[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

March 2



BELGIUM:

UN: Belgium mobilized again against death penalty



Belgium will host next year (February 2019) the 7th world congress against the 
death penalty, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the UN adoption of a 
protocol aiming the abolition of the death penalty, announced Wednesday the 
Belgian minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders at the tribune of the UN 
Council for human rights.

Though this fight is general, Wednesday in Geneva, Belgium co-presided with the 
NGO "Together against death penalty" an event on the theme Africa, "the next 
abolitionist continent?"

At the same time, the country is one of those which are urging Iran to commute 
the death sentence pronounced against VUB's guest Professor Ahmadreza Djalali, 
whom Teheran accuses of having collaborated with Israel in the assassination of 
2 persons in charge of the Iranian nuclear program a few years ago.

Mr. Reynders did not pronounce Mr. Djalali's name at the UN tribune. "It would 
have been counterproductive in that place, in relation to our bilateral 
efforts," he explained at the end of his speech.

Being a candidate for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council in 2019 
and 2020, Belgium also said it was prepared to reinforce its financing of this 
jurisdiction, and of the High Commission (HCDH).

In his address, Mr. Reynders gave indeed strong support to the High 
Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein, in his 
denunciation of States' shortages.

"This concerns, for example, the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the 
violent acts against peaceful worshipers and demonstrators, and the obstacles 
to fundamental freedom strongly challenge us," the head of Belgian diplomacy 
explained.

The minister mentioned the DRC among other countries (Syria, Yemen, Burundi, 
Myanmar), where fundamental principles such as the protection of civilians in 
military conflicts, the sanctity of hospitals and schools, and access to 
humanitarian assistance are being "scoffed at on a large scale."

(source: Oscar Schneider----The Brussels Times)








UNITED KINGDOM:

Barrister who claimed she saved clients from death penalty disbarred



A barrister who falsely claimed she had saved clients from the gallows and lied 
about her qualifications in order to obtain pupillage has been disbarred.

According to a decision by the Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (BTAS) 
unregistered barrister Anisah Ahmed failed to act with honesty or integrity. 
Ahmed, who was called by Middle Temple in 2012, made the false claims while 
trying to secure pupillage at London's Staple Inn Chambers in 2013.



Among her lies were that she had successfully argued in favour of claimants in 
unfair dismissal cases and had succeeded in having the death penalty put aside 
while representing prisoners in Malawi. No executions have been carried out in 
the southeast African state since 1992.

She also forged 2 solicitors' signatures, which claimed to provide references 
for work carried out at 2 law firms. The tribunal does not dispute that she 
worked at the unnamed firms but notes that at one of the firms her tasks were 
'mainly administrative'.

Ahmed also said she had obtained a distinction in Legal Practice from Cardiff 
University, had written a dissertation on rights to die and been awarded a 
diploma in forensic medicine - none of which was true.

According to the tribunal's findings Ahmed's applications for pupillage, made 
in 2013, included false references from a principal solicitor and assistant 
solicitor that was 'not authentic and forged'.

The charges were brought by barristers' regulator the Bar Standards Board 
(BSB). Sara Jagger, director of professional conduct at the BSB, said: 'This 
finding serves as a reminder to barristers that dishonesty is not compatible 
with membership of the bar. The tribunal's decision to disbar Ahmed reflects 
the seriousness of her actions.'

The tribunal's decision is open to appeal.

(source: lawgazette.co.uk)








NIGERIA:

Hate Speech Death Penalty Bill: Huriwa Carpets National Assembly; * Condemns 
Dss's Arrest Of Abuja Journalist Tony Ezimakor:



A prominent civil Rights organization- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF 
NIGERIA (HURIWA) has accused the National Assembly of working hand -in -gloves 
with enemies of constitutional democracy bent on destroying civil rule and 
establishing a one-party dictatorship.

The Rights group therefore has warned the National Assembly to stop using 
subterranean tactics of sponsoring tyrannical pieces of legislations that could 
strengthen the oppressive styles and the dictatorial tendencies that are 
manifesting themselves powerfully under the Presidency of Muhammadu Buhari who 
is still seeing himself as a military General who rules with iron fists. HURIWA 
lamented that enemies of constitutional democracy are now deeply entrenched in 
the National Assembly.

Also, the Rights group has demanded the unconditional release of the Abuja 
Bureau chief of the Independent newspaper Mr. Anthony Ezimakor detained over 48 
hours ago and denied access to his lawyers reportedly by the Department of 
State Services (DSS) over series of stories the newspaper just like most 
foreign journals are running over the negotiations with boko haram terrorists 
which are marred by allegations of under the table deals.

HURIWA condemned the actions of the DSS in attacking press freedom and wondered 
why the so called civilian government of Muhammadu Buhari has speedily returned 
Nigeria to a police state similar to the military juntas of Generals Abacha and 
Buhari. HURIWA therefore regretted that the National Assembly which ought to 
provide effective oversight over such security agencies such as DSS to abide by 
the due process of the law is busy trying to churn out anti- democracy 
legislations seeking to stiffle the full exercise of the constitutionally 
guaranteed FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS AS ENSHRINED IN CHAPTER FOUR OF THE 1999 
Constitution.

HURIWA is of the position that the draconian bill before the National 
legislature purportedly meant to check hate speeches but entirely prepared to 
destroy freedom of speech and media rights is one amongst the latest weapons 
being used by haters of free speech to seek to demonize and attack perceived 
political opponents and independent voices that are critical and vocal about 
the gross misgovernace that has become the hallmark of the current Federal 
government and most state governments. HURIWA accused the APC dominated 
National Assembly of using backyard tactics to drive political opponents of 
Muhammadu Buhari underground to prepare ground for the massive rigging of the 
2019 polls in favour of the APC which has failed Nigerians.

The group said the nation has yet to recover from the subsisting sinister plots 
through a tyrannical piece of legislation to deregister Non-Governmental 
organizations meant to kill off independent groups working for the millions of 
poor Nigerians but now the National Assembly has added salt to injury through 
the so -called anti- hate speech bill which makes it punishable with the death 
penalty. "Under this bill, when someone doesn't like Buhari's face or names his 
dog after the President for example and criticizes him on the social media, 
that critic may be termed a hate speech proponent and killed for exercising his 
constitutional freedom of speech", HURIWA alleges.

HURIWA which quoted media report recalled that a pending bill before the upper 
legislative chamber makes it punishable with the death penalty for any person 
found guilty of any form of hate speech that results in the death of another 
person in which case that convicted person shall die by hanging upon 
conviction.

HURIWA recalled that the bill, which erroneously hangs on the growing concern 
over the spate of violence in the nation as a reason for its presentation was 
sponsored by the spokesman of the upper chamber, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi 
(APC, Niger).

HURIWA said the controversial bill also seeks the establishment of an 
'Independent National Commission for Hate Speeches', which shall enforce hate 
speech laws across the country, ensure the elimination of the menace and advise 
the Federal Government.

HURIWA recalled that offences such as harassment on the grounds of ethnicity or 
racial contempt, a culprit shall be sentenced to "not less than a 5-year jail 
term or a fine of not less than N10 million or both just as the bill notes: "A 
person who uses, publishes, presents, produces, plays, provides, distributes 
and/or directs the performance of any material, written and/or visual, which is 
threatening, abusive or insulting or involves the use of threatening, abusive 
or insulting words or behaviour, commits an offence, if such person intends 
thereby to stir up ethnic hatred, or having regard to all the circumstances, 
ethnic hatred is likely to be stirred up against any person or person from such 
an ethnic group in Nigeria."

HURIWA recalled that the proposed bill notes that "a person subjects another to 
harassment on the basis of ethnicity for the purposes of this section where, on 
ethnic grounds, he unjustifiably engages in a conduct which has the purpose or 
effect of (a) violating that other person's dignity or (b) creating an 
intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the 
person subjected to the harassment.

HURIWA recalled that according to the bill the Conduct deemed hate speech shall 
be regarded as having the effect specified in subsection (1) (a) or (b) of this 
section if, having regard to all the circumstances, including in particular the 
perception of that other person, it should reasonably be considered as having 
that effect."

The Rights group however wants the bill dropped like a piece of hot poisonous 
chalice that it is going by the well-grounded conspiracy theory that the so- 
called legislation against hate speech is an indirect way being adopted by the 
ruling party the All progressives congress to stave off still opposition 
following the groundswell of opinion across all divides that the central 
government has failed spectacularly to implement any of the electoral campaign 
promises it made in 2015 prior to the general election in which APC deployed 
vocal attacks and systematic propaganda and demonization which aided them to 
wrestle political power from the then incumbent Peoples Democratic Party.

HURIWA argued that the bill as currently proposed is anachronistic, 
unrealistic, unworkable and dictatorial even as the major provisions in the 
proposed bill touches on areas of the laws already captured in many statutory 
provisions scattered all over the federation in our law books. The Rights group 
therefore dismissed the bill as smokescreen to muzzle civil opposition and to 
stave off criticisms from all across Nigeria targeting the clear failures of 
the current federal government.

(source: thenigerianvoice.com)