[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Sept. 26



INDONESIA:

Indonesia Rejects UN Recommendation to Abolish Death Penalty



Indonesia on Thursday (21/09) accepted 167 of the 225 recommendations it 
received from international delegations during the 27th session of the United 
Nations Universal Periodic Review, or UPR, earlier in May, but crucially 
rejected the recommendation to abolish the death penalty.

Indonesia said the remaining 58 recommendations, including ones on abolishing 
the death penalty, addressing past human rights violations and ending 
prosecutions under blasphemy laws, "were noted" but considered "not in line 
with the priorities in Indonesia's human rights agenda."

Indonesia went through its third UPR cycle in May, and had straight away 
accepted 150 recommendations put forward by 101 delegations during the review 
while placing the remaining 75 under further examination.

Indonesia stated its final position on the pending recommendations during the 
36th session of the Human Rights Council last week.

During the session, Indonesia reaffirmed its position that "the death penalty 
is still a prevailing positive law in Indonesia."

"However, the revision of the penal code had provided a more robust safeguard 
in due process of law on the death penalty," Indonesia's deputy permanent 
representative to the UN office in Geneva, Michael Tene, said.

The United Kingdom said it "regretted that the recommendations on the 
moratorium on the use of the death penalty had not been supported" and repeated 
its call that no evidence suggests death penalty is a more effective deterrent 
than alternative forms of punishment.

Other delegations in the session also expressed concerns that the Indonesian 
government had not addressed discrimination against minority groups in the 
country, which include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons and 
followers of religious minorities.

"Indonesia took note of the remaining 58 recommendations with the consideration 
that they are not in line with the priorities in Indonesia's human rights 
agenda. Some of the recommendations were also inaccurate and not based on 
facts," Michael said, according to a statement released by the Foreign Affairs 
Ministry.

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) urged the Indonesian 
government nevertheless to take some measures to deal with the recommendations 
it did not accept, including "measures to eradicate impunity, prioritize the 
settlement of gross human rights violations, guarantee freedom of religion and 
belief, ensure freedom of expression and abolish the death penalty."

Komnas HAM and Amnesty International also noted that Indonesia has yet to 
ratify several international human rights accords, including the Optional 
Protocol on the Convention Against Torture and Convention for the Protection of 
All Persons From Enforced Disappearance.

(source: Jakarta Globe)








IRAQ----mass executions

Iraq hangs 42 Sunni militants convicted of terrorism



Iraq on Sunday executed 42 Sunni Muslim militants convicted on terrorism 
charges ranging from killing members of security forces to detonating car 
bombs.

The biggest mass execution this year in Iraq came after Sunni suicide attacks 
killed at least 60 people near the southern city of Nassiriya, a Shi'ite area, 
on Sept. 14, prompting Shi'ite demands for tougher judicial action.

Amnesty International criticized the move, saying on Monday that "mass 
execution is a shocking display of the Iraqi authorities' resort to the death 
penalty to try to show they are responding to security threats".

"The death penalty is an irreversible and reprehensible punishment that should 
not be used in any circumstances and there is no evidence to show that it 
deters crime more than any other means of punishment," Amnesty said in a 
report.

The Justice Ministry said on Sunday the 42 had been hanged at a prison in 
Nassiriya, 3 months after 14 other militants were executed following 
convictions for terrorism.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for three suicide attacks targeting 
restaurants and a security checkpoint near Nassiriya.

Relatives of victims were invited to witness Sunday's executions, the justice 
ministry said.

"Despite all the pain inside me after losing my 2 brothers in the suicide 
attacks, when I saw the terrorists dangling from the rope I felt relief," said 
Fadhil Abdul Ameer from Nassiriya.

Islamic State's self-declared caliphate, declared in 2014 after it captured 
wide areas of northern and western Iraq, effectively collapsed in July when 
U.S.-backed Iraqi forces captured Mosul, the group's de facto capital in Iraq.

But recent deadly bomb attacks in Baghdad and other cities show the jihadists 
remain capable of guerrilla-style warfare, a tactical shift away from seeking 
territorial conquest.

(source: Reuters)

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

For terrorism in Iraq executed more than 40 people----The penalty of death on 
charges of terrorism has received more than 40 criminals.



The Ministry of justice of the Islamic Republic of Iraq has released 
information about the next death penalty in this country, reports Rus.Media. 
The penalty of death on charges of terrorism has received more than 40 
criminals.

The Ministry said that the executions by hanging were carried out over the 42 
convicted of terrorism. Today in the prisons of Iraq are thousands of prisoners 
of militants of radical organizations. Military operation to liberate Mosul and 
other towns captured by terrorists, many war criminals, including immigrants 
from other countries who were captured. Each case is trial.

Recently Baghdad was visited by the delegation of Belgium, its members 
expressed support for the justice of Iraq and urged to refrain from granting 
Amnesty to the militants of radical groups.

At the same time, the UN high Commissioner for human rights concerned for such 
cases. Navi Pillay condemned the executions in Iraq and questioned the 
transparency of the judicial system of this country.

(source: sherbrooktimes.com)

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

Mass execution in Iraq



Responding to the news that at least 42 people were executed in Iraq today on 
"terrorism" charges, Lynn Maalouf, Middle East Research Director at Amnesty 
International said:

"Today's mass execution is a shocking display of the Iraqi authorities' resort 
to the death penalty to try to show they are responding to security threats.

"There can be no doubt that individuals who carry out deadly attacks against 
the civilian population should face justice, but the Iraqi authorities need to 
recognize that carrying out executions is not the answer and will not make the 
country or its people safer.

"The Iraqi authorities have a deplorable track record when it comes to use of 
the death penalty. In many cases previously people have been put to death after 
deeply unfair trials and in some cases after being tortured to 'confess'.

"The death penalty is an irreversible and reprehensible punishment that should 
not be used in any circumstances and there is no evidence to show that it 
deters crime more than any other means of punishment."

(source: Amnesty International)








SINGAPORE:

2 drug traffickers get death sentence----A third convict, found to be a 
courier, receives life sentence and 15 strokes of the cane



A drug trafficker convicted of a capital offence was sentenced to death in the 
High Court, although he had been certified by the Public Prosecutor to have 
cooperated with the authorities.

In the 1st such case here, the court found that Hamzah Ibrahim, 54, was not a 
courier, after a joint 16-day trial with 2 other traffickers.

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, the court has the discretion not to impose the 
death penalty, if the convicted offender is a courier and has also been issued 
a certificate stating he cooperated with authorities.

But Judicial Commissioner Hoo Sheau Peng ruled that Hamzah's role "went beyond 
that of a courier".

"Hence, although the PP (Public Prosecutor) issued a certificate of substantive 
assistance, the alternative sentencing regime was not available," she said in 
judgment grounds last week.

Another man in the joint trial for trafficking in 26.29g of heroin, Muhammad 
Farid Sudi, had also been certified to have "substantively assisted the Central 
Narcotics Bureau in disrupting drug trafficking activities".

Farid, who delivered the drugs to Hamzah and acted as no more than a courier, 
escaped the gallows with the mandatory life sentence and 15 strokes of the 
cane.

Another accomplice, Tika Pesik, had not been certified as a courier and was 
sentenced to death.

Farid and Tika had arranged for Farid to deliver 2 packets of heroin to Hamzah 
on Dec 20, 2013.

Farid did so during a drive from a Senja Road multi-storey car park to Dairy 
Farm Road.

Hamzah claimed trial to a single capital charge of possessing heroin for the 
purpose of trafficking.

During the trial, Deputy Public Prosecutors Wong Woon Kwong and Sarah Shi 
argued that Hamzah was not a courier and had received the drugs intending to 
pack them into smaller packets for sale.

Hamzah, defended by lawyers Luke Lee and Sukdave Singh, contended that he was 
merely a courier.

But, in light of all the evidence, such a claim would be "unsustainable", noted 
Judicial Commissioner Hoo.

"It was evident that Hamzah's purpose after taking delivery of the drugs was to 
sell the drugs," she said, noting that he had brought along smaller empty 
plastic packets to repack and sell the drugs.

The judge also found that Tika could "not in any way be described as a 
courier", as she had coordinated the supply of drugs and had got Farid to 
deliver the drugs to Hamzah, among other things.

"Moreover, the PP did not issue Tika with a certificate of substantive 
assistance," added the judge in imposing the mandatory death sentence.

(source: thenewspaper.com)








GAMBIA:

Gambia signs UN death penalty abolition treaty



Gambian President Adama Barrow signed on Wednesday 5 United Nations treaties, 
including 1 on abolition of death penalty, as he attended his maiden UN General 
Assembly Summit in New York, a statement from the presidency said Thursday.

Other treaties signed include 1 on the protection of the rights of migrant 
workers, 1 against forced disappearance, 1 on transparency in treaty-based 
investor-state arbitration and 1 on the prohibition of nuclear weapons, it 
indicated.

According to State House release, this is done as the Gambia continues to 
promote democracy and show the commitment of the state to protect lives.

Barrow was the 1st Gambian president to sign 5 UN treaties at the same time. 
The treaties will require ratification and domestication before they can be 
enforced.

(source: Xinhua/NewsGhana.com.gh)