[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

August 29



IRAN:

Iran Sentences Prisoner Mohammad Ali Taheri to Death



The Iranian regime's judiciary has sentenced to death political prisoner 
Mohammad Ali Taheri, his attorney told news agencies on Sunday.

Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaei told The Associated Press that the court has 
sentenced his client to death on charges of "founding a cult."

The 61-year-old Taheri has been held in solitary confinement for over 6 years 
in Tehran's Evin prison.

In an Urgent Action issued in July, Amnesty International had warned about Mr. 
Taheri facing death Penalty.

Amnesty International statement said: "Prisoner of conscience Mohammad Ali 
Taheri is accused of 'spreading corruption on earth' (efsad-e fel arz) through 
the establishment of the spiritual group Erfan-e Halgheh and its related 
teachings. His trial started on 6 March before Branch 26 of the Revolutionary 
Court in Tehran."

"This is the 3rd time that Mohammad Ali Taheri is standing trial on the charge 
of 'spreading corruption on earth'. The 1st time was in 2011 when a 
Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced him to 5 years' imprisonment for 
'insulting Islamic sanctities' but said further investigations were necessary 
before it could rule on the charge of "spreading corruption on earth"

"For the next 4 years, the authorities kept him in solitary confinement in 
Section 2A of Evin prison, where he remains imprisoned, under the pretext of 
conducting investigations. This time counted toward his 5-year sentence, which 
was deemed complete in February 2016. He was ultimately tried again on the 
charge of 'spreading corruption on earth' in 2015 and sentenced to death, but 
he was acquitted in June 2016. Despite this, he was not released and in late 
2016, the authorities charged him again with 'spreading corruption on earth' 
based on the same activities that had formed the basis of his 2011 conviction."

On Sunday, a group of Mr Taheri's followers gathered outside "Revolutionary 
Court" in Tehran to protest the death penalty.

In recent weeks, authorities have detained dozens of his followers protesting 
ill treatment of Mr. Taheri.

(source: ncr-iran.org)








INDIA:

"Hang rapist Baba to death", chants UP sadhus for rape convict Ram Rahim 
Singh----CBI judge Jagdeep Singh will be soon arriving at Rohtak jail. Police 
have been alerted in UP as well ahead of the announcement of the quantum of 
punishment



Uttar Pradesh sadhu's demanded death penalty to the Dera Sacha Sauda chief 
Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the rape case. Quantum of punishment will be 
pronounced inside Rohtak jail at 2:30 pm today.

A group of sadhus, including a Naga sadhu, and a few people of Varanasi 
demanded 'death by hanging' for the Dera chief who is in Rohtak jail. Sadhus 
held placards which read: 'Balatkari baba ko Phansi do-Phansi do' it means hang 
to death the rapist baba, reports ANI.

(source: indiasamvad.co.in)








VIETNAM:

51 bankers, businessmen on trial in Vietnam for fraud



A former banking magnate and 50 others went on trial in Vietnam Monday over a 
multi-million dollar fraud at a major private bank, as the communist nation 
cracks down on corruption in the sector.

Authorities have vowed to clean up an industry plagued by favouritism and dodgy 
loans -- part of a broader drive against corruption in the country.

In the latest trial the ex-chairman of Ocean Bank, Ha Van Tham, is accused of 
illegally approving loans worth $23 million in 2012, ultimately leading to the 
bank's demise and stripping him of his status as one of the country's richest 
men.

Tham and 50 other bankers and businessmen, most of whom worked at Ocean Bank, 
face various charges related to the illegal loan in the 20-day trial that 
opened Monday.

Some face the death penalty, according to the lengthy indictment.

The trial involves a record 50 defence lawyers and more than 700 witnesses, and 
is the 2nd time the accused have appeared after a March trial was postponed for 
further investigation.

Tham is accused of approving the loan to the Trung Dung real estate company 
without proper collateral.

The head of the real estate company, Pham Cong Danh, is currently in jail after 
a separate conviction of economic mismanagement.

Ocean Group, which includes real estate and hotel subsidiaries, enjoyed a 
meteoric rise after its founding in 2007, and was valued at $500 million in 
2013 under Tham's stewardship.

But after Tham was arrested in 2014, most bank branches shut and the State Bank 
of Vietnam, the central bank, acquired Ocean Bank for $0.

Ocean Group is still active in real estate and hotels and services and was 
valued at about $3.5 million in 2016, according to its website.

Vietnam has already jailed dozens of bankers in other high-profile banking 
cases, though some say corrupt officials should be targeted as part of the 
crackdown.

"In economic cases, only enterprise managers and owners are put on trial, not 
policymakers or state officials... punishment of party and state (officials) is 
not strong enough," economic law expert Nguyen Viet Khoa told AFP.

In September last year 36 former Vietnam Construction Bank employees were given 
jail terms of up to 30 years, after they were accused of secretly withdrawing 
millions of dollars from clients' accounts to use for loans or keep for 
themselves.

Bad debts have long plagued the banking industry. They make up some eight 
percent of outstanding loans, according to the state bank, though experts say 
the real number could be far higher.

Authorities have also targeted other sectors in their anti-corruption drive, 
though analysts say convictions are often driven by political infighting rather 
than a genuine commitment to reform.

This month Germany accused Vietnam of kidnapping Trinh Xuan Thanh, a former oil 
executive accused of corruption, from a Berlin park.

Officials in Vietnam said he turned himself over to police in Hanoi 
voluntarily.

(source: dailymail.co.uk)








MALAYSIA:

Melaka woman who bashed own baby to death deemed of unsound mind; spared 
gallows



A housewife escaped the gallows for killing her 22-month-old daughter 2 years 
ago after the High Court here found her to be of unsound mind when committing 
the offence.

Daphne Phang Mei Kei, 28, clad in a pink jacket over an orange shirt and jeans, 
was all smiles and even shook hands with other accused at the courthouse here 
when Judicial Commissioner Siti Khadijah S. Hassan Badjenid issued her ruling.

Siti Khadijah ruled that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt 
against the prosecution's case, which held that the accused was responsible for 
her daughter's death.

However, Daphne was ordered to be sent to the Permai Psychiatric Hospital in 
Tampoi, Johor, at the pleasure of the Melaka Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Mohd 
Khalil Yaakob.

"Under Section 84 of the Penal Code, Daphne was (deemed) of unsound mind when 
committing the murder, and was incapable of knowing the nature of the act, or 
that what she was doing what either wrong or contrary to the law.

"Due to this, the court has ordered, under Section 348 (1) of the Criminal 
Procedure Code (safe custody of person acquitted), for Daphne to be placed 
under the safe custody of the Permai Hospital in Johor Baru.

"Daphne is to be confined to the psychiatric hospital at the pleasure of the 
Melaka Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob under Section 348 (2) of 
the Criminal Procedure Code," Siti Khadijah said.

Earlier, the atmosphere at the courthouse was tense, as Daphne's relatives 
anxiously awaited the sentencing hearing. Family members appeared calm and 
composed, and breathed a sigh of relief after the court's verdict.

On Aug 4, 2015, Daphne was charged at the Alor Gajah magistrate's court with 
killing her daughter, who was aged 1 year and 10 months. She was accused of 
murdering Evan Chee Xin Ci at 5.30pm on July 20, 2015 at her house at No. PS 
2237, Jalan Padi Indah Utama, Taman Padi Indah, Pulau Sebang here.

She was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the 
mandatory death penalty upon conviction.

It was reported that Daphne, who was pregnant at the time, had tossed Evan in 
the air before knocking her head on the floor several times, as she was annoyed 
with her continuous crying for milk. Evan died later that day.

The case was initially classified as "sudden death." However, a post-mortem 
showed that the child had suffered 2 severe cracks on the rear of her skull, 
apart from fresh swelling on her forehead and nose.

Old injuries were also found on her body.

More than 25 prosecution and defence witnesses were called during the trial.

Deputy public prosecutor, Ifa Sirrhu Samsudin prosecuted, while lawyer Tiu 
Leong Kim represented Daphne.

It is understood that Daphne has 3 other children by her 35-year-old husband.

(source: nst.com.my)