[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

August 23




SAUDI ARABIA:

Outrageous ongoing detention of women's rights defenders reaches 100 days


The ongoing arbitrary detention of several women's rights defenders in Saudi 
Arabia is outrageous, Amnesty International said today, as 3 prominent 
activists reach 100 days of being held without charge.

Since May, at least 12 leading human rights activists in Saudi Arabia have been 
detained without charge. Loujain al-Hathloul, Iman al-Nafjan and Aziza 
al-Yousef were all imprisoned on 15 May and today (23 August) marks 100 days 
since their detention.

"It is absolutely outrageous that so many brave human rights defenders in Saudi 
Arabia are still being held without charge - apparently for simply speaking out 
against injustice," Samah Hadid, Amnesty International's Middle East Director 
of Campaigns

"They have been detained without charge and with no legal representation for 
more than three months. This must not go on any longer. The world cannot carry 
on looking the other way as this relentless persecution of those who stand up 
for human rights in Saudi Arabia continues."

To mark the 100 day anniversary, Amnesty International is today mobilising its 
supporters worldwide to stand with the detained human rights defenders. As part 
of the campaign, Amnesty International supporters are gathering in multiple 
cities around the world to protest outside of Saudi Arabian embassies. They 
will be putting pressure on the Saudi Arabian authorities, as well as their own 
governments, to take action to secure the release of the women human rights 
defenders and all prisoners of conscience who have been detained solely for the 
peaceful exercise of their human rights in Saudi Arabia.

Loujain al-Hathloul, Iman al-Nafjan and Aziza al-Yousef have faced accusations 
in state-aligned media which include forming a "cell" and posing a threat to 
state security for their "contact with foreign entities with the aim of 
undermining the country's stability and social fabric". Amnesty International 
understands that the three women may be charged and tried by the country's 
notorious counter-terror court, which has been used in other instances to try 
human rights defenders and deliver harsh prison sentences.

Earlier this month, 2 more prominent women human rights activists - Samar 
Badawi and Nassima al-Sada - were also detained. Others detained recently 
include women's rights activists Nouf Abdulaziz and Maya'a al-Zahrani, and 
activists who have previously been persecuted for their human rights work, such 
as Mohammed al-Bajadi and Khalid al-Omeir. Hatoon al-Fassi, a prominent women's 
rights activist and academic was also reportedly detained a few days after 
Saudi Arabia lifted the driving ban in June.

So far, a total of 12 human rights defenders have been detained: 8 women and 4 
men. The crackdown began shortly before Saudi Arabia lifted the ban on women 
driving in the country. Many of the activists detained campaigned for the right 
to drive and the end of the repressive male guardianship system in Saudi Arabia 
for many years.

"The international community must push the Saudi Arabian authorities to end 
this targeted repression of activists in the country. States with significant 
influence in Saudi Arabia - such as the USA, UK and France - should do much 
more to campaign for their release," said Samah Hadid.

"Saudi Arabia must release all prisoners of conscience immediately and 
unconditionally, and end the draconian crackdown on freedom of expression in 
the country."

Background The crackdown on activists and women human rights defenders comes 
despite Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman presenting himself as a 'reformer' in 
recent months. His international public relations campaign contrasts sharply 
with an intensifying crackdown on dissenting voices, including those 
campaigning for equal rights for women.

Amnesty International is also calling for an end to all forms of discrimination 
against women, including the guardianship system.

Earlier this month, the Canadian ambassador to Saudi Arabia was expelled after 
a tweet from Canadian Foreign Policy account said: "Very alarmed to learn that 
Samar Badawi, Raif Badawi's sister, has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. Canada 
stands together with the Badawi family in this difficult time, and we continue 
to strongly call for the release of both Raif and Samar Badawi". Saudi Arabia's 
Foreign Ministry accused Canada of "overt and blatant interference in the 
internal affairs" of the country. Amnesty International is calling on other 
governments to join Canada in increasing pressure on Saudi Arabia to end the 
crackdown on freedom of expression in the country.

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

Appalling plan to execute female activist must be stopped


Responding to news that Saudi Arabia is seeking the death penalty for 5 
individuals who face trial before Saudi Arabia's counter-terror court, 
including Israa al-Ghomgham, who would be the 1st woman ever to face the death 
penalty simply for participating in protests, Samah Hadid, Amnesty 
International's Middle East Director of Campaigns, said:

"Israa al-Ghomgam and 4 other individuals are now facing the most appalling 
possible punishment simply for their involvement in anti-government protests. 
We are urging the Saudi Arabian authorities to drop these plans immediately.

"Sentencing Israa al-Ghomgam to death would send a horrifying message that 
other activists could be targeted in the same way for their peaceful protest 
and human rights activism. The charges against Israa al-Ghomgam, which mostly 
relate to her peaceful participation in protests, are absurd and clearly 
politically motivated to silence dissent in the Eastern Province of Saudi 
Arabia.

"Saudi Arabia is one of the world's most prolific executioners and the world 
cannot continue to ignore the country's horrific human rights record. We call 
on the international community to put pressure on the Saudi Arabian authorities 
to end the use of the death penalty, which continues to be employed in 
violation of international human rights law and standards, often after grossly 
unfair and politically motivated trials."

Israa al-Ghomgham and other individuals are currently detained in al-Mabahith 
prison in Dammam, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

(source for both: Amnesty International)






SRI LANKA/PAKISTAN:

Sri Lanka to hold talks with Pakistan over deportation of drug convicts on 
death row


Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said on Thursday that he will 
initiate talks with Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan over extraditing 5 
Pakistani nationals who were on death row in Sri Lanka.

In a local media report, Sirisena said these Pakistani nationals, who were 
currently jailed, were on top of the list to face execution for their alleged 
involvement with drugs.

However, he said he will speak to Khan to deport these Pakistanis and hand them 
over to the authorities in Pakistan.

Sirisena said he would not hesitate to go ahead with re-enforcing capital 
punishment on drug dealers and smugglers as the drug menace had emerged into a 
major problem affecting the island country.

"I also told the authorities to impose the maximum possible penalty on those 
who are even caught with drugs in their possession," the president said.

Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said last month that the death penalty 
would initially be implemented on 19 large-scale drug convicts as part of an 
urgent need to curb the spread of drug-related crimes.

According to figures of the Prisons Department, there are 373 convicts on death 
row in Sri Lanka, including the 19 drug offenders, as of last month.

(source: xinhuanet.com)