[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Feb. 29



IRAQ:

24 people executed by ISIS in Mosul including group's finance minister


At least 24 people including a top official of the Islamic State in Mosul were 
executed on various charges by the group on Monday. 213 others were also 
captured, a Kurdish official told Rudaw.

"On Monday ISIS executed 24 persons charged with refusing to fight for the 
group on the battlefields," Saeed Mamuzni, a Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK) 
official in Mosul, told Rudaw.

"213 other civilians were also detained by ISIS in Mosul," he added. "Ahmed 
Abdulsalam al-Obeidi the finance minister of ISIS's Mosul Wilayat was among the 
executed who were charged with treachery against the group."

Mass killings and arrest by ISIS have recently increased. 11 leaders of the 
group, including a Sharia court judge, were imprisoned last week in Mosul on 
charges of "treachery" upon the order of the group's top leader Abu Bakr 
al-Baghdadi.

"The 11 ISIS leaders were captured on charges of treachery against the 
organization," Mamuzini explained.

(source: rudaw.net)






DENMARK:

Off With Their Heads: Danish Imam Preaches Death Penalty for Adultery


A notorious Muslim cleric in Denmark apparently promotes some extremely harsh 
punishments for adultery among his parishioners.

According to an expose conducted by Danish media, a prominent imam at the 
Grimh???j mosque located in the city of Aarhus preached that adulterers should 
be flogged or even stoned to death, Berlingske newspaper reports.

Footage from a hidden camera and obtained by TV2 channel reveals how imam Abu 
Bilal teaches a group of women and children what he believes are proper Islamic 
norms of punishment for adultery.

"If the adulterer is a married man or woman, he or she should be stoned to 
death. If it's a girl, she should be flogged," Abu Bilal declared.

When the footage was aired on television, the mosque???s representative Oussama 
El-Saadi told media that the imam was merely retelling the audience passages 
from Quran.

He also added that his mosque adheres to all regulations and abides by 
Denmark's laws.

It should be noted that in 2014 Abu Bilal was fined 75,000 Danish kroner (over 
10,000 euros) for urging the audience to kill Jews during his visit to a mosque 
in Berlin.

The Grimhoj mosque also previously attracted considerable media attention last 
year when Oussama El Saadi publically declared his sympathies towards Daesh (a 
terrorist group also known as ISIL, ISIS and the Islamic State).

Furthermore, it became known that a large number of young men connected to the 
mosque travelled to Syria and Iraq to join Daesh, Berlingske points out.

However, despite numerous calls to shut down the notorious place of worship, 
the mosque continues to operate as usual.

(source: sputniknews.com/)






PAKISTAN:

Honour killing: Court awards death penalty to 2 brothers


A sessions court on Monday awarded death penalty on 2 counts to 2 brothers, 
Ahsan and Zeeshan, for murdering their sister and her husband who had married 
without their consent.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs. 1 million on both the accused.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Naveed Iqbal announced the 
decision after hearing arguments of parties and examining the available 
evidence.

According to prosecution, the accused had killed their sister and her husband 
in 2009 for 'honour' after the couple had married of their own free will. Yaki 
Gate police had registered a case of double murder in 2009 against the accused.

(source: Business Recorder)






BANGLADESH:

No one will get away with irresponsibility in Mir Quasem Ali case: Imran


Everyone will have to pay if Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Quasem Ali escapes 
death penalty because of irresponsibility on the part of tribunal lawyers and 
investigating agencies, Ganajagaran Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker has 
said.

The War Crimes Tribunal awarded death penalty to Mir Quasem, the Jamaat's 
'chief financier'.

Imran warned lawmakers and the investigators during a torchlight rally at 
Shahbagh on Monday, ahead of a hearing on Ali's appeal against the death 
penalty. The Appeal Bench headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha had recently found 
flaws with the handling of the cases besides the progress of the tribunal's 
investigating wing and the prosecution, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said.

This is learnt to have made death penalty supporters think Mir Quasem would 
escape the gallows like Delawar Hossain Sayedee.

The attorney general, however, said the court's dissatisfaction will not 
reflect on the final verdict.

Protesting the 'conspiracy to save' Mir Quasem, Imran said, "If 
irresponsibility lets a war criminal get away with minor punishment instead of 
the death he deserves, everyone will have to take the blame. That includes the 
honourable court to."

(source: bdnews24.com)

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

Execution no way to deliver justice for Salman Taseer murder


The taking of another life is no way to ensure justice for the murder of Salman 
Taseer and Pakistan must immediately impose a moratorium on executions as a 1st 
step towards abolition of the death penalty, Amnesty International said today.

Mumtaz Qadri, the bodyguard of ex-Punjab governor Salman Taseer, was hanged 
today in Islamabad's Adiala Prison, after he had been convicted of murder. 
Mumtaz Qadri admitted that he killed Salman Taseer in January 2011 over the 
governor's opposition to Pakistan???s blasphemy laws.

"Salman Taseer was a brave voice for religious tolerance in Pakistan and his 
murderer should be brought to justice, but carrying out more killings is a 
deplorable way to honour Salman Taseer's life and message. The death penalty is 
always a human rights violation, regardless of the circumstances or nature of 
the crime," said Champa Patel, Amnesty International's South Asia Regional 
Office Director.

"While it is positive that the government is committed to tackling religious 
extremism and is taking proactive steps to ensure perpetrators of violence are 
brought to justice, carrying out yet more killings only continues the cycle of 
violence.

"The authorities have now executed more than 300 people in little more than 14 
months - Pakistan must immediately impose a moratorium on executions with a 
view to the eventual repeal of the death penalty."

Background

Protests against the hanging of Mumtaz Qadri have been sweeping across Pakistan 
today. Amnesty International urges authorities to ensure that the security 
forces avoid resorting to the use of force and only do so if non-violent means 
remain ineffective in containing violent acts or threats of violence by 
protesters; if force used, then it should be necessary and proportionate to 
contain such violence, and with a focus only on the individuals posing a 
threat. They must respect the right of protesters to demonstrate peacefully.

Pakistan's blasphemy laws fuel intolerance and a simple accusation is sometimes 
enough to put people at risk of vigilante mob violence. Everyone in the 
country, whether Muslim, Christian or from another minority religious group, is 
at risk. Amnesty International urges the Pakistani authorities to urgently 
reform the laws to be in line with international law and standards.

(source: Amnesty International)

**********

Coast guard bill passed with provision of death penalty for mutiny


The parliament today passed a bill, titled 'Bangladesh Coast Guard, 2016', with 
a provision for maximum punishment of death sentence for any involvement in 
mutiny in the force.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal placed the bill that was passed in the 
parliament in a voice vote.

The proposed law aims to make the coast guard disciplined, skilled and 
effective through updating the existing 1994 Act.

The law also defined various mutiny-related offences, trial procedures, and 
capital punishments for mutiny apart from other offences.

The bill will pave the way to protect the sovereignty of the country's 
geographical area as well as preventing crimes and establishing rights on its 
maritime resources.

About the aim of the proposed law, the home boss said, it would help 
controlling crimes in the country's maritime areas, river routes and coastal 
belts.

It would also help preventing intrusion into the country's offshore areas and 
ensure security of onshore areas adjacent to the sea, he added.

(source: The Daily Star)