 
started search for the abductor. On the basis of mobile number, separate police 
teams started investigations into the case and succeeded in apprehending the 
accused named Rajesh alias Rakesh Yadav (18), son of Omprakash Yadav, a 
resident of Narmada Nagar, Gwarighat. During interrogation, the accused 
confessed to have killed the abducted boy Ajit Pal and disclosed names of 2 
accomplices. Police started a search and succeeded in nabbing two more accused 
named Raja Yadav (35), son of Buletan Yadav, a resident of Narmada Nagar and 
Omprakash Yadav (50), son of Buletan Yadav, resident of Narmada Nagar and 
presented them before the court. The accused were apprehended with active 
working of police team led by Case In-charge and the then SHO of Gorakhpur 
police station R S Parmar, currently posted as SDOP, Bina in Sagar district, 
while Anil Tiwari, Additional Public Prosecutor, Jabalpur, before the court. On 
this achievement, SP Mahendra Singh Sikarwar has proposed names of these 
officers for letter of appreciation to Director General of Police, Madhya 
Pradesh.

(source: The Hitavada)