[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

March 24



SAUDI ARABIA----execution

Saudi Arabia carries out 76th execution of the year----Kingdom faces criticism 
from rights groups over its use of the death penalty


Authorities in Saudi Arabia have executed the 76th person to be put to death in 
the country this year.

Saudi citizen Abdullah al-Harbi was executed after being convicted for murder, 
state media reported.

The manner of the execution was not specified, but many people convicted of 
criminal charges are beheaded.

His death brings the number of executions in the conservative Islamic state to 
76, according to AFP news agency, which keeps record of Saudi executions.

The number of people executed in Saudi Arabia, a close ally of Britain, in the 
1st 3 months of 2016 compared to the 153 people killed by the state in all of 
2015 - described by Amnesty International as the highest in 20 years.

In the Wahabi Saudi interpretation of Sharia law, apostasy, armed robbery, drug 
trafficking, rape and murder all carry the death penalty.

The rate of executions has dramatically increased since the accession of King 
Salman in January 2015.

In January, there was an international outcry following the mass execution of 
47 people on terrorism charges, including influential Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

Saudi Arabia has been criticised by rights groups over it frequent use of the 
death penalty, one of the highest in the world.

Among those facing execution is journalist Alaa Brinji, who has campaigned for 
women's rights.

Accused of apostasy charges including 'calling for secularist thought' and 
'ridiculing Islamic religious figures', he has been denied legal support, 
according to Amnesty International.

He has also been charged with breaching cybercrime laws, which Amnesty 
International said related to his use of social media.

In addition to the death penalty, the country continues to face criticism over 
its treatment of women and its millitary campaign in Yemen, for which it has 
been accused of killing civilians in air strikes.

In the UK, Saudi Arabia has faced renewed criticism following a documentary 
which aired this week.

Footage in the programme, filmed covertly in the secretive nation, showed 
public executions, bodies displayed in the streets and public corporal 
punishment.

(source: The Independent)






BANGLADESH:

see: 
http://www.amnestyusa.org/get-involved/take-action-now/bangladesh-halt-the-execution-
of-motiur-rahman-nizami-ua-6616

(source: Amnesty International USA)






IRAN:

http://www.amnestyusa.org/get-involved/take-action-now/iran-halt-any-plans-to-execute-
himan-uraminejad-ua-7216

(source: Amnesty International USA






MALAYSIA:

Halt 3 executions, abolish death penatly, urges Bar


The Malaysian Bar is extremely troubled over the reports of the imminent 
carrying out of the death sentence upon Gunasegar s/o Pitchaymuthu, J Ramesh 
s/o Jayakumar, and Sasivarnam s/o Jayakumar.

Their next-of-kin have been informed to schedule their final visit with them 
today, and to discuss the arrangements for burial. The executions could be 
carried out as early as tomorrow, possibly at Taiping Prison. This appears to 
be consistent with the practice of executing death row inmates early on a 
Friday morning.

All 3 of these death row prisoners were convicted under section 302, read with 
section 34, of the Penal Code, and their convictions were upheld by the Federal 
Court on 19 February 2014. At the time of writing, we have no information as to 
whether applications for pardon were made for them or on their behalf.

Since 2010, the Malaysian government has announced its willingness to review 
the mandatory death penalty, with a view to its possible abolition or the 
reintroduction of a discretionary death penalty.

More recently, in 2015, both the minister in the prime minister's department in 
charge of law and the attorney general have spoken of the government's 
intention to introduce legislation in Parliament to cease the use of the 
mandatory death penalty.

While this laudable initiative appears to have been in the context of the 
mandatory death sentence for those convicted of drug-related offences, the 
Malaysian Bar is of the view that the death penalty should be abolished 
irrespective of the crime that may have been committed.

The decision on the punishment for offences should be left to the discretion of 
the judiciary. The death penalty has no place in a society that values human 
life, justice and mercy. Persons sentenced with the mandatory death penalty 
should be resentenced to imprisonment.

In light of the impending review of the mandatory death penalty, the government 
should, in the interest of justice, declare and implement an immediate official 
moratorium on any and all executions. All death sentences should be stayed 
pending the results of the review. It is unfair and unjust to carry out the 
death sentence when there is currently a possibility of reform which, if put 
into effect, should apply retrospectively.

The Malaysian Bar therefore calls on the Malaysian government to immediately 
halt the impending execution of Gunasegar s/o Pitchaymuthu, J Ramesh s/o 
Jayakumar, and Sasivarnam s/o Jayakumar.

(source: Steven Thiru is president of the Malaysian Bar; aliran.com)