[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Sept. 14



VIETNAM:

Vietnam seeks death penalty for embezzlement by ex-chairman of state energy 
firm



Prosecutors in Vietnam on Thursday said they were seeking the death sentence in 
an embezzlement case against a former chairman of state energy firm 
PetroVietnam, as the communist country steps up one of its biggest corruption 
crackdowns.

Some high-ranking political officials have been punished as investigations 
widen into PetroVietnam and the banking sector, with dozens of banking and 
energy officials facing trial on charges such as embezzlement, mismanagement 
and abuse of power.

In a statement, the Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam said it had sought a 
death sentence for the former chairman, Nguyen Xuan Son, on charges that 
include wrongdoing with serious economic consequences and abuse of power to 
usurp assets.

It urged "an overall penalty of death", listing punishments such as a jail term 
of 16 to 18 years for flouting state rules on economic management and life 
imprisonment for abuse of power, before seeking the "death sentence for 
embezzlement".

In 2009, PetroVietnam acquired an 800-billion-dong ($35-million) stake in Ocean 
Group's banking unit, Ocean Bank, which had to be completely written off in 
2015, when the central bank took it over at no cost.

Son could not be reached for comment as he is on trial, and Reuters could not 
immediately reach his lawyer.

Prosecutors also sought life imprisonment for Ocean Group???s founder, tycoon 
Ha Van Tham on charges ranging from embezzlement to abuse of power, the 
statement said, adding that dozens of other Ocean Bank staff could also face 
years in jail.

Ocean Group, which has interests in real estate, finance, hotels and 
infrastructure, said it had no comment on the sentence sought for Tham, who 
cannot be reached as he is still on trial.

Police opened 3 new cases against state firm units, among them Russian joint 
venture Vietsovpetro, Vietnam's sole refinery operator Binh Son Refining and 
Petrochemical, and PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corp.

All three cases focus on alleged abuse of power to usurp assets and are linked 
to violations at Ocean Bank, Vietnam's police said in a statement on their 
website on Thursday.

Police added another accusation of abuse of power against PetroVietnam's vice 
general director Ninh Van Quynh, they added, following his arrest and 
prosecution this month for alleged wrongdoing.

(source: Reuters)

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

Death row inmates stage jail-break in Hanoi----Police are tracking down the 2 
men who escaped 4 days ago.



Police in Hanoi have launched a manhunt for 2 death row inmates who escaped 
from solitary confinement in Thanh Oai District last Sunday.

Sources from the Ministry of Public Security only confirmed the jail break on 
Wednesday, calling it a rare incident. People held in solitary confinement in 
Vietnam are supposed to have their legs cuffed.

Nguyen Van Tinh, 28, was sentenced to death in April for heroin trafficking. Le 
Van Tho, 37, received the death penalty in May for drug trafficking, murder and 
fraud.

Both have appealed their sentences and were awaiting retrial.

(source: vnexpress.net)








IRAQ:

Russian who joined ISIS in Iraq sentenced to hanging



A man who left Russia to join ISIS in Mosul was sentenced to death by hanging 
in Iraqi court - the 1st such ruling on a foreign fighter, according to a new 
report.

The unnamed foreign fighter was captured after the fall of the ISIS-held city 
in July, along with hundreds of suspected jihadists, including German 
teen-bride Linda Wenzel, Telegraph UK reported.

Authorities said the 28-year-old Russian man was the 1st fighter to surrender 
when Iraqi forces recaptured Mosul, and that he admitted to "carrying out 
terrorism operations," since 2015.

He said he discovered Islam in Moscow when construction workers introduced him 
to the religion and, after getting a degree in engineering in 2014, traveled to 
Turkey with the intention of entering Syria to join ISIS.

It is estimated that as many as 7,000 people have left Russia and other former 
Soviet states to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

The Russian's death sentence could set a deadly precedent for others captured 
alongside the bloodthirsty jihadists - including the 16-year-old "Belle of 
Mosul."

Wenzel's case garnered attention after pictures and videos of her looking 
disheveled as she was being led out of the Iraqi city were published. She faces 
the death penalty but even if she is sentenced to death, she would not be 
executed before the age of 22.

As many as 5,000 men are awaiting trial in Mosul, judges told the outlet and 27 
ISIS fighters were sentenced to death by hanging last month in Baghdad.

In 2016, Iraq executed more than 88 people, topped only by Saudi Arabia, Iran 
and China.

Russian who joined ISIS in Iraq sentenced to hanging

(source: nypost.com)








INDIA:

Madikeri: Cyanide Mohan, on death row, found guilty of murdering yet another 
woman



Notorious murder convict Cyanide Mohan, who has already been awarded death 
penalty for killing 3 out of the 20 women he is charged of murdering, has been 
convicted in yet another case.

The 6th additional district and sessions court on Wednesday September 13 found 
Cyanide Mohan guilty of killing a woman in Madikeri back in 2009.

As was his modus operandi, Cyanide Mohan lured a woman from Puttur with the 
false promise of marriage, and took her to Madikeri, where he murdered her by 
making her consume cyanide.

The quantam of punishment will be pronounced on September 15.

Advocate Judith O M Crasta was the public prosecutor in the case.

In December 2013, Mohan Kumar alias Cyanide Mohan was sentenced to death after 
he was convicted of killing at least 3 women, out of the 20 murders he was 
charged with. This will be the 4th murder case proved against him. The remaning 
16 women also died of cyanide consumption in the same way.

He was earlier found guilty of murdering Anitha of Barimar, Leelavathi of 
Vamadapadav and Sunanda of Peruvaje, Sullia.

(source: daijiworld.com)








MALAYSIA:

Murdering son: Filipino to know his fate Nov 3



A 40-year-old Filipino lorry driver charged with the murder of his 8-year-old 
son will know on Nov 3 whether he will have to enter his defence or be 
acquitted.

High Court Judge Datuk Nurchaya Hj Arshad set the date for Aldwin Rojas Saz 
when the prosecution closed its case on Tuesday after calling 9 witnesses.

The court also fixed Oct 2 for the defence to submit their submissions and for 
the prosecution to reply on or before Oct 23.

Aldwin is accused of committing the crime to Rojas Jonvin at 2am on Feb 18, 
2016 in a house behind the Wangsa sawmill in Nabawan.

He had on Nov 21, 2016 pleaded not guilty to the charge under Section 302 of 
the Penal Code which provides for the death penalty, upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Gan Peng Kun prosecuted while Aldwin was represented 
by counsel Farazwin Hexdy.

Meanwhile, in the Magistrate's Court, 3 people were penalised for committing 
drug-related offences.

Nur Shazila Azman, 21, was fined RM2,000 or 4 months jail after she admitted to 
having 0.09gm syabu at 4pm on July 23 in Putatan.

Johnson Voo and Jaafar Makling were also fined RM2,000 or 4 months jail each 
for taking drugs last month.

Insp Rasydan Jasni prosecuted before Magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun, while 
Nur, Voo and Jaafar were not represented.

(source: Daily Express)