[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

August 27




IRAN:

Fate of Kurdish inmate on death row unknown: Brother


Fearing the unknown fate of a Kurdish activist on death row in Iran, the 
imprisoned youth's brother on Monday affirmed the family was still working on 
halting the execution.

In April 2018, Iran's Supreme Court ratified Ramin Hossein Panahi's death 
sentence for his alleged membership to the "outlawed" Kurdish nationalist 
group, Komala, and for supposedly drawing a weapon on Islamic Revolutionary 
Guards Corps (IRGC) agents during clashes.

Ramin's brother, Amjad Hossein Panahi, and his family have been actively 
engaged with lawyers and activists to stop the Islamic Regime's plan to go 
through with the execution.

On Sunday evening "Ramin went on hunger strike, and at midnight he was taken to 
solitary confinement. They planned on executing him early in the morning [on 
Monday]," Amjad told Kurdistan 24 from Koln in Germany.

Amjad stated that inmates had told the family that Ramin had been wounded 
during his transfer to solitary and that when he was taken out of the prison, 
possibly to a hospital.

He suggested the imprisoned activist may have been "roughed up" by prison 
guards or other inmates, or that he may have resisted movement which could have 
led to the guards using excessive force.

"We think that he may be in one of Tehran's hospitals, but as of yet we don't 
know his fate and whether or not he has been hanged."

"We, as the family of Ramin, don't know whether he is alive or dead."

Amjad affirmed that there are ongoing concerted efforts to prevent the 
execution of Ramin. He revealed that his family were updating the European 
Parliament on his brother's condition and were working closely with the 
Kurdistan Region's leading parties to establish contact with Tehran.

(source: kurdistan24.net)






MALAYSIA:

Chile tourists face death penalty in Malaysia for murder


2 Chilean tourists facing the death penalty in Malaysia for allegedly murdering 
a man in a hotel are innocent and acted in self-defence, their lawyer said 
Monday (Aug 27).

Felipe Osiadacz and Fernando Candia are on trial over the killing of a 
Malaysian in the lobby of the Kuala Lumpur hotel in August last year, less than 
24 hours after they arrived in the country on holiday.

The young men have pleaded not guilty. Malaysia has a mandatory death penalty 
for murder, and if convicted the pair will be hanged.

"It was all an accident. A person went into the hotel and demanded money from 
them," their lawyer Venkateswari Alagendra told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur 
High Court after a hearing.

The Malaysian man then attacked the Chileans and they fought back in 
self-defence, before calling the police, she said.

She said she was confident that the pair, who went on trial earlier this year, 
would be acquitted.

2 women were seen hugging the men after Monday's court hearing, but declined to 
speak to reporters.

The trial resumes on Sep 24.

(source: channelnewsasia.com)






INDIA:

New law will deter rapists: Modi----Rapists will get a minimum sentence of 10 
years and those found guilty of raping girls below the age of 12 years will get 
death


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 
passed earlier this month, will act as a deterrent against rape and will play 
an effective role in curbing crimes against women and young girls.

"No civilised society can tolerate any kind of injustice towards women. The 
nation will not tolerate those committing rapes. With this point in view, 
Parliament has made a provision of the strictest punishment by passing the 
Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill," Modi said in his monthly "Mann Ki Baat"

programme.

Under the new Act that will replace the ordinance the government had brought in 
April, those guilty of rape will get a minimum sentence of 10 years and those 
found guilty of raping girls below the age of 12 years will be given the death 
sentence.

Modi also hailed the decision of a court in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh to give 
the death penalty to 2 criminals who were found guilty of raping a minor girl.

(source: Gulf News)






SOMALIA:

Report of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia 
(A/HRC/39/72)----Report from UN Human Rights Council


Note by the Secretariat

The Secretariat has the honour to transmit to the Human Rights Council the 
report of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, 
Bahame Tom Nyanduga, pursuant to its resolution 36/27. In the report, the 
Independent Expert highlights a progressive improvement of the human rights 
context, while noting considerable challenges that negate the full realization 
of human rights in Somalia. The positive developments include the process of 
establishing the National Human Rights Commission and the fact that Somalia 
ceased the inhumane practice of public executions in Mogadishu of persons 
sentenced to deathM

The many challenges that remain include the continued violation of the rights 
to freedom of expression and opinion, by both the federal and State security 
forces, the violation of the rights of internally displaced persons, the 
absence of a legal framework for the protection of persons with disabilities 
and the plight of the rights of children who had been abducted by Al-Shabaab 
and subsequently recaptured or who had escaped. Somalia retains the death 
penalty despite having accepted the recommendations made in 2011 as part of the 
universal periodic review process to adopt a moratorium.

Other challenges include the continued existence of sexual and gender-based 
violence, in spite of campaigns and the implementation of the joint communique 
between the Federal Government of Somalia and the United Nations on the 
prevention of sexual violence, concluded on 7 May 2013. Al-Shabaab remains a 
potent threat in spite of the continued fight by troops from the Somalia 
National Security Forces and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The 
group has continued to carry out acts of terrorism, such as the 14 October 2017 
bombing in Mogadishu that left hundreds of civilians dead. It also targets 
public officials and extorts taxes from the civilian population in areas under 
its control.

Somalia is still undergoing transition in its governance and the peacebuilding 
process. It has witnessed progress as well as setbacks in the political, social 
and economic spheres, which have included the removal of high-placed State 
officials from public office. Within a period of few weeks, the Speaker of 
Parliament and Chief Justice were removed from office. Somalia has observed a 
neutral stance vis-a-vis the Gulf crisis, thus avoiding potential 
destabilization owing its historical connections and proximity to the region.

While the State formation process was completed in 2016, border disputes and 
territorial claims persist, in particular between Puntland and Galmudug. There 
is also an active conflict between Puntland and Somaliland in the Sool and 
Sanaag regions.

In the humanitarian sphere, the Independent Expert notes the almost twofold 
increase in internal displacement. The Independent Expert commends the 
humanitarian response for having averted loss of lives following the drought in 
2017. He notes the unusually heavy rains and flooding during the 2nd quarter of 
2018, which displaced thousands of people and caused deaths in the Shabelle 
river valley and in Mogadishu, respectively.

The Independent Expert takes note of measures taken by AMISOM, such as the 
recruitment of human rights protection officers, who will enhance its 
compliance with human rights and international humanitarian law obligations. He 
commends AMISOM for taking further measures to eliminate sexual exploitation 
and abuse and to minimize civilian casualties during its operations.

The Independent Expert calls for the expeditious conclusion of the 
constitutional review process. He urges the Federal Government and the Federal 
Members States to increase their cooperation in order to enhance respect for 
human rights in Somalia.

The Independent Expert concludes the report by making several recommendations 
on the identified challenges, including that the international community ensure 
that the drawdown of AMISOM troops be based on realistic timelines and criteria 
and that the Somali National Army is properly trained, funded and equipped to 
enable it to guarantee national security. He further recommends that the 
Federal Government accede/ratify several international and regional human 
rights instruments that it has not yet acceded to.

(source: reliefweb.int)