[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

June 4




UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:

For Indians on death row in the UAE, reprieve comes from an NRI entrepreneur


10 Indians, convicted of killing a Pakistani man over a bootlegging feud in Abu 
Dhabi, were absolved of the death penalty in May 2017 after an amount of Rs 60 
lakh was paid as blood money (diyah) to the victim's family. Dubai-based 
businessman of Indian origin, SP Singh Oberoi, who paid the amount as per 
provisions of the sharia law, says that there are several Indians on death row 
in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for similar murders. Often, these immigrants, 
in a bid to make quick money, find themselves in the midst of local turf wars 
between alcohol runners, and either end up dead, injured or as convicted 
murderers.

Oberoi, who has rescued 89 Indians from the gallows after paying over 3 million 
USD in blood money so far, said that 130 men have been on death row in the UAE 
for bootlegging-related murders. These include immigrants from Pakistan, Nepal, 
the Philippines, among other countries; however, the majority - over 100 of 
them - have been Indians from various states (Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Uttar 
Pradesh, among others). The similarity, he says, lies in the financial 
background of these men, the abject poverty in each of their homes.

"In all these cases, without an exception, the boys have reached the UAE after 
their families paid an amount of Rs 1 to 1.5 lakh to local agents, who promised 
lucrative, high-paying jobs for their children abroad. The amount, in all 
cases, was arranged by the families through loans and mortgages. But when the 
boys reached UAE, they discovered that they were employed in menial jobs, where 
their monthly salary did not exceed Rs 14,000. Further, their monthly expenses 
were around Rs 8,000. They did save Rs 6,000 on an average, but the loan 
interest itself was Rs 10,000 to 15,000. That's how they ended up indulging in 
illegal activities like bootlegging to make a quick buck," said Oberoi, a 
62-year-old who owns seven companies in the UAE.

Turf wars, said Oberoi, are a mundane feature of the bootlegging culture in the 
UAE, where the sale of alcohol is strictly controlled or regulated, especially 
in the dry emirate, Sharjah. Areas, like in most cities with the presence of 
local Mafiosi, are divided among gang leaders, each with their own sources and 
clients for illegal supply of alcohol. However, these gangs often infiltrate 
into each others' zones, leading to turf wars, injuries, and many a time, 
fatalities. When the police reach the spot after learning of the murder, they 
pick up members of the rival gang, and in all such cases, the accused are 
either sentenced to life imprisonment, which ranges from 25 to 40 years in the 
UAE, or to death.

Oberoi says that the Shariat law has provisions for diyah, which means that a 
convict can be absolved of the death penalty if he pays a minimum of 2 lakh 
dirhams (Rs 35 lakh) as blood money to the victim's family if the victim was 
male, and one lakh dirhams (Rs 17.5 lakh) in case of female victims. Upon 
accepting the money, the family issues a consent letter for pardon, which is 
admitted in court, and the death sentence is waived off. But since the amount 
is substantially high for the immigrant accused to foot, they often remain on 
death row.

"I first learnt of these youths on death row in 2010, when I read a news report 
about 17 Indians being sentenced to the gallows for the murder of one man. It 
sounded strange to me. How could 17 men be responsible for killing one? That's 
when I visited these boys in jail, spoke to the Indian embassy, and got in 
touch with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). With the MEA's moral 
backing, I paid the blood money amount of $1.2 million (Rs 6.4 crore as of 
today) to the victim's family, and the 17 boys were pardoned from the death 
penalty. My contention wasn't to save convicted murderers only because they 
were Indians. I wanted to help 17 families, the tens of men, women and children 
waiting for these boys to return," said Oberoi, who has been spending 98 % of 
his income on repatriating such Indians for the past 7 years.

The businessman, however, says that coughing up money is not as difficult a 
task as convincing victims' families to accept money in exchange for justice 
for their sons. In every case, he personally reaches out to the families, and 
often, flies them to Dubai, and sponsors their hotel stays. In the case of the 
17 Indians in 201o, he hosted the Islamabad-based family for 40 days in Dubai.

"In another case, 3 boys from Gurdaspur were on death row for killing a youth 
from Punjab. When I went to the victim's home in Punjab, they were ready to 
beat me up. I explained to them that their boy had lost his life while he was 
working abroad to make money for his family, and that now that he's gone, they 
should help serve his purpose. But they were not moved. I explained that 
families of the 3 accused would be as aggrieved as them after their boys were 
hanged, and that they shouldn't let such a fate befall them. But they didn't 
listen. After a few minutes, I noticed that the murdered boy had 3 sisters - 
aged 19, 13 and 9 years. I spoke to the oldest daughter, and explained to her 
that the money would help marrying the 3 girls, secure the future of the aged 
parents. When the girl was convinced, she convinced her father," said Oberoi.

Oberoi stated that he is currently working to secure pardon for 16 other 
Indians on death row for the same offence in the UAE. 1 case involves 11 boys 
from Punjab convicted for murdering 2 other Indian boys in a bootlegging brawl, 
and the other involves 5 Indians (4 from Punjab, one from Uttar Pradesh) 
convicted for killing another Indian from UP.

"These boys on death row are not hardened criminals; they do not have criminal 
antecedents. They are poor and desperate. That's why the jails here in the UAE 
are clogged with such children. Even when I get their death sentences pardoned, 
I do not contest their jail terms. I let them serve it. They should serve it; 
they have sinned essentially. My only motive is to save their lives so that 
their families are protected from the inexplicable grief of losing a child," 
said Oberoi.

(source: firstpost.com)






BANGLADESH:

Verdict on Oishee's death reference and appeal on Monday


The High Court set Monday to deliver its verdict on the death reference, and 
appeal of Oishee Rahman against the death penalty awarded to her for killing 
her parents in 2013, reports news agency UNB.

A HC bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Md Jahangir Hossain on 
Sunday morning fixed the date for pronouncing the verdict.

Earlier on 7 May, the bench kept the death reference and appeal in the case 
waiting for verdict after concluding hearing.

The same HC bench, on 12 March, started the hearing on the death reference and 
appeal and Deputy Attorney General Jahirul Haque Jahir read out the paper book 
of the case before the court.

On 12 November, 2015, Judge Syed Ahmed of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 sentenced 
Oishee Rahman to death for killing her parents. The tribunal also fined her Tk 
20,000.

Besides, the tribunal sentenced Mizanur Rahman Rony to 2 years' imprisonment 
and fined him Tk 5,000, in default, to suffer one month more jail while 
acquitted Asaduzzaman Johny.

Police, on 16 August 2013, recovered the bodies of Special Branch (SB) 
Inspector Mahfuzur Rahman and his wife Swapna Rahman from their Chamelibagh 
residence in the capital.

Later, Oishee surrendered to police confessing to her involvement in the 
killing.

On 6 December 2015, condemned convict Oishee filed an appeal with the High 
Court against the tribunal verdict.

(source: prothom-alo.com)