[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Dec. 4



SOUTH AFRICA:

Tears flow at service for lawyer Jansen



St Alban's Cathedral in Pretoria was packed to the brim yesterday as people 
from all walks of life came together to hail the man who made deep inroads in 
the law towards paving a better life for people, especially the poor.

Among those who was there was former judge Mabel Jansen, who has not been seen 
much in public since she resigned from the judiciary.

While everyone was still reeling from Jansen's sudden death a week ago and 
still very much mourning his loss, the day was all about paying tribute to a 
man who had fought injustice on behalf of the poor and marginalised.

The 53-year-old Jansen died in Limpopo where he was doing what he loved most - 
consulting with a rural community about their land reform problems.

Friend and colleague, Pretoria attorney Kgaugelo Baloyi, said Jansen would 
always be remembered as a champion for land reform and land restitution issues.

"He mainly handled all the big problematic cases and we all sought advice from 
him.

"His loss was extensive and the rural communities are reeling. They are asking 
who else is going to assist them the way he did."

Baloyi said Jansen did not care about money. "Money was not an issue to him. He 
always said 'bring it on. Let's help the poor people???. He carried all the 
load himself. He always strove to save the poor people."

Baloyi said Jansen was the one who used to push land reform matters in the 
Constitutional Court.

He said that over and above leaving a huge legacy behind, "Jansen also leaves 
us with case law and precedent-setting judgments for those left to continue his 
legacy."

(source: iol.co.za)








MALAWI:

Erase death penalty in our penal code - Balaka chiefs



Chiefs in Balaka district have called on government to permanently remove death 
penalty in the penal code that was suspended in 2007.

According to the Chiefs, Malawi needs to respect right to life of inmates who 
are sentenced to death.

Senior Chief Nsamala; Has asked Govt to remove death penalty in the penal code.

Speaking at the commemoration of 'cities of life' by Community of Saint Egidio 
in Balaka, Senior Chief Nsamala called on government to remove death penalty in 
the penal code saying the country should focus on transforming people who are 
sentenced to capital punishment.

"We would have loved if government had removed death penalty in our penal code, 
some people are sentenced to serve jail terms without committing the offense 
and we may kill such person because they didn't have a lawyer to follow up the 
case for them to get justice," said chief Nsamala.

Concurring with Nsamala, Inkosi Chathunya added that government must not give 
capital punish saying killing does not reflect Malawi being a God- fearing 
nation.

Citing a Biblical story of Mose's life, Apostle Andrew Makharamba of Destiny 
Ministries International in Balaka said the country must transform those 
sentenced to have capital punishment to be responsible citizens.

"When we read the Bible, Moses was a murderer, he killed someone in Egypt but 
look God used him to go and liberate the Israelites, what if he was sentenced 
to death penalty," said Makharamba.

Responsible person for the Community of Saint Egidio in Balaka Potipher Magombo 
said the community is to ensure that Malawi has ommitted the death penalty in 
the penal code despite the law being declared unconstitutional.

Every year the Community of Saint Egidio commemorate the abolition of death 
penalty in laws of countries in the World.

This year's commemoration were under the theme "No justice without life".

(source: malawi24.com)








VIETNAM:

Former Hanoi official could face death for embezzlement----The agriculture 
official is accused of pocketing over $660,000 from a state-owned firm he 
headed years ago.



A former senior official in Hanoi is facing the death penalty for embezzling 
nearly VND15 billion ($661,500) from a state-owned company he was at the helm 
more than 10 years ago.

Hanoi prosecutors have ratified charges against Phan Minh Nguyet, former deputy 
director of the capital city's agriculture department, for embezzlement, abuse 
of power and deliberately violating government regulations on economic 
management causing serious consequences.

Nguyet was chairman and general director of the state-owned Hanoi Agricultural 
Development and Investment Company Ltd. (Hadico) between 2005 and 2014, before 
taking the post at the city's agriculture department.

During his time at Hadico, Nguyet instructed his subordinates to commit a 
series of wrongdoings, according to the indictment.

He illegally approved the construction of houses and retail booths for rent on 
land owned by the company. Nguyet and five subordinates, his chief accountnant 
and directors of member companies, pocketed most of the money, as well as 
payments from contractors for a high-tech agriculture project.

The gang is accused of embezzling a total of VND19 billion, of which Nguyet 
took the lion's share. He was arrested in March 2015.

(source: vnexpress.net)








JORDAN:

5 Syrians convicted in IS blast that led to Jordan closure



Jordan's state security court has convicted 5 Syrians of helping Islamic State 
militants carry out a 2016 car bomb attack that led to the closure of the 
Syrian-Jordanian border.

The court on Monday imposed the death penalty on 1 defendant and sentenced 3 to 
life in prison. A 5th was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

The cross-border attack, launched from near the Rukban border camp for 
displaced Syrians, killed 7 Jordanian border guards. In response, Jordan sealed 
the border.

Judge Mohammed Afif says the defendants collected information about Jordan's 
military positions on the border for IS. He says 4 admitted receiving monthly 
payments from IS.

The judge says the defendant who was sentenced to death had filmed the attack 
on his mobile phone and given the footage to IS.

(source: Associated Press)