[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

May 23



GAZA:

EU condemns latest Hamas death sentences----EU, Norway condemn 3 death 
sentences against killers of senior Hamas terrorist Mazen Faqha.


The European Union (EU) Heads of Mission and the Head of Mission of Norway in 
Jerusalem and Ramallah on Monday condemned the 3 death sentences that were 
issued in Gaza against the suspected assassin and 2 suspected accomplices in 
the March death of senior Hamas terrorist Mazen Faqha.

"The Missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah recall their opposition under all 
circumstances to the use of capital punishment," said the statement, as quoted 
by the Palestinian Authority-based Ma???an news agency.

The statement added that the EU and Norway "consider that abolition of the 
death penalty contributes to the protection of human dignity and the 
progressive development of human rights."

It noted that the missions considered capital punishment "to be cruel and 
inhuman," and that "it fails to provide deterrence to criminal behavior, and 
represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity."

"The de facto authorities in Gaza must refrain from carrying out any executions 
of prisoners and comply with the moratorium on executions put in place by the 
Palestinian Authority, pending abolition of the death penalty in line with the 
global trend," the statement concluded.

The death sentences were handed down by a Gaza court on Sunday. The court ruled 
that Ashraf L., Faqha's alleged killer, was guilty of collaborating with "a 
hostile foreign entity" and premeditated murder.

The military court said he had been collaborating with an Israeli intelligence 
officer and "provided sensitive information about resistance and fighters" in 
return for money.

Faqha, a convicted terrorist released in the 2011 Shalit deal, was shot by 
unknown assailants in his Gaza home in March.

Hamas authorities in Gaza accused Israel of being behind his death immediately 
after it happened, and threatened to get Israel back for any action by Israeli 
security forces against Hamas senior officials.

Following Faqha's death, Hamas released a video in which it threatened to 
eliminate senior Israeli officials.

The group has arrested dozens of Gazans on charges of collaborating with Israel 
following the killing of Faqha.

Hamas regularly claims to have captured "Israeli spies", and many times it 
tries them and sentences them to death.

In theory all execution orders in the Palestinian Authority's (PA) territories 
must be approved by PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who is based in Ramallah and who 
imposed a moratorium on executions several years ago.

Hamas no longer recognizes Abbas's legitimacy, and has in the past emphatically 
declared that the death penalty in Gaza can be carried out without his consent.

(source: israelnationalnews.com)






UNITED KINGDOM:

Kent politician demands return of the death penalty following Manchester terror 
attack


The death penalty should be returned for terrorist crimes, according to a south 
east MEP.

Janice Atkinson, who lives in Chislehurst and stood for Ukip in Folkestone and 
Hythe before becoming an independent politican, made the comments in the wake 
of an attack in Manchester which killed 22 people, including children.

Dozens more were left injured following the attack by a suicide bomber at an 
Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena on Monday night.

Speaking this morning, Ms Atkinson said: "Much needs to be done to eradicate 
this evil. But there is 1 simple step which we can take now: we must bring back 
the death penalty.

"This is the 1st time I have called for this. For decades I have shifted in 
both directions: taking any life is wrong: it's right to execute certain types 
of killers, but what about miscarriages of justice?

"The risks of miscarriages of justice have now been largely overcome by the 
huge advances in DNA testing to a point of near-infallibility.

"Many will argue that I'm calling for revenge killings, motivated by hatred. 
Others will argue that I'm inhumane, that we live in a civilised society.

"Then there will be those who say that the death penalty is not a deterrent, 
that the warped perpetrators want in any case to die as martyrs.

"None of the above arguments stand up. Not now. We are at war and war crimes 
and terror cannot be given any quarter or allowed any glimpse of victory.

"These people are not deranged psychopaths, they are indoctrinated into an 
ideological belief that involves all out war against us.

"I'm not wringing my hands trying to find answers, I'm a politician, it's my 
job to come up with answers.

"Today, we should announce that the death penalty will be brought back for 
terrorist crimes."

(source: kentnews.co.uk)






LIBYA:

Mass Executions Alleged at Military Base----Investigate Crimes, Hold 
Perpetrators to Account


Forces aligned with the United Nations-backed Government of National Accord 
(GNA) attacked a military base and allegedly executed at least 30 captured 
soldiers, Human Rights Watch said today. A hospital official and an eyewitness 
told Human Rights Watch that soldiers from the 13th Battalion aligned with the 
GNA Defense Ministry attacked the base in Brak El-Shati, in southern Libya, on 
May 18, 2017, and executed troops from the 12th Battalion of the Libyan 
National Army (LNA).

The head of the GNA's Presidency Council ordered an investigation and the 
suspension of his defense minister and the commander of the battalion 
responsible for the attack. The summary execution of persons who have been 
captured or who have surrendered constitutes a war crime.

"The Government of National Accord should act on its promise to investigate 
allegations that its troops executed opposing forces who had already been 
rounded up," said Eric Goldstein, Middle East and North Africa deputy director 
at Human Rights Watch. "The authorities need to send a strong message that such 
crimes will not be tolerated which means that if the allegations are true, they 
should try those responsible."

The LNA does not recognize the authority of the GNA, and instead supports rival 
authorities based in the east.

A senior official in the main hospital in Brak El-Shati told Human Rights Watch 
by phone that the hospital had received 75 dead as of May 19, all adult men 
with the exception of 2 boys aged around 15, and that around 30 were military 
personnel. The official said that all the military dead had died from gunshot 
wounds, and that all had bullet wounds to their head. He also said that 5 
corpses arrived at the hospital with bound arms, and another six had been 
disfigured in a way that suggested their heads had been run over by a vehicle. 
The official said the hospital received no one injured in the attack, nor did 
it receive any casualties from the 13th Battalion. News reports quoted an LNA 
spokesperson saying 141 were killed.

Human Rights Watch also spoke by phone on May 19 with a member of the LNA???s 
12th Battalion who survived the attack, a member of the Libyan Red Crescent 
Society Brak El-Shati, and a spokesperson from the 13th Battalion. Human Rights 
Watch also reviewed extensive photo and video material related to the clashes.

Brak El-Shati military base is under the control of the LNA's 12th Battalion, 
commanded by General Khalifa Hiftar. Troops from the LNA's 10th Battalion were 
also present during the clashes. The LNA is allied with the Interim Government 
and House of Representatives based in the eastern cities of al-Bayda and 
Tobruk. The interim government is 1 of the 3 governments vying for legitimacy, 
international recognition, and control of territory in Libya. The LNA forces in 
the south have been engaged in an armed conflict with the 13th Battalion, an 
alliance of armed groups that includes the Third Force from Misrata, the 
Benghazi Defense Brigades, and other armed groups from the south. The 13th 
Battalion is under the command of Al-Mahdi Al-Barghathi, the GNA defense 
minister. The GNA, based in Tripoli, is the only Libyan government recognized 
by the UN Security Council.

According to the 12th Battalion soldier who witnessed the attack and asked to 
remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, elements of the 13th Battalion based 
in the nearby Tamenhint airbase, about 60 kilometers away, staged the surprise 
attack at around 9:30 a.m. The eyewitness said that the heavily-armed 
attackers, who included Chadian fighters, arrived in a large convoy of black 
armored vehicles.

The LNA soldier, who was at the main gate with around nine other LNA soldiers, 
said the attackers came out of their cars shooting and fought their way to the 
interior. The LNA soldiers returned fire but offered little resistance once the 
attackers had penetrated the base. The 13th Battalion withdrew 5 or 6 hours 
after arriving, taking prisoners.

Hiding under an overturned car during the attack, the LNA soldier said he saw 
nine comrades executed:

I saw the attackers catch my nine comrades who had been running with me from 
the main gate. They were disarmed, lined up in a row, and made to kneel on the 
ground. The attackers then sprayed them with bullets, and once they were lying 
on the ground dead, the attackers shot each and every one of them in the head. 
As they were shooting they were shouting, "You apostates, you enemies of God."

The soldier said that there did not seem to be much resistance in the base, but 
that he could hear intermittent shooting, which he believed to be "executions." 
He said 1 or 2 of his comrades survived by hiding among the dead, but that the 
attackers killed all the military personnel who did not hide or escape. He said 
they also killed civilian cooks, workers, and medical personnel. However, they 
did not harm detainees held by military police at the base. The soldier said 
that the attackers caused much destruction and looted vehicles, military 
equipment, and weapons.

According to the hospital official, the 75 bodies received included 2 migrant 
workers from Niger whose job was to unload food trucks at the base. He said the 
dead included 2 civilians unconnected to the base who were killed on the road. 
He said that relatives who accompanied one victim to the hospital told him the 
man had been shot in front of his family. The other, a truck driver, had been 
shot in the head, and both his arms broken. The hospital official said the 
retreating forces set ablaze the food warehouse and some trucks. He added that 
the nonmilitary victims were killed by gunfire but unlike the military victims 
did not have execution-style shots to the head.

Human Rights Watch reviewed at least 80 photographs and several videos that 
seemed to show the May 18 attack; they appeared to corroborate witness 
statements about the incident. The photographs showed mainly dead men, some in 
uniform, many with what appears to be a single gunshot wound to the front of 
the head. One video shows a group of 4 LNA detainees from the Brak El-Shati 
airbase in the back of a pickup truck, shackled, handcuffed, and blindfolded 
while fighters, seemingly from the 13th Battalion, give them water to drink as 
they talk about the events at the base.

Another video, shot from inside a car, shows a convoy driving on a desert road; 
the passengers say they are from the Benghazi Defense Brigades on their way to 
attack Brak El-Shati. The video then shows around 9 dead men face down as an 
unidentified person shoots at them and a voice calls them "mercenaries of 
Hiftar and dogs of Hiftar." Human Rights Watch cannot independently verify the 
videos or photos.

Mohamed Alghiwan, a spokesman for the 13th Battalion, told Human Rights Watch 
that forces from the battalion had attacked the Brak El-Shati base on May 18 in 
retaliation for many attacks on their Tamenhint base. Alghiwan denied that 
forces linked to the battalion had committed summary executions or any other 
laws-of-war violations during the attack.

Alghiwan added that the 13th Battalion suffered no injuries or deaths in the 
attack and took 14 or 15 prisoners. He said the battalion would release only 
civilian detainees.

All parties to a conflict are required to abide by the laws of war. Certain 
serious violations of the laws of war, when committed with criminal intent, 
such as executions of civilians or enemy fighters who had been captured or had 
surrendered, are war crimes. Anyone who commits, orders, or assists, or has 
command responsibility for war crimes, can be subject to prosecution by 
domestic courts or international courts. Commanders may be criminally liable 
for war crimes of their subordinates if they fail to hand over those 
responsible for prosecution.

"Senior commanders need to understand that they too can be implicated in war 
crimes unless they act resolutely to stop them and punish those responsible," 
Goldstein said.

(source: Human Rights Watch)






PHILIPPINES:

Filipino Catholics in 'show of force' against death penalty----Church leaders, 
activists up pressure on Senate to vote against capital punishment


Church leaders in the Philippines admit they need to "make more noise" because 
"people have not yet awakened" about issues that are contrary to the teachings 
of their faith.

Priests, nuns, and rights activists joined forces on May 21 in what was 
supposed to be a "show of force" to block the proposed revival of capital 
punishment in the Philippines.

A group of pilgrims that embarked on a 21-day cross-country march from the 
southern Philippines joined the protest march and Mass in Manila.

"This is part of the education of people," said Auxiliary Bishop Broderick 
Pabillo of Manila. He said people "still don't understand the issue and its 
relationship to our faith."

Church leaders need to "continue to evangelize [and] to stand to the challenges 
that the times present to us," the prelate said.

"Let us make a stand and tell the government that the death penalty is not the 
solution to criminality," said Bishop Pabillo.

Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan exhorted those who attended the Mass to 
continue opposing "anti-life policies" proposed by the government.

Not against Duterte

Father Edwin Gariguez, executive secretary of the social action secretariat of 
the Philippine bishops' conference, clarified that the protest march was not 
aimed against President Duterte.

"This is not anti-Duterte or anything," said Father Gariguez. "This is a stand 
against death penalty," he said, adding that the intention of the march was to 
bring the message to senators.

The bill reviving capital punishment for drug-related crimes was passed by the 
Lower House in March, but Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon said the 
measure is already "dead" in the Senate.

Father Gariguez, however, said those opposed to the proposed measure "would 
like to get the support of as many senators as possible."

"We are happy that some senators are supporting us on this," he said. "It goes 
beyond adhering to the church's position because [opposition to death penalty] 
is universal," added the priest.

Symbolic gesture

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila earlier urged Filipinos to join the 
movement to oppose the revival of capital punishment.

He said the "caravan for life" is an "opportunity to find ways of fighting 
crime ... without resorting to measures that also violate life like capital 
punishment."

Jesuit Father Jose Ramon Villarin, president of Ateneo de Manila University, 
said the march was "largely a symbolic gesture" that he hoped will create some 
waves.

The priest said a legislation that will revive the death penalty is "an 
additional burdensome law" that will not deter crime and will only be a 
"temporary solution."

Father Villarin said the caravan of at least 15 pilgrims shows that opposition 
to the revival of capital punishment is "not an elitist thing."

"The people from the basic sectors are here. These are people from all walks of 
life and they are speaking about issues that are close to their hearts," he 
said.

The priest noted that while it might take some time to block the passage of the 
proposed law, "I think it is important that we have made our voice heard this 
early."

The Philippine Senate is set to tackle the proposed death penalty law, which 
was earlier passed by the Lower House of Congress, on May 24.

(source: ucanews.com)






PAKISTAN:

Pak Senate panel demand death penalty for ex-TTP spokesperson


A Pakistan Senate panel has strongly criticized the government's 'special 
treatment' for former Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson Ehsanullah 
Ehsan, and demanded that he treated as a terrorist, and be given the death 
penalty as per the laws of the land.

The Senate's Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics demanded that he not 
be treated like a guest or be fed in 5-star hotels.

They said that he was known to have played football with the severed heads of 
Pakistani soldiers.

The Ministry of Defence was further pulled up for presenting Ehsan on 
television channels, saying that the image of the country has taken a beating 
as a result.

Committee chairman Rehman Malik said, "Liaquat Ali alias Ehsanullah Ehsan is 
not an innocent person but a hardcore terrorist. He should be arrested in the 
FIR of Malala's case. He should be nominated in all cases for which he claimed 
responsibility."

"His glorification is against the law. He had no symptoms of being ashamed in 
his confessional statement," Malik added.

The Express Tribuen further quoted him, as saying that the entire nation wants 
to see him hanged. He said he deserved punishment similar to what Jadhav has 
been given.

(source: dnaindia.com)

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

Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly calls for Kulbhushan Jadhav's execution


The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly unanimously passed a resolution calling for the 
implementation of the death sentence handed down by a Pakistani military court 
to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav. The resolution moved by Mufti Said Janan 
of the Jamiat- i-Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) was signed by Pakistan Tehreek- 
e-Insaf, Jamaat Islami, Awami National Party, the Qaumi Watan Party, and 
Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz).

The resolution claimed that Jadhav was a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent 
"involved in subversive activities in Pakistan" and had admitted his crimes 
before the interrogation team. He was arrested by Pakistani intelligence 
agencies on charges of "spying", the resolution said.

The Assembly demands that the provincial government should recommend to the 
federal government to implement the death sentence in accordance with the 
Pakistani laws, it said.

The resolution comes just days after the Hague-based International Court of 
Justice (ICJ) stayed Jadhav's execution and also endorsed the Indian request 
for consular access to him.

India moved the ICJ against the death penalty on 8 May.

Jadhav's case is the latest flash-point in the tensions between Pakistan and 
India. The 2 countries last faced off at the ICJ 18 years ago when Islamabad 
sought its intervention over the shooting down of its naval aircraft.

(sopurce: firstpost.com)



IRAN:

UN Experts Urge Halt to Iran's Executions of Juveniles


Iran has a history of executions for a variety of crimes, and age rarely 
impacts the choice of sentence. Currently, there are at least 90 people on 
death row in Iran under the age of 18, according to United Nations human rights 
experts. They urged authorities to abide with international law and immediately 
stop these executions. This call comes as 2 people, one 17 at the time of his 
sentencing and on 15, were given dates for their executions.

"These executions must be halted immediately and the death sentences quashed. 
We also call on Iran to commute without delay all such sentences imposed on 
children," said Asma Jahangir, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human 
rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran; Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on 
extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; and Benyam Dawit Mezmur, 
Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

Mahdi Bohlouli, who was 17 at the time of his sentencing in 2001, was due to be 
executed on April 19. His execution was halted a few hours earlier but the 
current status of his execution is unclear. Meanwhile, Peyman Barandah, who was 
sentenced in 2012 at the age of 15, is scheduled to be executed on May 10.

"These 2 cases bring the total of juvenile offenders scheduled for execution 
that we have become aware of in Iran since January to 6. They include the cases 
of 2 young persons whose executions was carried out," the experts noted.

In 2013, the Iran penal code was amended to allow the possibility of juveniles 
sentenced to death to be allowed retrials. Later, assurances were given in 2016 
by Iran to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child that this amendment 
would apply systematically for all juveniles who are currently on death row.

In addition, the experts pointed out that by ratifying both the International 
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the 
Child, Iran has committed itself to protecting and respecting children's right 
to life as well as to outlaw the death penalty for all those under the age of 
18.

"These promises have not been fulfilled: Some of the young men executed 
recently were not even aware of the possibility of retrials, and the requests 
made by Mahdi Bohlouli and Peyman Barandah for retrial were simply rejected by 
the Supreme Court," according to the experts. In other cases, the juveniles 
were simply sentenced to the death penalty again after being retried.

(source: themediaexpress.com)






NIGERIA:

Death penalty for kidnappers in Benue as Ortom signs 2 bills into law


It is no longer business as usual for kidnappers in Benue State, as the 
anti-kidnapping bill signed into law by Governor Samuel Ortom has slammed death 
penalty on any kidnapper found liable.

Governor Ortom at the stakeholders meeting held on Monday at government house, 
Makurdi shows stringent penalties for kidnappers, hostage taking, cult members, 
their accomplices and other similar offences.

Traditional rulers, prominent political office holders both at national amid 
state levels, politicians and others in their categories were in attendance 
where governor Ortom presented his midterm score card.

The 2 executive bills signed into law are; Adoption, hostage taking, kidnapping 
secret cult and similar offences as well as open grazing prohibition and 
ranches establishment law, 2017.

The former law gives more stringent penalty for offenders and accords more 
power to law enforcements agents than the latter.

Going by the highlights of the 1st law, it stipulates that anyone whose house 
is used for unlawful detention and kidnapping if found guilty is liable to 
death sentence.

Detonation of explosive instrument within the state will now attract 5 years 
while anyone found to be a member of secret cult is liable to 10 years without 
option of fine.

The law also stated that whoever is found guilty of hostage taking and found 
guilty will earn 10 years jail term while any act of terrorism attracts liable 
punishment of 14 yrs.

Also whoever permits his premises to be used for hostage taking such property 
will be forfeited to government, also any threat to person on kidnapping is 
liable to 7 years jail terms.

The new law also stipulates that any public office holders who sponsor 
kidnapping and found liable will be removed from office and risk 3 years in 
jail, it also added that anyone in possession of illegal firearms in state will 
and upon conviction be jailed for 3 years while whoever aids cultism is also 
liable to 3 years jail term.

The anti grazing law provides that anyone who engages in open grazing in Benue 
State and on conviction will now be liable for 5 years imprisonment.

The new law provides for monetary compensation in case of any damage to a 
property and imprisonment of 2 years of the livestock owner or manager in case 
of injury to any person in the state.

"Where such contravention causes the death of any person within the state, the 
owner or manager of such livestock shall be guilty of an offense of culpable 
homicide punishable under the penal code law".

It also provides that anyone who engages in cattle rustling shall be liable on 
conviction for imprisonment of a term not less than 3 years or payment of 
100,000 per animal or both.

(source: Nigerian Tribune)






MALAYSIA:

Amnesty calls for halt to execution of man on death row


Amnesty International Malaysia (AIM) has called on the Government to stop the 
imminent execution of a man who was sentenced to death for shooting at 
policemen during an armed robbery in 2002.

AIM executive director Shanimi Darshni Kaliemuthu said in a statement that the 
family of Yong Kar Mun, 48, received a letter on Monday asking them to visit 
him for the last time at 9am on Tuesday at the Sungai Buloh Prison.

Shamini said that based on existing practice, the execution is expected to take 
place this week.

Yong was sentenced to death by the High Court in March 2009. He failed in his 
appeals at the Court of Appeal and Federal Court in October 2011 and August 
2012.

He was sentenced to death in 2009 under Section 3 of the Firearms (Increased 
Penalties) Act 1971, which carries the mandatory death penalty.

Yong was charged with bank robbery and opening fire at Julayili Hassan, Yusry 
Awang Takung and Abdul Ghani Ahmad and Mohd Fadzil Ibrahim with the intention 
of causing death or injury.

He was accused of committing the crime with Teng Mun Hoong, 40, who was shot 
dead during their attempt to flee after the incident at Bandar Sri Damansara on 
June 3, 2002.

"The imposition of the mandatory death penalty is prohibited under 
international law, which also states that, in countries where it has not yet 
been abolished, the imposition of the death penalty must be restricted to 'the 
most serious crimes', meaning intentional killing," said Shamini.

She added information isn't made publicly available on individual death penalty 
cases and families are often informed merely days before that their loved ones 
will be executed.

(source: thestar.com.my)

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

Amnesty wants halt to execution of death row inmate----It adds that according 
to international law, the mandatory death penalty can only be handed out for 
'the most serious crimes' such as intentional killings.


Amnesty International Malaysia wants the government to immediately halt the 
execution of a man on death row, expected to take place any time within the 
next 72 hours.

It said Yong Kar Mun, 48, had "days, if not hours, left to live", adding that 
based on existing practice, the execution was expected to take place this week.

"Yong's family received a letter by hand from the Sungai Buloh Prison at 2pm 
today, asking the family to visit him for the last time tomorrow at 9am. "The 
family does not know when Yong will be executed," Amnesty International 
Malaysia executive director Shamini Darshni Kaliemuthu said in a statement 
today.

Yong has been on death row since March 2009. He was sentenced to death under 
Section 3 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971, which carries the 
mandatory death penalty, read together with Article 37 of the Penal Code, after 
being found guilty of discharging a firearm during an armed robbery.

Although no casualties occurred as a result of the robbery, another man 
involved in the act of robbery was shot dead during the subsequent police 
chase.

Yong failed in his appeals to the Court of Appeal on Oct 6, 2011 and Federal 
Court on Aug 2, 2012.

Noting that the imposition of the mandatory death penalty is prohibited under 
international law, Amnesty International added that even in countries where it 
had not been abolished, the same law restricts the death penalty to "the most 
serious crimes", meaning intentional killing.

It said information is hardly made publicly available on individual death 
penalty cases, and that families are often informed merely days before their 
loved ones are executed.

"The lack of transparency around executions in Malaysia is a violation of 
international law and standards.

"Families must have sufficient time to prepare for the last visit and take any 
further recourse available at the national or international level. To date, 
they still do not know when the execution is due to be carried out," Shamini 
said.

"Amnesty International Malaysia does not downplay the seriousness of the crimes 
committed, but we urge the authorities to consider introducing more effective 
crime prevention measures that respect human rights instead of continuously 
using one that has no merit."

The NGO also called on the government to immediately impose a moratorium on 
executions with a view to full abolition.

(source: freemalaysiatoday.com)






TURKEY:

Turkey opens trial of suspected military coup plotters----Trial of 221 main 
suspects of July 15 coup bid begins amid heavy security and calls for death 
penalty.


More than 220 suspects, including over two dozen former Turkish generals, have 
gone on trial accused of being among the ringleaders of the attempted coup last 
year aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Protesters outside Turkey's largest courtroom in the Sincan district of Ankara 
called on Monday for the death penalty for the accused and flung rope nooses at 
the defendants as they were paraded into court handcuffed and held by the 
security forces.

Erdogan: Turkey coup bid 'an act of treason'

"We want the death penalty, we don't want them to be fed and housed here. We 
want these traitors to be buried without any flag," said protester Cengiz 
Ozturk.

Turkey abolished the death penalty as part of its drive to join the European 
Union but Erdogan has on occasion indicated it could be reimposed to deal with 
the coup plotters.

There was heavy security in place on Monday, with a drone flying overhead and 
armoured security vehicles on site as well as snipers on the roof.

Hearings at the trial, one of the largest of several coup-related trials taking 
place across Turkey, are expected to last until June 16.

Turkey blames the attempted July 15 putsch on the US-based Muslim cleric 
Fethullah Gulen, a claim he strongly denies, and has launched a relentless 
purge under a state of emergency against those deemed to have backed the plot.

Gulen is among 12 of the 221 suspects in the current trial who remain at large, 
with the remainder appearing in court for the 1st time inside a prison complex 
in Sincan.

26 generals are among those charged, including former air force chief Akin 
Ozturk and Mehmet Disli, the brother of senior ruling party lawmaker Saban 
Disli.

Also on trial is colonel Ali Yazici, Erdogan's former military aide, and 
Lieutenant Colonel Levent Turkkan, who was the aide of Chief of Staff General 
Hulusi Akar.

The most prominent figure among the suspects, Ozturk was dressed crisply in a 
black sweater and held a blue file as he was led into the court.

His appearance contrasted with the last known image of him which showed him 
bearing injuries including a bandaged ear after his capture 2 days after the 
coup bid.

Almost 40 of those on trial are accused of being part of the "Peace At Home 
Council", the committee established by the suspected coup plotters to replace 
the government if the putsch had succeeded.

The charges against them include "violating the constitution", "using coercion 
and violence in an attempt to overthrow" the parliament and the Turkish 
government, "martyring 250 citizens" and "attempting to kill 2,735 citizens", 
Hurriyet daily reported on Sunday.

The attempted putsch left 248 people dead, according to the Turkish presidency, 
not including 24 coup-plotters killed on the night.

(source: aljazeera.com)