[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 3



SAUDI ARABIA:

Saudi Arabia Death toll reaches 100 as authorities carry out execution spree



The Saudi Arabian authorities executed a man today, bringing the total number 
of people put to death so far in 2017 to 100, with 60 people executed in the 
past 3 months alone, said Amnesty International.

"Since July 2017, the Saudi Arabian government has been on an execution spree 
with an average of 5 people put to death per week. This sets the country firmly 
on track to remain one of the most prolific executioners on the planet," said 
Lynn Maalouf, Director of Research for Amnesty International in the 
Middle-East.

"If the Saudi authorities are truly intent on making reforms, they must 
immediately establish an official moratorium on executions as a first step 
towards abolishing the death penalty completely."

40 % of the executions carried out so far this year were related to 
drug-related offences, which do not fall into the category of "most serious 
crimes". The use of the death penalty for such offences violates international 
human rights law.

Unfair trials

Many people in Saudi Arabia sentenced to death and executed are charged guilty 
following seriously flawed court proceedings that routinely fall far short of 
international fair trial standards. They are often convicted solely on the 
basis of "confessions" obtained under torture and other ill-treatment, denied 
legal representation in trials which are held in secret, and are not kept 
informed of the progress of the legal proceedings in their case.

For example, on 13 September Said al-Sai'ari was executed in the city of 
Najran, in the southwest of Saudi Arabia. He was found guilty of the murder of 
another Saudi Arabian man, by the same court that concluded that there was not 
enough evidence to convict him.

"Said al-Sai'ari was put to death in spite of the lack of evidence against him. 
This just shows how facile it is for the Saudi Arabian authorities to resort to 
this inhumane, and more crucially, irreversible punishment," said Lynn Maalouf.

Death penalty as a tool to crush dissent

"The Saudi authorities have been using the death penalty as a tool to crush 
dissent and rein in minorities with callous disregard for human life. They 
should immediately quash these sentences and ensure that all trials meet 
international fair trial standards without recourse to the death penalty" said 
Lynn Maalouf.

At least 33 members of Saudi Arabia's Shi'a Muslim community currently face the 
death penalty. All were accused of activities deemed a risk to national 
security. Among them are Ali al-Nimr, Abdullah al-Zaher, Dawood al-Marhoon who 
were arrested for alleged offences committed when they were under 18 and who 
said that they were tortured in order to make them "confess". Last month the 
family of another young man Abdulkareem al-Hawaj were informed by court 
officials that the Supreme Court had upheld his death sentence for offences 
related to his involvement in anti-government protests. Al-Hawaj was only 16 
when he took part in the protests; he has exhausted all his appeals and can be 
executed as soon as the King ratifies his sentence. They are all at imminent 
risk of execution.

On 11 July, Yusuf al-Mushaikhass along with 3 other Shi'a men were executed in 
the country's Eastern Province of Qatif for terror-related offences in 
connection with their participation in anti-government protests between 2011 
and 2012. He was convicted following a grossly unfair trial which hinged 
largely on a "confession" obtained through torture.

The families of the 14 Shi'a men accused of protest-related crimes and whose 
death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court on 24 July live in the fear of 
receiving at any time the horrific news of the execution of their relatives.

Background

Saudi Arabia uses the death penalty for a wide range of offences that are not 
accepted as the "most serious crimes" under international human rights law, 
which are limited to crimes involving intentional killings.

Saudi Arabia is one of the top executioners in the world, with more than 2,000 
people executed between 1985 and 2016.

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception 
regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime; guilt, innocence or 
other characteristics of the individual; or the method used by the state to 
carry out the execution.

(source: Amnesty International)








MALAYSIA:

Entertainment centre operator, Thai woman charged with drug trafficking



An entertainment centre operator and a Thai woman were jointly charged at the 
magistrate's court here today for drug trafficking and the possession of 
contraband cigarettes and alcoholic drinks.

For the 1st count, T. Kartik, 26, and Jutamas Pattarapanichkul, 27 were charged 
with trafficking 448.98 grammes of heroin and monoacetylmorphine at a house at 
Lot 585, Jalan Damai 1, Taman Damai, Padang Serai on Sept 20 at 2pm.

They were charged under Section 39B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, 
which upon conviction, carries the mandatory death penalty.

For the 2nd count, the duo were jointly charged with the possession of imported 
contraband items, namely 20 cartons of contraband cigarettes and 5 cartons of 
various brands of contraband beers worth RM558.24.

The offence was investigated under Section 135 (1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967, 
which is punishable under Section 135 (1)(iii) of the same act.

They face a maximum fine of between 10 to 20 times the total value of the items 
or 3 years' imprisonment or both, upon conviction.

No plea was recorded from the 2, who were unrepresented when the charges were 
read before Magistrate R. Manoman.

Customs Department's Deputy Public Prosecutor Nazir Amir Johari prosecuted.

The court has set Nov 27 for the next mention, pending the chemist report.

(source: thesundaily.my)








IRAN:

Executions continue unabated in Iran



The recent NCRI Human Rights Center Weekly Bulletin gives fresh evidence of the 
level of violence that permeates the Iranian regime.

The death sentence for a man convicted of murder, for example, was held in 
public on Modares Boulevard. The man was only identified by state-run media as 
SD.

Yet, according to the bulletin, there were other men charged with murder that 
were also executed in September, but these men were hanged within the prisons 
where they were being held.

Executions are also used as a sentence for those who commit lesser crimes, 
including rape. However, many of these convicted criminals were not given a 
fair trial and were often denied legal representation. As a result, members of 
the international community continue to call for Iran to end these executions. 
The regime, however, has continued executions unabated.

One prisoner was hung in front of his fellow prisoners. He was convicted of 
having an illegitimate relationship. During his execution, 50 prisoners were 
assembled by the prison authorities and forced to watch. This type of abuse, 
both mental and physical, is common for those in prison in Iran.

Another man was lashed and executed for his conviction of killing a girl. His 
execution was also done publicly. The Ardabil Public and Revolutionary 
Prosecutor, Pars Abad Prosecutor, judiciary and security officials, along with 
a number of other officials, were present for the execution ceremony.

These executions are not limited to just men. A woman was executed on charges 
of murder. According to the Justice Department of Zanjan, the execution was 
carried out in the central prison of Zanjan.

The killing of government agents is also considered a crime worthy of the death 
penalty. For example, the governor of Golestan Province said the man 
responsible for the death of a security agent was hanged in the town of Agh 
Ghola. He referred to the execution as a retribution sentence, which was 
confirmed by the Supreme Court.

3 other prisoners were executed after being charged with murder. One of the 
individuals was charged with killing a government agent and had already served 
over 30 years in prison prior to his execution.

These executions often involved solitary confinement prior to the sentences 
being carried out. Parts of their sentences, including the removal of hands, 
feet, and lashings, are done prior to the execution. The treatment these 
prisoners receive could be classified as cruel and unusual punishment.

The Iranian regime also sees nothing wrong in executing those arrested for 
selling or possessing drugs. Executions for these charges are condemned by 
international law, yet Iran continues to ignore these violations in favor of 
continuing the executions.

2 prisoners were hanged in Qazvin Prison after being convicted on drug related 
charges. Both prisoners had already been detained several years prior to their 
executions. These men were older and had already served a prison sentence, 
which would have been satisfactory under international law.

Many of these killings are also meant to be a message to those within the 
prisons and the Iranian population as a whole. The message is meant to 
discourage anyone from opposing the regime and its theocracy in any way.

The Chief Justice of Kerman province announced the execution of 5 prisoners, 
who he said were threats to security and troublemakers. He also noted their 
executions were carried out after legal procedures were completed.

All of these examples demonstrate that the call of a moderate Iran is a false 
hope. Iran's mullahs are continuing to violate human rights, while claiming 
that change is possible. Yet, their actions demonstrate that the regime is 
incapable of true change for the betterment of its people.

(source: merinews.com)








GLOBAL:

These 13 countries voted against UN ban of death penalty for being gay----You 
might be surprised by some of the Western countries who voted against



The United Nations Human Rights Council has voted to condemn countries who use 
the death penalty on gay people.

Although the resolution passed with 27 countries voting for the measure - 13 
countries including the United States voted against.

Being gay is still punishable by death in 6 countries including Iran, Saudi 
Arabia, Sudan and Yemen.

Similarly, gay people are also being killed in so-called ISIS-held territories 
in Northern Iraq and Northern Syria.

Although not countrywide, there are also parts of Nigeria and Somalia where the 
death penalty is in use against LGBTI people too.

However, this resolution doesn't call for an end to death as punishment. It 
asks countries who have the death penalty to ensure they do not use it in a 
'discriminatory manner.'

It calls for an end to using the death penalty for anyone:

with intellectual disabilities

below 18 years of age at the time of the crime

pregnant women

for apostasy

blasphemy

adultery

consensual same-sex relations

Responding to the vote, Renato Sabbadini, Executive Director of The 
International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) 
says:

'It is unconscionable to think that there are hundreds of millions of people 
living in States where somebody may be executed simply because of whom they 
love.

'This is a monumental moment where the international community has publicly 
highlighted that these horrific laws simply must end.'

Who voted against the resolution?

This is not the 1st time the UN has made this kind of statement.

More than a decade ago, the now-disbanded UN Human Rights Commission passed a 
similar resolution. The United Nations General Assembly in New York also passes 
a resolution on 'extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions' every 2 years.

However, this resolution is the 1st by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

There were 6 attempts by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Russia to change and dilute 
the resolution. Despite this, they all failed to allow the measure to pass.

These are the 13 countries that voted against the resolution:

Bangladesh

Botswana

Burundi

China

Egypt

Ethiopia

India

Iraq

Japan

Qatar

Saudia Arabia

The United Arab Emirates

United States

However, despite submitting several changes, Russia is not able to vote.

An extensive campaign by human rights groups opposing Russian membership was 
successful in 2016 when they were denied a place on the council in 2016. The 
groups took issue with the countries bombing of Syrian cities.

Andre du Plessis, Head of UN Programme and Advocacy at ILGA says:

'We are grateful for the leadership of the 8 countries that brought this 
resolution - Belgium, Benin, Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, and 
Switzerland.'

Above all adding, 'they stood firm on principle through a difficult negotiation 
and voting period.'

(source: Gay Star News)