[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 7



NIGERIA:

Prescribe death penalty for kidnappers, NUT urges N'Assembly


The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has urged the National Assembly to passed 
into law the bill prescribing death penalty for kidnappers.

This was stated by the NUT National President, Michael Alogba-Olukoya after the 
abduction of 2 teachers and 4 pupils from the Lagos Junior Model College, Epe 
on Thursday.

Olukoya who spoke with Punch said, "It is a bad omen and the security 
operatives should swing into action. We believe in the ability of the Lagos 
State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, to secure the release of the pupils, their 
teacher and the vice-principal.

"Let us prescribe the death penalty for kidnappers. If anyone attempts 
kidnapping, let the person be killed. We have to go a little bit harsh on them. 
Yesterday, it was Kaduna and today it is Lagos. Now that bunkering and robbery 
are no longer viable, criminals have resorted to kidnapping. The Nigerian 
government has to rise to the occasion."

6 gunmen had stormed the school and kidnapped the Vice-Principal, Mr. A.O. 
Oyesola; the English Language/Civil Education teacher, Mr. Lukman Oyerinde; and 
4 Junior Secondary School 1 pupils.

(source: YNaija - The Internet Newspaper for Young Nigerians; ynaija.com)






ZIMBABWE:

And the Zimbabwean coalition against the death penalty


The event will celebrate:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--The Life and Dignity of all Zimbabweans

--Zimbabwean Traditional Culture which found the death penalty abhorrent

--The ZANU 1980 Manifesto declaring the party's intention of abolishing this 
colonial relic

--The draft Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the 
Abolition of the Death Penalty in Africa, drawn up while our President was 
Chairman of the AU and SADC

Zimbabwe has not carried out any executions for over 10 years, putting it on 
the list of countries that have a de facto moratorium on executions. BUT 
Zimbabwe has not formally abolished the death penalty, and the moratorium does 
not spare condemned prisoners the horrors of awaiting execution on death row.

This event will encourage all Zimbabwean to think about what the death penalty 
means. Is it a deterrent to murder? Are errors made in the trial and 
sentencing? - execution is irrevocable. Are more poor people condemned to death 
than rich people? Does putting people to death brutalise the whole of society? 
What impact do prisoners on death row have on the prison system?

We hope that this event will encourage all Zimbabweans to work for the total 
abolition of the death penalty.

(source: The Zimbabwean)






SAUDI ARABIA:

U.N. Body Calls on Saudi Arabia to End Execution of Children


A U.N. human rights watchdog has called on Saudi Arabia to end "severe" 
discrimination against girls and to repeal laws it said allowed children to be 
executed by stoning or punished with amputations and floggings.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child on Friday issued the conclusions of 
its review of the kingdom's record of compliance with the U.N. Convention on 
the Rights of the Child. States which ratify the pact are reviewed every few 
years.

Children over 15 years are tried as adults in Saudi Arabia and can be executed, 
"after trials falling short of guarantees of due process and fair trial", the 
report said. The UN convention defines children as under-18s.

"The possibility of imposing the death penalty on children is still in place 
and that is a very serious concern," Jorge Cardona, a member of the committee, 
told a news briefing.

"But also the possibility of sanctions and mistreatment, including torture, 
such as the possibility of being flogged or other punishments that are 
especially harsh."

Committee chair Benyam Mezmur said it had received consistent reports that the 
death penalty was applied for offences committed by under-18s.

"It's a very serious issue and there are only four or five countries in the 
world that we engage with this issue on and unfortunately Saudi Arabia is 
actually one of them," he said, naming the others as Iran, Pakistan, China and 
the Maldives.

The 18 independent experts who make up the committee also condemned air strikes 
by the Saudi-led coalition in the war in Yemen, which it said had killed and 
maimed hundreds of children.

There was no immediate reaction from the Saudi government to the conclusions 
issued on Friday despite multiple attempts by Reuters to reach officials. Many 
of the recommendations have been repeated since Riyadh ratified the convention 
20 years ago, Cardona said.

Bandar Bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, chairman of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, 
who led a Saudi delegation to the committee's review, told the body that 
"Islamic sharia (law) was above all laws and treaties, including the Convention 
on the Rights of the Child", according to a U.N. summary of the review last 
month.

But the kingdom had the "political will" to "promote all human rights and 
particularly the rights of children", he said.

"It is the interpretation of sharia made by Saudi Arabia in certain cases that 
poses a concrete problem for rights protected by the convention," said Cardona.

The U.N. panel criticized the marriage of girls as young as 9. "The age of 
majority is 9 or 10 years, and that poses a serious problem for girls," Cardona 
said.

The U.N. experts said Riyadh "still does not recognize girls as full subjects 
of rights and continues to severely discriminate (against) them in law and 
practice and to impose on them a system of male guardianship".

Traditional, religious or cultural attitudes should not be used to justify 
violations of the right to equality, they said.

Of 47 people executed for security offences on Jan. 2, 2016, at least 4 were 
under 18 when sentenced to death, it said.

At least 4 other people, convicted of committing crimes as children, are on 
death row, Cardona said.

The experts urged Saudi authorities to "repeal all provisions contained in 
legislation which authorize the stoning, amputation and flogging of children".

(source: newsweek.com)






CAMBODIA:

No Death Penalty, Says PM


Prime Minister Hun Sen announced yesterday that the government will not amend 
the laws to include the death penalty for murderers and drug traffickers, while 
comparing some drug issues in Cambodia to that in the Philippines.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh, Mr. Hun Sen called on all 
levels of authorities to cooperate and take legal action against drug 
traffickers and those engaged in drug-related crimes.

"We will not take measures like Thailand when ruled by Thaksin Shinawatra," he 
said, referring to a crackdown by the former Thai prime minister in 2003 aimed 
at curbing drug trafficking that killed more than 2,800 people without holding 
anyone accountable.

"We will also not take measures from some countries that kill [prisoners]," he 
added. "But we will not tolerate any drug-related crime."

Mr. Hun Sen pointed out that some people had requested the laws be rewritten to 
include the death penalty for murderers and drug traffickers.

"But the government will not do that [death penalty]. Life imprisonment is 
enough for someone who committed serious crimes," he said.

"We cannot move backward to amend the constitution to give an opportunity to 
have the death penalty," Mr. Hun Sen said, adding that those imprisoned on life 
sentences should not complain about their plight.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs has so far left more than 
3,000 suspected drug users and dealers dead since he assumed office in late 
June. Known for his bloody stance on fighting crime, he has been widely 
criticized over his controversial anti-drug campaign.

"I sat with the Philippine president and he [Mr. Duterte] talked about drug 
issues in his country," the premier said.

"The issue is similar to ours in that they [inmates] are imprisoned, but can 
order [drugs] from inside the prison and traffic drugs in the prison. It is 
similar to Cambodia."

In August, police released a report for the past nine months about drug cases, 
which showed drug busts are on the rise. Police detained more than 5,000 people 
for drug-related crimes and seized about 65 kilograms of illegal substances.

Police had filed 2,265 cases, an increase of 597 compared with the same period 
last year, and a total of 5,057 suspects had been detained, an increase of 
1,655 from the previous year.

In the same period last year, police arrested 3,402 suspects, filed 1,668 cases 
and seized 87 kilograms of drugs.

Of the 5,057 suspects this year, 69 were foreigners. Police also seized 65.5 
kilograms of hard drugs, 4.3 kilograms of dried marijuana, 62,023 marijuana 
plants and 95 kilograms of safrole oil.

On Wednesday night, military police in Takeo province arrested 4 people 
including 2 monks for using drugs in a guesthouse.

According to the National Police website after the premier's speech, General 
Neth Savoeun yesterday, the director-general of the General Commissariat of 
National Police, held a meeting to create a special plan to combat drug-related 
crimes.

Gen. Savoeun released special measures hoped to cause a reduction in drug 
crimes over time.

Am Sam Ath, a senior technical supervisor for local rights group Licadho, said: 
"The death penalty will not make people stop doing something."

He added that if there was the death penalty, it would be risky because he said 
the courts in Cambodia are not independent. It was most important, he said, 
that the government strictly enforces the law and eliminates corruption.

Mr. Sam Ath said a lack of prison management and scanning machines were the 
reason some prisoners had the opportunity to use and traffic drugs.

Nuth Savana, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry's general prison department, 
said his department created 13 working groups and cooperates with the anti-drug 
department along with other departments to inspect all prisons across the 
country.

"They will bring urine test equipment and look over the faces of all prison 
officials and inmates. If there is any suspicion, they will call them for 
questioning," he said. "If we find those inmates or officials are using drugs, 
we will file a complaint to the court," he said.

Mr. Savana added that the department urged prison officials to confess. If they 
did not confess but were found to be using drugs, legal action would be taken 
against them.

"On Tuesday, we called the chief of prisons to give instructions," he said, 
adding that the department instructed all heads of prisoners to reorganize 
security in the prisons by separating those jailed for drug-related crimes from 
other prisoners.

(source: khmertimeskh.com)






INDIA:

Serial murders: 2 convicted yet again


2 murderers Chandrakant Talwar and Cyron Rodrigues who were in August convicted 
by Mapusa district court for the murder of a 25-year-old Bicholim girl and are 
presently serving time in Colvale jail, were on Thursday again convicted for 
the 2009 murder of another woman who sought lift from them at Verna and was 
murdered on the way.

It must be noted here that earlier both the accused were acquitted in the 
alleged murder of a fisher woman from Verna.On Thursday, the additional 
sessions' district court Judge Vijaya Pol convicted the accused in Malati Yadav 
murder case, while acquitting the accused Grishmi alias Sonia Talwar. The 
sentence will be pronounced on Friday.

It may be recalled that in 2009, serial murders were reported in the state 
wherein women were kidnapped and later murdered after being relieved of gold 
ornaments.

The police had arrested Chandrakant Talwar, a resident of Panaji and Cyron 
Rodrigues of Merces, Grishmi alias Sonia Talwar wife of Chandrakant and 1 minor 
for the crime.According to police, on one case, Malati Yadav was offered lift 
to Panaji by Chandrakant Talwar and Cyron Rodrigues and his girlfriend, who was 
then minor, from Verna, and later was strangulated to death by Talwar and her 
body burnt at Corjuem.

Throwing more light on the case, they informed that on October 12, 2009 at 
around 4.30 pm, Malati was walking towards bus stand at Verna (where she was 
working) to go to Calangute, she was stopped and offered lift till Panaji and 
as there was already a girl in the car, she sat in the car. She was asked to 
sit on the front seat next to Cyron Rodrigues who was driving the car. When the 
car reached near Goa Velha, the accused Chandrakant Talwar asked Cyron to move 
the car via Curca road. On reaching Curca bridge accused Chandrakant Talwar who 
was sitting on the back seat strangulated Malati using a wire.

Later, they proceeded towards Mapusa with the body in the car. On reaching near 
petrol pump Cyron purchased diesel in a bottle and then went towards 
Corjuem-Aldona, and disposed of the body by setting it afire after pouring 
diesel on it at Corjuem.

After disposing of the body, the 3 accused proceeded to Mayem and stayed in a 
hotel. Next day on October 13, they travelled to Mapusa where Chandrakant 
Talwar's wife Grishmi alias Sonia Talwar was waiting for them at the bus stand, 
the police added. Talwar then forced his wife to accompany him to the Mapusa 
market and sell the ornaments which were taken off from the body worth Rs 
50,000 to a goldsmith. After selling the ornaments, the accused left for Mumbai 
by a bus.The case was registered under sections 365, 302, 394, 201 read with 
Section 120(B) against the accused, and the Crime Branch police arrested the 
accused in Mumbai on October 16.

Public prosecutor Sunita Nagvekar demanded death penalty for both the accused, 
terming the act as brutal and inhuman.Nagvekar argued that "the case is rarest 
of rare and the gravity of the offence is proven that it was barbaric act as 
the accused had committed four murders in 3 days." She also cited 2 orders - 
state of Uttar Pradesh versus S Satish and Renukabai versus state of 
Maharashtra, wherein Supreme Court had upheld the death penalties awarded to 
the accused by the lower court.

Advocate Prashant Parab and Harshal Ghate appeared for Chandrakant Talvar and 
Cyron Rodrigues while advocate Gopal Kanekar appeared for Grishmi alias Sonia 
Talwar who was acquitted in the case and for the state advocate Francis Noronha 
and advocate Sunita Nagvekar appeared.

It may recalled that on August 29, the additional district court had convicted 
both the accused and sentenced them to undergo rigorous imprisonment under 
various sections of IPC for abducting and murdering Sharmila Mandrekar, 
25-year-old from Bicholim. She was abducted from Bicholim on October 10, 2009, 
raped and murdered at Socorro-Porvorim.

(source: goacom.com)






UGANDA:

Tears As Death Row Inmates Beg for Mercy


Nearly 200 prisoners on death row have begged for mercy and asked the 
authorities to expedite the hearing of their appeals after it emerged that most 
of them have spent years on remand without knowing their fate.

There are currently 198 inmates on death row (187 males and 11 females) but 
their sentences have never been confirmed by the Supreme Court.

Many of them were convicted for murder but in spite of the fact that they 
appealed, their cases have never been scheduled for hearing and others were 
told that their files were misplaced.

For instance, a group of prisoners led by Francis Muwanga, who has been on 
death row since 1999 and was part of the Susan Kigula case that outlawed 
mandatory death penalty but says he did not benefit.

"I am suffering because my file got lost. I went for mitigation and a High 
Court said I don't deserve any mercy. Even if my case is the rarest of all, I 
believe there is still room for me to get justice and pardon just like my 
colleagues who have been released or transferred to the other side," Muwanga 
said.

In 2009, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Constitutional Court and 
affirmed that the mandatory death penalty and excessive delay on death row are 
unconstitutional.

The Court found that the mandatory (automatic) nature of its imposition was 
unconstitutional because it did not provide the Court with the opportunity to 
take into account any individual mitigating circumstances that might make the 
death penalty an inappropriately severe punishment.

The Court provided the government with a 3-year period to give effect to the 
judgment after which date all death sentences should be set aside. The Court 
also ruled that any prisoners who had been on death row more than 3 years were 
entitled to have their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment.

Annet Nakafeero, a former death row prisoner, said although her penalty was 
reduced, she was not helped after the High Court sentenced her to 45 years 
after mitigation hearing.

She said she was surprised by the High Court to sentence her to a long sentence 
despite her pleadings and appeals by her children and prison authorities.

"It is true I committed a crime but I apologised and given a chance, I am a 
reformed person and ready to go back to my community and sensitise people 
against wrong doing. I have learnt a lot and I feel changed," narrated 
Nakafeero adding that she still is waiting for her final verdict after 13 
years.

Jamilah Zubedah, one of the 11 death row inmates in the women section, said she 
was imprisoned at the age of 14 for murder in 2014 but claims that she has now 
reformed.

"I apologise for all what I did and I pray that government gives me a 2nd 
chance because I was young but now I have grown up and I have learnt how to 
resolve problems," Zubedah cried as she begged for mercy.

The EU Ambassador to Uganda, Kristian Schmidt, was touring the condemn sections 
of prison facilities at Luzira.

Accompanied by the deputy Head of Mission of the French Embassy, Mr Lionel 
Vignacq and officials of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiatives, he was on 
a fact finding mission to receive issues from death row inmates ahead of the 
commemoration of the World Day Against Death Penalty. The day is marked on 
October 10.

(source: The Monitor)