[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 29




PAKISTAN:

Wife of schizophrenia patient keeps up the fight to stop his execution; Court 
had earlier ruled that schizophrenia was not an illness


With hope in her eyes, the wife of a schizophrenic convict once again knocked 
the door of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, asking for a review petition before 
her husband's execution, which is scheduled to be held on November 2.

Safia Bano, wife of the convict moved an early hearing application for her 
husband case on October 31. "Demand that stay for death execution petition may 
kindly be heard on an urgent basis on October 31 because if the application is 
not heard on the same day then the petition would become infructuous and the 
husband of the petitioner would be hanged on November 2 in the early morning," 
Bano stated in her application.

Despite the pendency of review petition, a session court in Vehari issued the 
death warrant for Imdad Ali aged 50, who was awarded death penalty in 2001 over 
a shooting case. Imdad, the convicted, has spent 14 years on death row along 
with 3 years in solitary confinement in jail hospital due to paranoid 
schizophrenia, a seriously debilitating mental illness which he was diagnosed 
with in 2013.

According to National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a federal agency for 
research on mental disorders in the United States of America (USA), 
schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person 
thinks, feels, and behaves. According to NIMH, people with schizophrenia may 
seem like they have lost touch with reality and although schizophrenia is not 
as common as other mental disorders, the symptoms can be very disabling.

The medical report of Imdad described him as actively suffering from psychotic 
symptoms and a psychiatrist at the prison deemed him a treatment-resistant 
case. However, the top court last week in its 11-page judgment ruled that 
schizophrenia does not qualify as a mental disorder under the mental health 
laws - a verdict that cleared the way for his execution.

"In our opinion, rules relating to mental illness are not subjugative to delay 
the execution of death sentence which has been awarded to the convict," said 
the SC's verdict. Safia Bano, wife of the convict, had moved a review petition 
against dismissal of her petition. The review petition said that the SC had 
relied upon the Indian's court judgment, which was not applicable in Imdad's 
case, adding that Indian courts sought to address as to whether a convict was 
suffering from any mental disorder.

"But in this matter, the question is whether or not schizophrenia falls within 
the definition of 'mental disorder," it stated. The petition stated that 
schizophrenia is known to be the result of structural and biochemical changes 
in the brain and it is classified as a chronic and permanent mental disorder.

"Indeed, the petitioner's husband's medical records in prison reflect that he 
has consistently displayed symptoms of schizophrenia, and is not showing signs 
of improvement. He has active psychotic symptoms," stated the review petition.

It further stated that the mandatory provisions of Chapter 18 and Rule 362 of 
the Pakistan Prison Rules must be enforced in the case of an established case 
of mental illness in order to prevent a serious violation of fundamental 
rights.

(source: Daily Times)

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

Verdict announced: 2 sentenced to death in murder cases


At least 2 men were awarded death sentences in separate murder cases in Dera 
Ghazi Khan on Friday. The judgment was announced by the additional district and 
sessions court.

According to prosecution, accused Rashid, Nabi Baksh and Abdul Rehman killed 
Hasnain and Nazo Mai over suspicion of having illicit relations. After the 
incident, the accused fled the scene but were later arrested by the police.

After complete investigation, police submitted a challan in court. Following 
proceedings, the court sentenced Rashid to death and imposed a fine of Rs0.3 
million. However, the court acquitted Nabi Baksh and Abdul Rehman for lack of 
evidence.

Similarly, Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Jehangir Ashraf 
sentenced a man to death in a murder case. Accused Ramzan and Akhtar gunned 
down Pervaiz over a dispute over a marriage proposal. The court awarded the 
death penalty to Ramzan as he was found guilty of the murder and acquitted 
Akhtar for lack of evidence.

Meanwhile, another court awarded 10 years rigorous imprisonment to a robber in 
Dera Ghazi Khan. Accused Akbar Khosa committed a number of armed robberies and 
was also involved in killing of innocent citizens. The civil magistrate also 
imposed a fine of Rs0.13 million on him. The convict will undergo an additional 
six-month jail term if he failed to pay the fine.

(source: The Express Tribune)