[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

May 25



IRAN:

Execution of man arrested at 16 exposes Iran's disregard for child rights


Iran has demonstrated its utter disregard for children's rights by executing a 
man arrested for a crime committed while he was 16 years old in a brazen 
violation of international human rights law, said Amnesty International.

The man, who has been identified in state media only by the name "Asqar", was 
sentenced to death by public hanging nearly 30 years ago. He was executed at 
Karaj's Central Prison near Tehran on 23 May 2017.

"With this execution, the Iranian authorities' repeated claims to the UN and EU 
that they are moving away from the use of death penalty against juvenile 
offenders ring horrifically hollow. It is absolutely appalling that 2 decades 
after it ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Iran continues to 
display such a chilling disregard for children's rights," said Philip Luther, 
Amnesty International's Research and Advocacy Director for the Middle East and 
North Africa.

"This is the 3rd execution this year of someone arrested as a child in Iran, 
demonstrating the authorities' clear determination to continue flouting 
international human rights law. The authorities should halt any further plans 
for executions and amend Iran's Islamic Penal Code to abolish the use of the 
death penalty against juvenile offenders once and for all."

"Asqar" was originally sentenced to death in 1988 after being convicted of the 
fatal stabbing of his 12-year-old neighbour, according to state media. The 
sentence was later upheld by the Supreme Court. He was due to be executed at 
the age of 18 but escaped from prison shortly before the scheduled execution 
date; he was on the run until his re-arrest in April 2015.

Iran is one of the last few countries in the world that still executes juvenile 
offenders. International human rights law strictly prohibits the use of the 
death penalty against a person who was under 18 at the time of the crime.

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty at all times - regardless of 
who is accused, the crime, guilt or innocence or method of execution. The 
organization has consistently called on all countries that still use the death 
penalty to establish an official moratorium on executions with a view to 
abolishing the punishment.

(source: Amnesty International)






GAZA----executions

Hamas executes 3 over commander's murder----The Palestinian Islamist movement 
Hamas executed 3 people in the Gaza Strip on Thursday over the assassination of 
1 of its military leaders allegedly on behalf of Israel.


2 men were hanged to death in Gaza City over the killing of Mazen Faqha in 
March, while a 3rd was executed by firing squad, said an AFP correspondent who 
attended the executions.

Hundreds of people were allowed to watch the executions, though the streets 
around the site were closed to the public.

1 of those executed, Ashraf Abu Leila, was named as the alleged assassin while 
the other 2 men, who were not named, were convicted of assisting him.

The executions, which come only 2 weeks after the announcement of their 
arrests, were immediately condemned by human rights activists.

Human Rights Watch said the "rush" to kill the men "smacks of militia rule, not 
the rule of law".

Mazen Faqha was shot dead on March 24 near his house in Gaza City.

He had been in charge of forming cells for Hamas's military wing in the 
occupied West Bank.

Hamas immediately blamed its arch-enemy Israel, with which it has fought 3 wars 
since 2008, and implemented strict border restrictions on those seeking to 
leave the Palestinian enclave.

(source: al-monitor.com)