[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Sept. 12




PHILIPPINES:

Congress pressed on death penalty


Amid criticism of his administration's ruthless anti-drug campaign, President 
Duterte pressed Congress yesterday to restore the death penalty "to instill 
fear of violating the law."

Duterte lamented that previous leaders lacked the courage to fully implement 
the death penalty, which he said would have prevented the drug menace from 
reaching the current alarming levels.

The President has asked his allies in Congress to work for the restoration of 
the death penalty. Capital punishment was abolished after Ferdinand Marcos was 
ousted in 1986 and a new Constitution was written, but it was retained for 
heinous crimes.

During the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Congress abolished capital 
punishment.

The failure to effectively implement the death penalty removed the "essence of 
criminal law," which Duterte said, is the "fear of violating the law."

"No one died because there was no) ... you removed actually, the essence of 
criminal law, (which) is the fear to violate the law. What prevailed was not 
the fear of the law but impunity and the absence of accountability," he added.

Duterte, a lawyer, said people in the corridors of power such as governors and 
mayors have refused to follow the law.

He was referring to those who are engaged in illegal activities.

"However, you bring the matter to a physical, medical or spiritual issue, for 
as long as the essence of fear is not there. Fear of accountability, that is 
why I want the death penalty. You answer for your deeds," he said.

Pinoys divided

Meanwhile, a pro-life lawmaker yesterday said an informal survey conducted by 
the House of Representatives had shown that Filipinos are divided on the issue 
of reviving the death penalty to deter heinous crimes.

"Filipinos hunger and thirst for justice, not for blood. And this craving for 
justice may be satisfied only by profound and comprehensive reforms in law 
enforcement, prosecution service, the judiciary and our prisons," Buhay 
party-list Rep. Lito Atienza said.

"Offhand, many Filipinos who appear to favor the revival of capital punishment 
are merely venting their exasperation over the miserable performance of our 
criminal justice system," the senior deputy minority leader said.

He issued the statement in response to results of an online poll by the House's 
official website, showing 50 % of participants favoring the renewal of capital 
punishment, 48 % rejecting it and 2 % undecided.

He described support for lethal injection as "shaky, weak and shallow."

"The ratings imply that the reinstatement of the death penalty is a highly 
discordant matter best deferred by Congress," he said.

He blamed widespread corruption for the dismal functioning of the country's 
justice system, which has "deeply frustrated and angered" many Filipinos.

(source: Philippine Star)






IRAN:

Ahwaz: Relative of Executed Brothers Demand Judges to Be Held Accountable for 
Judicial Wrongdoing


A relative of 2 executed Ahwazi Arabs is calling on the international community 
to issue a warrant for the arrest of 2 Iranian judges for human rights abuses.

Farzad Farhadi-Rad is the head of the Revolutionary Court in Khuzestan province 
and cleric Judge Rahmani works in branch 11 of the Ahwaz Revolutionary Court. 
Rahmani ordered the execution of Mehdi Nawaseri and Abdulreza Nawaseri in 2006. 
Meanwhile, Farhadi-Rad has presided over a judicial system that prevents the 
accused from accessing legal representation and falling well below 
international standards of justice.

The relative, who fled to Australia after he served a 2 year prison sentence is 
arguing that serious human rights abuses had occurred.

The 2 brothers were accused of involvement in bomb attacks in Ahwaz. At the 
time of their prosecution, human rights groups had highlighted the lack of 
evidence, the secrecy of the trials and the lack of independent and impartial 
observers.

The lawyers did not have an opportunity to meet with their clients to discuss 
their case with them, but had to prepare a defence based on the prosecution 
file presented to them.

Abdolreza Nawaseri was already serving a prison sentence for insurgency at the 
time of the bomb attacks for which the regime claims he was responsible.

"These men are accused of serious crimes, but they clearly haven't had a fair 
trial," said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of the Middle East and 
North Africa division at Human Rights Watch, when the brothers were sentenced. 
"We always oppose the death penalty, because it is cruel and flawed. But 
sentencing people to death after such an inadequate trial is especially 
outrageous."

Executions following dubious trials continue under the direction of the 
province's revolutionary courts. Recently 3 Ahwazi Arabs from Hamidiyeh were 
executed on the orders of Farhadi-Rad on unfounded allegations that they had 
attacked security personnel.

(source: Ahwaz News)