[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 20




EGYPT:

Egypt court overturns 14 Muslim Brotherhood death sentences----Court of 
Cassation upholds death sentences of 8 other defendants in the case pertaining 
to an attack on a police station in Kerdasa during anti-coup protests in July 
2013.


Egypt's top court on Wednesday overturned death sentences given to 14 members 
of the Muslim Brotherhood over an attack on a police station in July 2013 while 
protesting the ouster of then-president Mohamed Morsi.

A military coup led by then-army chief General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ousted 
Morsi 3 years ago.

Since then, the international community and human rights groups have criticised 
Egyptian authorities for their crackdown on Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group.

The Court of Cassation accepted appeals from the defendants filed last year 
against a lower criminal court ruling, and ordered them retried. It also threw 
out one 10-year prison term in the same case.

8 more defendants in the case were awarded the death penalty in absentia. The 
court upheld those sentences.

Under Egyptian law, an in absentia conviction automatically entitles the 
defendant to a retrial upon appearance.

The defendants face murder charges over the killing of a security officer at 
the police station in Kerdasa and the attempted murder of others in July 2013.

They are also accused of assault, rioting, sabotage, and illegal possession of 
firearms and knives.

The court gave no legal reasons for its decisions. However, in a few days it is 
expected to issue a written statement explaining the reasons behind its 
judgment .

In February, the court ordered the retrial of 149 people on death row in a 
similar case where the defendants were accused of an assault on the same police 
station in August 2013. In that assault 14 police officers were killed.

The attacks came after security forces dispersed 2 pro-Morsi protest camps in 
Cairo, killing hundreds of people in the process.

(source: trtworld.com)






UNITED KINGDOM:

Picture death row and a life's art in a powerful exhibition opening this 
weekend


A unique and fascinating insight into the artistic and creative mind of a 
prisoner on death row is making its way thousands of miles across the Atlantic 
for a thought-provoking exhibition in Bridport.

Who Decides is part of a series of exhibitions for Art for Amicus, a legal 
charity that fights for justice on US death rows. Artists Isabelle Watson and 
Kenneth 'Kenny' Reams, who is currently on death row, will show over 50 works 
of art from pencil drawings, acrylic paintings and several installations from 
Saturday, October 22 to Thursday, November 24 at Bridport Arts Centre.

Kenny has been on death row in Arkansas since 1993 for a crime committed when 
he was 18. He has created pieces specifically about the practice and history of 
capital punishment in the US.

The aim of his exhibition and of Art for Amicus is to highlight the importance 
of art to those in difficult circumstances; and to raise awareness of the human 
rights issues surrounding the use of the death penalty.

Bringing Kenny's message and art to the UK was the brainchild of barrister 
Samantha Knights from Shute.

She first met Kenny in 2000. Her work on his legal case culminated with a 
prison visit to Kenny.

Contact with Kenny continued after Samantha returned home and she began to send 
Kenny art materials. Sometimes he was allowed them, sometimes and often, they 
were disallowed by the prison.

In 2014, Kenny had his first exhibition in Arkansas. From there, Samantha 
suggested a UK exhibition and two years later, Kenny's art is making its way 
across the pond.

Samantha said: "Through the medium of art it is hoped that people will reflect 
on issues of crime and punishment not just as it is carried out in the US but 
also more generally.

"That is what Kenny hopes to achieve through this exhibition."

A free special panel discussion on Saturday, October 22 at 2pm at the arts 
centre between Samantha Knight, Margot Ravenscroft - director of Amicus and 
local artist Ricky Romain will explore detention and the death penalty at the 
start of the exhibition.

Who Decides, is at Bridport Arts Centre from October 22 until November 24 and 
is open from 10am to 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

(source: Bridport News)






INDONESIA:

Jokowi told to assess deterrent effect of death penalty


Human rights watchdog Imparsial has urged President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to 
gather a team to assess the validity of his argument that the death penalty can 
create a deterrent effect for drug dealers.

Jokowi's insistence to keep the death penalty is groundless and has shown the 
current government lacks political commitment to uphold human rights, Imparsial 
researcher Evitarossi S Budiawan said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Jokowi allowed the execution of 18 death row convicts during his 
administration.

Evitarossi cited a study conducted by Jeffrey A. Fagan, Columbia University 
director of the Center for Crime, Community and Law, who found that there is no 
empirical evidence to suggest that execution has a greater deterrent effect 
than long prison sentences.

"[Jokowi] has to [be able to] prove that execution in Indonesia actually 
creates a deterrent effect," Evitarossi said, adding that the research team 
should consist of experts. She believes the result of such an assessment would 
be a strong reason to scrap the death penalty from national law.

She asserted that Indonesia should join other countries already committed to 
the UN General Assembly's Dec. 18, 2007 resolution calling for a moratorium on 
executions, a move by UN member countries toward abolishing the death penalty, 
since the right to live is a Constitutional right that should not be violated.

(source: Jakarta Post)






INDIA:

CBI seeks death penalty for 3 in Bilkis Bano gangrape case


While seeking death penalty for 3 accused in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gangrape 
case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told the Bombay High Court on 
Wednesday that it is important to send a message to society because it is a 
matter of communal violence.

CBI counsel Hiten Venegavkar told a Division Bench of Justice V.K. Tahilramani 
and Justice Mridula Bhatkar said even before the incident took place, the 
accused were involved in communal violence and hence it is a case of 
pre-planned murder. The manner in which the woman was raped and members of 
minority community murdered makes for an immoral crime, he added.

While concluding his arguments, Mr. Venegavkar cited Supreme Court judgments 
listing the doctrine of rarest of rare cases laid down while seeking capital 
punishment for Jaswantbai Nai, Govindbhai Nai and Shailesh Bhatt who were 
convicted to life imprisonment in January 2008 by a special court in Mumbai.

The court was hearing the appeal of 11 people convicted in the gangrape of a 
19-year-old Ms. Bano, who was 5 months pregnant then, in Gujarat in the 
aftermath of the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riots. In January 2008, a special court 
sentenced 11 men to life imprisonment for the gangrape and murder of seven 
members of her family.

(source: The Hindu)

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

Karnataka HC stays execution of serial rapist Umesh Reddy


The High Court on Thursday stayed the execution of death penalty imposed on 
serial rapist B A Umesh Reddy.

Passing an interim order to this effect, the division bench of Chief Justice 
Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice R B Budihal asked the State and Central 
Governments to file objections.

Reddy also questioned the delay in disposal of his mercy petition by President 
of India. Recently Supreme Court had confirmed the death penalty on Reddy.

Reddy, who had several aliases was a former CRPF constable. He was convicted of 
back-to-back raping and murdering women who were staying alone across 
Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubli and Davanagere in Karnataka, Mumbai and Pune in 
Maharastra and also in Gujarat.

He hails from Chitradurga district in the State.

Though Umesh had given slip to cops several times since 1997, he was arrested 
in 2002 near Bengaluru's Yeshwanthpur Railway Station, based on a tip off.

He was sentenced to death by the Sessions Court on October 2006 which was 
upheld by the High Court in 2009 and the Supreme Court in 2011. His mercy 
petitions were also rejected.

Supreme Court on October 3 this year, also rejected his review petition.

Reddy faced 21 criminal cases of which he was acquitted in 11. The remaining 
nine cases were related to rape, murder and robbery.

(source: The New Indian Express)