[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 19



BELARUS:

Belarus Death Penalty Resumes After 2-Year Break


The Belarus death penalty has now resumed operations following an absence of 2 
years from the nation. The 2-year pause ceased to exist following 8 months 
after European Union foreign ministers had opted to pardon asset freezes and 
travel bans for over 150 Belarus politicians and leaders, with President 
Alexander Lukashenko included as well.

According to Valiantsin Stefanovic of the Viasna Human Rights Centre, the death 
penalty tends to take place rather quickly, in about 2 to 3 months time 
following the court's decision. Moreover, the whereabouts of the bodies remain 
unknown, as they do not end up being taken to the relatives. Even the burial 
place of bodies that are victims of the Belarus death penalty is shrouded in 
mystery.

Reports claim that physical and psychological abuse is utilized on death row 
inmates in order to extract confessions and information. Such practices have 
only added to Belarus' criticisms, as it has been known to be slammed for 
issues regarding human rights under the 22-year-rule of President Lukashenko. 
As some may recall, President Lukashenko won a 5th term in the presidency just 
last year.

Since February, four people have already been sentenced to the Belarus death 
penalty. The capital punishment was first introduced to the nation during 
Soviet times, and has since executed 400 people following the independence of 
Belarus from the USSR in 1991.

Belarus is the last European country to retain capital punishment. For Sacha 
Koulaeva, the head of the Eastern and central Asia desk of Paris-based human 
rights organization, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), putting 
an end to the Belarus death penalty is an achievable goal with the right push 
on the government from the EU.

Koulaeva added that previous efforts that involved international intervention 
had been proven to be effective, as executions had nearly halted whilst the EU 
had been negotiating lifting sanctions between 2013 and 2015.

(source: The Morning Ledlger)






SAUDI ARABIA-----execution

Saudi prince executed for murder, interior ministry announces


Prince Turki bin Saud bin Turki bin Saud al-Kabir, a prince from the Saudi 
royal family was executed on Tuesday for murdering a man during a brawl in the 
capital Riyadh, the Interior Ministry announced.

"The Interior Ministry, in announcing this, affirms to all that the Kingdom's 
government is determined to establish security, bring about justice and 
implement Allah's law against all those who attack the innocent," the ministry 
said.

Local media said the killing for which the prince was executed took place in 
2012.

Prince Turki's death sentence had been upheld by the Appeals Court and the High 
Court, the Interior Ministry said.

Another royal prince welcomed the news, in the first public reaction from a 
member of the ruling family.

"This is Allah's law, and the way of our blessed kingdom. May Allah have mercy 
on the killer and his victim," Prince Khaled Al Saud wrote on Twitter.

Monday's execution brings to 128 the number of persons put to death so far in 
the country this year, German News Agency (DPA) reported.

On January 2, authorities beheaded 47 people, including a prominent Shiite 
cleric, on terrorism-related charges, leading to furious protests from regional 
rival Iran.

Saudi Arabia imposes the death penalty for offences including murder, armed 
robbery, banditry, rape, drug-trafficking and witchcraft.

(source: Daily Sabah)






SUDAN:

Sudanese prosecutor explains charges against detained Czech journalist


A Sudanese prosecutor Monday accused a Czech journalist and 2 Sudanese pastors 
of espionage and undermining the constitutional system, which all carry the 
death penalty.

Sudan's National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) arrested the Czech 
Petr Jasek four days after entering the country last October in his possession 
2 suitcases, 1 carrying a laptop, a mobile and a camera while the other one 
contained his personal documents.

In the trial which resumed Monday, the prosecutor told the court that Jasek 
wrote reports in 2010 to condemn Sudan and tarnish its image before front of 
the international community. He stressed that the country has been suffering so 
far from these reports which negatively impacted Sudan's political, economic 
and security situations.

Prosecutor Abdel-Rahman Sotal-Arab told the criminal court in Khartoum on 
Monday that they seized an audio report by a member of Protection of Persecuted 
Christians Organization for which the Czech journalist works. In these 
statements, he stated that the genocide and destruction, happening in the Nuba 
Mountains area of South Kordofan State, is part of a systematic work that has 
started since the beginning of "Salvation Revolution", the regime of President 
Omer al-Bashir.

Also, he told the tribunal that Jasek and some members of the group went to the 
Nuba Mountains area and photographed civilians. After what they sent these 
pictures abroad with captures claiming they are facing persecution, torture and 
forced conversion to Islam by the Sudanese army. The statements further say 
that the army bombards their areas inflecting heavy losses to lives and 
properties, he stressed.

The prosecution pointed out that the Czech defendant admitted that their 
organization protects the persecutors who are subjected to the harassment of 
the security authorities. He added that the journalists and the 2 pastors 
attended a conference held in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa last year where 1 
of the pastors displayed photos of a burned young man and claimed he had been 
burned by the Sudanese security to force him to convert to Islam and therefore 
the authorities refused to treat him.

The prosecutor continued to say that following Addis Ababa press conference, 
the Czech defendant decided to come to Sudan and paid a visit to the burned 
young's home in Al-Haj Yousif neighbourhood, east Khartoum. At that visit the 2 
pastors told the journalists that security agents used chemicals to burn the 
young man during a student protest. He underscored that the victim is a 
Sudanese Muslim from Darfur region.

He further said that the security authorities who were monitoring the foreign 
journalist stopped him at Khartoum International Airport and asked him give 
them his smartphone, laptop, a camera and 2 external memories.

The prosecutor added that he was apprehended when he refused to leave the 
country without his belongings in line with the National Security Act. He added 
the investigation resulted in discovery of photos and video footages in which 
appear the SPLM-N deputy leader Abdel Aziz Al-Hilu, civilians and photographs 
of military areas and trenches.

The trial of the 4 defendants started last August.

Sudan has been designated a Country of Particular Concern by the U.S. State 
Department since 1999, due to its treatment of Christians and other human 
rights violations. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom 
recommended the country remain on the list in its 2016 report.

Also last August, the SPLM-N, called on the United States Special Envoy Donald 
Booth to help to secure the release of detained pastors and activists in Sudan.

(source: Sudan Tribune)




EGYPT:

Man awaiting death penalty shot by police----Ashraf Al-Kazaz - who was wanted 
in several violence-related cases, convicted, and sentenced to death - was 
killed in a police raid amid allegations of extrajudicial killing


A man named Ashraf Al-Kazaz was shot dead by police forces on Monday during a 
security raid. The Ministry of Interior accused him of killing and planning to 
attack officers, while several human rights groups suspect he was killed 
following his arrest.

On Monday, the ministry released a statement clarifying that Al-Kazaz was 
killed in action because he resisted arrest. The statement mentioned that he 
was sentenced to death in a criminal case in which he was accused of killing 
officers and mutilating their bodies in 2013, following the forced dispersal of 
the Rabaa Al-Adaweya sit-in.

The statement clarified that he was involved in several attacks against 
security headquarters and the planting of several bombs.

Meanwhile, Al-Shihab Human Rights Centre and the Human Rights Monitor mentioned 
that Al-Kazaz was arrested and "eliminated" by police forces, accusing the 
authorities of committing the crime of extrajudicial killing.

Al-Kazaz, an Islamist, was reportedly active in anti-government protests in 
Giza since the ouster of former president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. Al-Kazaz, a 
carpenter, has been on the run for 3 years.

Several political suspects, involved in violence-related cases, have reportedly 
been arrested and then shot by police officers - a narrative the ministry 
rejects and condemns.

(source: dailynewsegypt.com)






IRAN:

Stop the Hanging of a Child Bride In Iran----Islam's death wish for a young 
woman.


She was born into poverty and an abusive family. As a young innocent child she 
was forced by her family to marry an older man. According to the Islamic and 
Sharia law of Iran, this was a perfectly legal and moral arrangement. Islam 
encourages young girls to become child brides. Iranian authorities point out 
that the Prophet Muhammad's life also illustrates a similar model for his 
followers.

After being forced to marry, Zeinab Sekaanvand Lokran was repeatedly raped. But 
in Iran's Islamist law, even if a husband beats and forces his wife into having 
sex with him, it is not considered rape or abuse of any kind, since they are 
married. According to the clerics, a wife's duty is to please the man. The 
Quran in Sura (Chapter) 2:223 says: Your women are your fields, so go into your 
fields whichever way you like.

Zeinab was also repeatedly beaten after her wedding day. Despite the risk she 
knew she faced, she attempted to leave her husband multiple times, but with no 
success. She begged the police to help her, but they ignored her complaints, 
and reprimanded her for leaving her tormentor. The Islamist law of the land 
does not provide any protection for girls like her. In addition, neither her 
family nor friends would accept her if she left her husband.

More tragedies were to unfold for Zeinab. Her husband's brother began also 
repeatedly raping her.

She begged for a divorce, but her husband would not accept her request for one. 
She did not have any legal base according to Iran's Islamist codes to get a 
divorce. Everything was against this brave, unyielding girl. Yet, the worst was 
still to come.

At the age of 17, her husband was found stabbed to death. Because Zeinab had 
tried to escape him so many times, her community accused her of perpetrating 
her husband's death. She was arrested and tortured for the next few months. 
After endless abuse and torment, she was forced to confess that she was a 
murderer.

It did not take long for the judge to issue a death sentence for Zeinab. She 
was not allowed to have access to a lawyer at any point of her trial. Once 
more, men made the decisions about her life and her death.

Zeinab insisted that her brother-in-law was the one who killed her husband. He 
threatened her to be silent, and told her that if she pleaded guilty, he would 
pardon her, according to Islamic law, so she wouldn't be executed.

Just as she was about to be executed by the medieval method of hanging, it was 
discovered that she was pregnant. Soon after, she gave birth to a stillborn 
child, most likely due to the stress and physical abuse that she endured at the 
hands of her captors. Not long after she gazed at her lifeless baby, she was 
told by the Iranian authorities to be ready for execution.

. Philip Luther, Amnesty International's research and advocacy director for the 
Middle East and North Africa, said: "This is an extremely disturbing case. Not 
only was Zeinab Sekaanvand under 18 years of age at the time of the crime, she 
was also denied access to a lawyer and says she was tortured after her arrest 
by male police officers through beatings all over her body."

Mansoureh Mills, the Iran campaigner at Amnesty International, pointed out:

"I can only imagine how extremely difficult her life must have been. That is 
why this case is extremely shocking and disturbing, She was relying on adults 
to protect her and unfortunately no adults were able to do that. Not the 
authorities and not her family. She tried the police, but they wouldn't help. 
She tried her family and they wouldn't take her back. And she is just a 
teenager so she had nowhere to turn and so she was forced back to this 
allegedly abusive marriage until the day her husband was killed."

The Islamic Republic has hypocritically signed on to the Convention on the 
Rights of the Child, which prohibits the death penalty for and execution of 
children. But Iran repeatedly uses the death penalty to execute people under 
18.

Zeinab is one case of many female children who live such tragic lives and then 
get executed. Last year, Iran executed Fatemeh Salbehi for reportedly killing 
her abusive husband at the age of 17.

According to the Islamic penal code of Iran, girls are treated as adults when 
they reach the age of 9.

Zeinab can be executed any day. Instead of continuing with sanctions relief and 
appeasement policies, the Obama administration should bring attention to Iran's 
crimes against humanity. Iran ranks as the world's top executioner per capita. 
It is incumbent on human rights organizations, the UN, Amnesty International 
and the international community to stop this execution and many other similar 
child executions, which are occurring in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

(source: frontpagemag.com)

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

Urgent: 10 Drug Death Row Prisoners in Imminent Danger of Execution


On the morning of Monday October 17, at least 10 death row prisoners in 
Ghezelhesar Prison were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for 
their executions.

According to close sources, the prisoners were given their last visit with 
their families on Monday afternoon. The prisoners are all reportedly sentenced 
to death for drug-related offenses and may be executed as early as Wednesday 
October 19.

Iran Human Rights is aware of the names of 8 of the prisoners: Abbas Karami, 
Hamid Saber, Hamid Babaie, Hamid Nazari, Peyman Sabalani, Ganjali Chekezadeh, 
Reza Sabzi, and Khodameli Pirzadeh.

These prisoners are scheduled to be executed at a time when the death penalty 
or drug-related offenses is under review in the Iranian Judiciary.

(source: iranhr.net)






PHILIPPINES:

House panel pushes restoration of death penalty to up 'fear factor' among drug 
fiends


The restoration of the death penalty for drug offenses topped the menu of 
legislation the House of Representatives' justice committee is proposing 
following its inquiry into the narcotics trade within the National Bilibid 
Prisons.

The committee recommended a number of legislative and administrative measures 
in its 24-page report on the inquiry, which was officially released Wednesday.

In an earlier interview, Oriental Mindoro Representative Reynaldo said the 
death penalty for drugs needs to be restored to increase the "fear factor" 
among offenders.

The inquiry, which was mounted after President Rodrigo Duterte publicly accused 
Senator Leila de Lima of benefiting from the drug trade at the NBP, saw 
witnesses, including 12 "high-profile" inmates and former law enforcement and 
jail officials, testify during lengthy hearings over 4 days against the former 
Justice secretary.

De Lima refused to participate in the House inquiry, which she said was 
intended to destroy her.

The proposed legislative measures:

-- Re-imposition of the death penalty on drug cases pending the reform of the 
criminal justice system

--Granting of exceptions to the Anti-Wiretapping Law, Bank Secrecy Law, and 
Anti-Money Laundering Act with respect to inmates and drug-related cases

-The Director and the Deputy Director of the BuCor shall serve a tour of duty 
not to exceed 3 years from the date of assignment.

(source: interaksyon.com)






INDIA:

SC Stays Execution Of 2 Death Row Convicts


The Supreme Court has stayed the execution of 2 death row convicts - Vikram 
Singh and Jasvir Singh @ Jassa, who were sentenced to death for kidnapping and 
killing a 16-year-old boy after demanding a ransom of Rs 50 lakh from his 
father.

The bench comprising Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice 
Amitava Roy stayed the execution of death sentence and posted the matter to 
2.00 pm on Monday (October 24th) for the final disposal.

The sessions court had issued death warrants for the execution of the 2 
convicts on 25th of this month.

A petition for re-opening the review petition was filed by the convicts through 
Advocate BS Billowaria, in view of the Supreme Court judgment in Mohammed Arif 
@ Ashfaq vs. Registrar, Supreme Court.

In Arif's case, the constitution bench of the Supreme Court by 4:1 majority 
extended the scope of Article 21 of the Constitution by holding that hearing of 
cases in which death sentence has been awarded should be by a bench of 3 judges 
and the hearing of review petitions in death sentence cases should not be by 
circulation but should only be in open court.

Factual Background

The review petitioners were tried, convicted and sentenced to death under 
Sections 302 and 364A of the Indian Penal Code, for kidnapping and killing a 
16-year-old boy and demanding a ransom of Rs 50 lakh from his father. The 
conviction and sentence awarded to them was affirmed by the High Court of 
Punjab and Haryana, and later by the Supreme Court.

Later, the review petitioners filed a writ petition before the high court 
challenging the constitutionality of Section 364A awarding death penalty, which 
also got dismissed.

Thereafter, they filed an appeal before the Supreme Court. A 3-judge bench had 
dismissed the appeal, and held that Section 364A awarding death penalty as a 
possible punishment, for kidnapping any person threatening to cause death in 
order to compel government or any other person, to pay ransom , is not 
unconstitutional.

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

Death Row Convict Umesh Moves Karnataka HC Seeking Commutation


Infamous serial rapist Umesh Reddy has approached the Karnataka High Court 
seeking directions for commutation of his sentence to life imprisonment citing 
'compelling and supervening circumstances'.

The petition will be heard by the division bench comprising Chief Justice 
Subhro Kamala Mukherjee and Justice Budihal RB on Tuesday.

The accused contended that the death sentence has been rendered 
'in-executable', owing to stated facts and circumstances. He cited that there 
was excessive delay of 2 years and 3 months in the disposal of mercy petition 
filed by his mother before the President.

It was also pleaded that he has been behind bars for more than 18 years, 
including a period of solitary confinement lasting 10 years, which has led to 
huge psychological impact on the prisoner who is currently on anti-psychotic 
medication.

The notorious former reserve police constable, often described as a psychopath 
serial killer, was involved in a series of rape, murder and robbery cases in 
Karnataka and other states.

He was convicted for rape and murder of Jayashree Maradi Subbiah on February 
28th, 1998, in Peenya police limits.

The sentence was upheld by the Karnataka High Court in 2009 and later by the 
Supreme Court as well. His mercy petition filed before the President was also 
rejected.

The Supreme Court's October 3rd verdict quashing his review petition, confirmed 
the death penalty stating, "The petitioner is a menace and has become threat to 
the society".

Read more at: 
http://www.livelaw.in/death-row-convict-umesh-moves-karnataka-hc-seeking-commutation/

(source for both: livelaw.in)






PAKISTAN:

LHC summons record of 6 death row inmates


A division bench of Lahore High Court on Tuesday summoned case record of 6 
alleged members of a banned outfit awarded death penalty by military courts on 
targeted killing charges. The bench ordered for production of the required 
record until November 10. The military courts had convicted Sabir Shah, Abdul 
Rauf, Awais Gujjar, Suleman Pathan, Rafiullah and Sheikh Farhan for terrorism. 
Their family members had challenged the sentence awarded by the military 
courts. Applicants' counsel Zia Bajwa submitted that trial of the convicts was 
already in progress before anti-terrorism courts and evidence was recorded, 
when they were shifted to military authorities from Kot Lakhpat Jail. He 
claimed that whole process was illegal as the convicts were neither allowed to 
meet their families nor given a chance to hire a lawyer to plead their case in 
the military courts. He said that even habeas corpus petitions challenging 
detention of the convicts were pending before the high court when they were 
secretly shifted from jail. He said the convicts had come to know about the 
military courts' decision through a press release issued by the ISPR. He said 
that requisites of justice were not met by the military courts as they were not 
given right to defend themselves. He requested the court to set aside the 
military courts' decision.

(source: Daily Times)






UNITED KINGDOM:

NZer shot for mutiny remembered in UK


An Otago soldier executed for mutiny is to be remembered this year at the Shot 
at Dawn Memorial in England.

Jack Braithwaite, of Dunedin, volunteered for the New Zealand Expeditionary 
Force in May 1915.

He served in Egypt and was later sent to France in April 1916.

While serving in France, he fell foul of the military authorities on a number 
of occasions, losing his rank as lance corporal in May 1916.

He went absent without leave, served at the front for a short time, and was 
later imprisoned after again leaving his unit, receiving further terms in 
military prison after seeking to escape.

His attempt to defuse an incident involving a group of Australian and New 
Zealand prisoners and a military policeman at a military prison resulted in his 
being charged with mutiny.

British military leader General Sir Douglas Haig confirmed the court-martial 
sentence, and he was executed on October 29, 1916 at Rouen.

He was 1 of at least 16 children of bookseller Joseph Braithwaite, who was 
mayor of Dunedin in 1905, and he was 1 of 6 sons from the family to die in 
World War 1.

The Shot at Dawn Memorial, created in 2000, is a monument at the National 
Memorial Arboretum near Alrewas, in Staffordshire, England.

There, 306 wooden posts remember the British Army and Commonwealth soldiers 
executed for desertion and other offences during World War 1.

Posts for Mr Braithwaite and 2 other "mutineers" - Scottish Gunner William 
Lewis and Welsh Corporal Jesse Short - will be added to the Shot at Dawn 
monument at a ceremony on October 29.

The trio were among the 309 soldiers granted formal pardons by the British 
Ministry of Defence in 2006, after a campaign for those executed by their own 
side, often after hurried and unsatisfactory courts martial.

The campaign battled for them to be declared victims of World War 1, because 
many of those shot were suffering from shell shock.

Because of the efforts of many concerned people, including historians and 
politicians, particularly former Invercargill MP Mark Peck, Mr Braithwaite and 
4 other New Zealand servicemen who were executed during World War 1 were 
pardoned by the New Zealand Parliament in September 2000.

Brigadier Evan Williams, of New Zealand, will attend the ceremony on October 
29, along with relatives of Mr Braithwaite, including his nephew David 
Braithwaite.

(source: Otago Daily Times)