[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

August 7



UNITED KINGDOM:

'JIHADI JOHN'S MY FRIEND' -- ISIS 'Beatles' smirk as they defend Brit 
executioner who beheaded captives David Haines and Alan Henning----Alleged 
'Beatles' members El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey are calling for their 
trial to take place in Britain in an attempt to dodge a potential death penalty 
in the US

2 alleged surviving members of the evil ISIS execution cell known as the 
Beatles last night smirked as they described warped killer Jihadi John as their 
"friend".

El Shafee Elsheikh, 29, and Alexanda Kotey, 34, were captured in Syria in 
January after ISIS fled its former self-styled capital Raqqa.

They are being held in the US and are fighting to dodge a potential death 
penalty by being extradited back to Britain.

Kotey, a London-born former drug dealer whose wife and 2 children remain in the 
UK, said he was aware his alleged accomplice Mohammed Emwazi had been nicknamed 
"Jidahi John".

But the smirking suspected terrorist added: "He's a friend of mine."

Emwazi, killed in a drone strike in 2015, became the face of Islamic State's 
depraved campaign of terror after the beheadings of aid workers David Haines 
and Alan Henning were broadcast.

(source: thesun.co.uk)






INDIA:

Bhopal: Court convicts rapist with capital punishment in just 26 days


Court of Chattarpur district has convicted a rapist with capital punishment, on 
Monday. The Court has completed the hearing and announced the verdict in just 
26 days. Advocate Lakhan Rajput informed that on April 24, around 11.30 pm a 
woman reported the matter to the Chattarpur police that Mohammad Tohid had 
raped her 2 year old daughter at her home.

The mother had come out to handover something to her brother in-law at around 
11 pm. However, they heard her daughter cries she was chatting with him. On 
reaching home she found that the girl was in pool of blood and the accused was 
standing near girl.

They filed a complaint on the basis of which the police registered a case under 
section 376,450 of PSOCO act and arrest the culprit. SP Veent Khanna formed a 
special team to investigate the crime. Importantly the forensic evidences 
produced by the police provided crucial support to the Court to sentence him 
with capital punishment.

(source: The Free Press Journal)





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

Teenager gets death penalty for raping 3-year-old in MP


A local court today awarded the death sentence to a teenager for raping a 
3-year-old girl.

Chhatarpur Additional Sessions Judge Naurin Nigam awarded capital punishment to 
Tauheed Musalman, 19, after convicting him under section 376 (A)(B) of the 
recently-introduced Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance 2018, said district 
prosecution officer S K Chaturvedi.

He said on April 24, the culprit was caught raping the victim after he had 
sneaked into her house while the child's mother was talking to her 
brother-in-law outside.

The child's mother found her in a pool of blood and Musalman was nabbed by the 
people and handed over to the police, Chaturvedi said.

(source: indiatoday.com)






MALDIVES:

Bobby's murder: State requests Supreme Court to uphold death sentence on minor


The State has requested the Supreme Court to uphold the death sentence on a 
minor who was found guilty in the murder of Abdul Muheeth (Bobby).

Bobby died in a brutal assault in an alley in front the finance ministry in 
2012.

6 suspects were charged, out of which 3 were minors. While 2 of the minors were 
found guilty, 1 was exonerated. The other suspects are still being tried at the 
Criminal Court.

The Supreme Court on Monday began appeal hearings on the death penalty imposed 
on one of the convicts, who was a minor at the time of committing the crime but 
is now above 18 years of age.

The verdict was appealed due to reasonable doubt in his guilt, but the State 
requested that the Supreme Court uphold the death penalty imposed by the lower 
court and upheld by the High Court. The State also requested that if the court 
finds him not guilty of murder, to find him guilty of being an accomplice and 
sentence him to 25 years in prison.

At Monday's appeal hearing, the defense said that an unreliable witness who was 
convicted over a drug-related crime, was one of the three witnesses who 
testified in the trial. The defense said that drug users are Fasiqs (people who 
violate Islamic law) and so their testimonies cannot be legitimate in court.

The trial documents also show that after the witness give his secret testimony 
at the Civil Court, he later retracted it in a letter. In response, the state 
prosecutor said that the police confirmed at the High Court appeal hearings 
that he was threatened into sending the letter and so his testimony still 
stands.

Testimonies of the other 2 witnesses and the other evidences show that the 2 
minors were involved in the assault. The State had provided CCTV footage and 
phone call recordings of the suspects at the initial trial, as well as evidence 
showing that some of the accused injured in the assault sought treatment at ADK 
Hospital.

The minor, who is under the custody of the correctional service, was questioned 
after being summoned to Monday's hearing. After the judge asked him if he has a 
criminal record, he said that he has been found guilty of assault but that he 
has never met the victim, Bobby.

10 assailants were allegedly involved in Bobby's assault on 18 February 2012. 
He was stabbed 20 times and the brutality of the attack had also split the 
victim's skull.

(source: raajje.mv)

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

Maldives pres reiterates 'commitment' to capital punishment


Incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Tuesday reiterated his 
government's commitment to enforcing the death penalty in the Maldives.

Since taking office in 2013, president Yameen has been pushing to enforce the 
death penalty after ending the de facto moratorium that has been in place in 
the country for over 6 decades.

In June 2016, capital punishment regulations were amended to allow for hanging 
in addition to lethal injections as methods of execution.

President Yameen has since been giving several dates to begin capital 
punishment, last of which was nearly a year ago.

Speaking after inaugurating a shore protection project Gaaf Dhaal Atoll 
Madaveli island on Tuesday, president Yameen said his government would begin 
capital punishment after the 'procedural requirements' are completed.

President Yameen said his government's foreign policy has come under criticism 
only because of efforts to protect the country's sovereignty and Islamic 
principles and values.

"Some people are finding it difficult to accept my foreign policy because my 
government has striven to stand up for itself. Because my government is trying 
to protect our sovereignty and Islamic principles and values. Don't challenge 
me. My government will enforce the death penalty. Do not doubt it," he 
stressed.

There are currently 3 convicts on death row in the Maldives. They are Hussain 
Humam convicted of murdering Dr Afrasheem Ali, Ahmed Murrath convicted of 
murdering Ahmed Najeeb and Mohamed Nabeel convicted of murdering Abdulla 
Farhad.

(source: avas.mv)



NIGERIA:

Why FG, states may not execute 2,359 death row inmates


There are indications that the recent directive by the Federal Government to 
state governors to take action on the 2,359 death row inmates may not lead to 
their executions.

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), had at the 
National Economic Council (NEC) meeting presided by Vice President Yemi 
Osinbajo on July 19, asked the 36 state governors to act in line with Section 
212 of the 1999 Constitution on the number of inmates sentenced to death as a 
means of decongesting prisons, which have about 73,631 inmates nationwide.

The Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry 
of Justice, Dayo Apata, said the advice by the AGF centred on a review of the 
situation of the death row inmates using available legal options such as 
prerogative of mercy or remitting the sentences and not necessarily executing 
them.

He said during the nationwide tour as part of the prison decongestion directive 
of the president, the AGF found that some governors were very reluctant to act 
on the death row prison inmates either due to religious, social or other 
reasons, while others were taken to states other than where they were 
sentenced.

He said this category of inmates were constituting security risk at prisons by 
committing crimes right in the prisons.

"Since the governors were not forthcoming for reasons best known to them, the 
AGF now presented a memo before the National Economic Council that they should 
review and also suggested other avenues, since the people have been in 
detention for many years without anything being done about them," he said.

"He only made suggestions about maybe those who have been transferred to other 
states, that maybe they should bring them back so that the governors can take 
absolute control of the powers conferred by the law or maybe they can review 
them by way of prerogative of mercy, remitting the death sentence, and not 
going ahead to execute them," he said.

Section 33 (1) of the 1999 Constitution provides for the death sentence. Also, 
offences of murder, treason, treachery, and armed robbery are punishable with 
death. The applicable sections are Section 221 of the Penal Code and Section 
319 of the Criminal Code.

However, state governors under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution have the 
prerogative of mercy under the advice of the State Advisory Council to review 
or commute the death sentence to other forms of punishment.

Meanwhile, several human rights organisations had criticised the advice to the 
state governors on the death row inmates.

The Executive Director of Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants 
(CURE), Sylvester Uhaa, said it was worrisome that the country was planning the 
executions as a way of reducing the prison population in the country, noting 
that they constitute only two percent of the prison population.

Also speaking, the director of Avocats Sans Frontiere France (ASFF) otherwise 
known as Lawyers Without Borders, Angela Uwandu, advised the Federal Government 
to adopt the existing international moratorium on death sentence as a way of 
showing that it has "respect for the sanctity of human lives."

The Executive Director of Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), 
Dr Uju Agomoh, suggested the use of other forms of punishment and the adoption 
of the pre-trial reforms in the Act on Criminal Justice Administration, which 
provides for non-custodial measures like community service, probation and 
parole as means of decongesting prisons.

"This cannot be the way to decongest our prisons. The high proportion of 
persons who are in prison is actually attributable to pre-trail detainees. If 
anybody in Nigeria wants to decongest the prison, the first place to look at is 
the number of persons in pre-trial detention as well as reducing the duration 
spent in pre-trial detention, so we need to encourage speedy trial," Agomoh 
said.

The senior special assistant to the Executive Secretary of National Human 
Rights Commission (NHRC), Lambert Opara, said although Section 33(1) of the 
Constitution provides for the death sentence, there is need for "constitutional 
amendment to remove the death penalty in our statute books."

However, the Executive Director of Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria 
(HURIWA), Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the death penalty remains part of Nigerian 
laws and advocated the amendment of the law especially, to include death 
penalty for terrorism-related offences involving death of persons.

"The constitution recognises capital punishment and since we operate on the 
basis of the constitution and the person sentenced has the opportunity to 
appeal the judgment to the Supreme Court, I don't see anything wrong with 
carrying out the executions," he said.

(source: dailytrust.com.ng)






PHILIPPINES:

Pacquiao told to 'do research,' stop misleading public on death penalty


Senator Manny Pacquiao is misleading the public on death penalty with his wrong 
interpretation of the Bible, an official of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of 
the Philippines (CBCP) said Tuesday.

Pacquiao, a champion boxer and born-again pastor, said last week that he is 
pushing Senate to approve the reimposition of death penalty before the year 
ends. Capital punishment, he said, is acceptable since it is in the Bible.

The lawmaker stands on a "wrong interpretation of the Bible," said Rodolfo 
Diamante, Executive Secretary of the CBCP Commission on Prison Pastoral Care.

"He is actually misleading the public on his own understanding of the 
scriptural passage. This is what is dangerous," Diamante said as quoted by CBCP 
News.

The Catholic Church recently updated its catechism, declaring death penalty as 
"inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the 
person."

After Pope Francis' declaration, CBCP says 'no reason' to justify death penalty

Pacquiao, who leads discussions on the death penalty at the Senate justice 
committee, should direct his staff "to do some solid research before sharing 
his thoughts on any issue," said Diamante.

"Furthermore, he was elected by the people to protect and improve the quality 
of life of people and not to extinguish it," he added.

SENATOR STEADFAST ON DEATH PENALTY

Pacquiao maintained that the government has a God-given authority to impose 
death penalty, citing the Romans 13 verses 1 to 7 in the Bible.

Part of this passage reads: "For the one in authority is God's servant for your 
good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no 
reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the 
wrongdoer."

The "sword" in this passage, Pacquiao said, connotes beheading.

The House of Representatives last year approved a bill reimposing the death 
penalty, but only for drug-related offenses.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Palace will "try gentle 
persuasion" on the senators so they would pass the bill.

President Rodrigo Duterte has been hoping to reinstate the death penalty in the 
Philippines, where nearly 80 percent of its population is made up of Catholics, 
as he wages his war on illegal drugs and pursues an anti-crime campaign.

(source: abs-cbn.com)






IRAN:

6 Death-Row Prisoners Transferred to the Solitary Confinement for Execution


At least 6 prisoners most of whom were charged with murder were transferred to 
the solitary confinement of Rajai Shahr Prison.

According to a close source, on the morning of Sunday, August 5, at least 6 
prisoners were transferred to the solitary confinement of Rajai Shahr Prison. 
The prisoners, most of whom were sentenced to death on murder charges, will be 
executed on Wednesday unless they win the consent of the plaintiffs or ask for 
time.

2 of the prisoners are identified as Saman Yamini and Sasan Yamini from ward 1 
of the prison.

The identity of the other prisoners and the exact number of them is not known 
yet.

According to confirmed reports by Iran Human Rights (IHR), at least 36 people 
were executed in different Iranian cities in the month of July, 24 of whom were 
sentenced to death on murder charges.

(source: Iran Human Rights)






TURKEY:

Main opposition CHP says will not stand behind death penalty


Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) parliamentary group 
leader on Monday said the party stands opposed to the death penalty amid 
ongoing speculation that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will be 
introducing the punishment to Turkey's parliament in the upcoming months, 
secular Cumhuriyet daily reported.

Leader of the Great Unity Party (BBP) Mustafa Destici on Monday suggested a 
proposal to reinstate the death penalty for offences such as murder, treason 
and sexual offences against children would be brought to parliament in October. 
Destici hinted a referendum could be held on the death penalty, which Turkey 
abolished in 2004.

The matter will be discussed in detail in Turkish parliament, CHP's Ozgur Ozel 
said, should a 200-signature bill be presented in parliament, adding the CHP is 
opposed to death penalty in terms of legal norms and universal developments on 
human rights.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan last week vowed to sign off on the death 
penalty if parliament passed.

(source: ahvalnews.com)






JAPAN:

NHK poll: 58% back death penalty


More than 1/2 of respondents to an NHK survey said Japan should maintain the 
death penalty.

The telephone survey conducted over the weekend followed the recent executions 
of all 13 death row inmates linked to the doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo. Over 
1,200 people responded.

58 % of respondents said Japan should keep the death penalty, while 7 % said 
the country should abolish it. And 29 % were undecided.

(source: nhk.or.jp)