[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

February 2



INDONESIA:

Indonesia recaptures French drug suspect after jailbreak



A French drug suspect on the run since escaping from an Indonesian jail nearly 
2 weeks ago has been recaptured, police said on Saturday.

Felix Dorfin -- who faces the death penalty if convicted -- was found hiding in 
a forest in North Lombok on Friday night, police said, and was returned to jail 
in Mataram, capital of the island.

(source: thestar.com.my)








TAIWAN:

Taiwanese lawmaker works to make drunk driving causing death punishable by 
death penalty----People convicted of drunk driving resulting in death currently 
only face maximum 10-year prison sentence



Legislator Johnny Chiang issued a statement that he will sponsor a bill to 
amend Taiwan’s criminal law to make those who are found guilty of drunk driving 
which results in the death of another person face, eligible for a sentence of 
life imprisonment or the death penalty.

The statement comes after 2 motorcycle riders were killed in a traffic accident 
caused by a repeat drunk driving offender in Taichung City this morning.

Chiang also mentioned another serious traffic accident that resulted in the 
deaths of three people and injuries to three others in Taichung a few days ago, 
which also involved a drunk driver.

The accident this morning involved a repeat drunk driver whose driver's license 
had been suspended. He drove in the wrong direction hitting 8 cars and killing 
2 people, Chiang said. Therefore, he decided to sponsor a bill so that people 
convicted of a felony charge of drunk driving causing death will face the 
possibility of the death penalty.

The KMT lawmaker noted that it’s unreasonable that, while the behavior of 
street racing causing death is punishable by life imprisonment, people 
convicted of drunk driving resulting in death of another person only face a 
maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. He said that offenders should pay a 
reasonable price for their behavior of killing people while driving drunk, and 
that the government should ensure they will never have another chance to hit 
the road.

Chiang said that he has drafted a bill that, if passed, would include the 
punishment of a life sentence and the death penalty in Taiwan’s criminal law, 
and allow judges more room in adjudicating drunk driving cases.

(source: Taiwan News)








MYANMAR:

Myanmar court hears arguments in Muslim lawyer's murder case----Ko Ni, an 
expert in constitutional law and adviser to Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, 
was shot dead in February 2017.



Prosecutors in Myanmar have urged a court to give the death sentence to three 
men accused of plotting to assassinate a prominent Muslim lawyer and adviser to 
the country's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Ko Ni, who had pushed for reforms aimed at challenging the military's grip on 
power, was shot in the head at point-blank range in broad daylight 2 years ago 
at the Yangon airport as he held his young grandson.

The gunman was led into a courtroom on Friday at Yangon's Insein court, 
handcuffed and chained to 2 of his co-defendants before their lawyers presented 
the final arguments.

"They must get the death sentence," prosecution lawyer Nay La told Al Jazeera 
after the hearing. Ko Ni was gunned down "in a public place, and they made sure 
to shoot him through the head," he added.

Although the death penalty is still on the books in Myanmar, the country has 
not conducted an execution in several decades.

The defence has argued that Kyi Lin, who was captured on CCTV aiming a 9mm 
pistol at the back of Ko Ni's head and pulling the trigger, carried out the 
killing because he had been threatened.

He tried to flee the scene of the shooting but was pursued by a group of taxi 
drivers and shot one of them dead in the ensuing melee. His lawyer argued that 
he did not mean to kill the driver and urged the judge to sentence him more 
leniency

Suu Kyi stays silent on Ko Ni's 1st death anniversary

The defence also argued that co-defendants Zeyar Phyo, a former military 
intelligence captain, and Aung Win Zaw, a former lieutenant, should be 
acquitted.

Zeyar Phyo, who is accused of bankrolling the assassination plot with roughly 
$80,000, did not appear on the CCTV footage and was not involved in any 
conspiracy, his lawyer told the court.

"The defence's arguments were very weak," said Nay La.

He said a lawyer had previously disputed that video footage showed the 3rd 
defendant, Aung Zaw Win, at the airport on the day of the shooting. "But today, 
the lawyer admitted the CCTV records were true," he added.

The man accused of masterminding the killing, a former lieutenant colonel named 
Aung Win Khine, is still at large. He was also captured on CCTV at the airport.

"Until Aung Win Khine is apprehended and questioned, there will always be 
doubts that justice was really done in this case," said David Mathieson, an 
independent analyst based in Myanmar.

Landmark case

For many, the killing shattered Myanmar's hopes of genuine reforms following 
decades of military rule.

Ko Ni had been working on plans to replace the country's military-drafted 
constitution, which gives the generals control over key sections of the 
government even after an historic 2015 election that brought Aung San Suu Kyi, 
a former dissident, to power.

Ko Ni is also credited with creating the position of State Counsellor, the 
title held by Aung San Suu Kyi that allowed her to become Myanmar's de facto 
leader in spite of a clause in the constitution that prevents her from becoming 
president.

While there is no evidence that military officers were involved in the 
killings, many see Ko Ni's death as a sign of the danger involved in 
challenging the military's hold on power in Myanmar.

At a memorial service earlier this week to mark two years since the two 
killings, Aung San Suu Kyi urged authorities "to find speedy justice" for Ko Ni 
and the slain taxi driver, Nay Win.

Both men "sacrificed their lives to help fight the challenges to promoting the 
rule of law and justice in Myanmar," she said.

Some are unnerved by the prosecution's call for capital punishment in a case 
that has become symbolic of the country's struggle for peace and freedom.

"The death penalty flies in the face of human rights and rule of law 
principles," Sean Bain, a Myanmar-based legal adviser with the International 
Commission of Jurists, told Al Jazeera.

"Prosecutors should seek a just penalty that deters repetition while respecting 
human rights," he added.

The final ruling is expected on February 15.

(sourrce: aljazeera.com)








SAUDI ARABIA:

Authorities must drop calls to execute peaceful protesters



Responding to reports that Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor is no longer 
seeking the death penalty for Israa al-Ghomgham, an female activist who is 
being prosecuted for peacefully participating in anti-government protests in 
the country’s eastern province in 2015, Samah Hadid, Amnesty International’s 
Middle East Director of Campaigns said:

“The news that Saudi Arabia’s authorities have dropped their outrageous call 
for Israa al-Ghomgham to be executed comes as a huge relief. However, while her 
life is no longer at risk, she is still facing a ludicrous prison sentence 
simply for participating in peaceful demonstrations.

“Saudi Arabia’s prosecutors must now immediately drop their call for the death 
penalty against 4 other defendants facing trial alongside Israa al-Ghomgham. 
All have been detained for exercising their peaceful right to freedom of 
expression, association and assembly.

“The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment – 
its use is horrific in all circumstances – but resorting to execution as a 
means to punish peaceful protesters in violation of international law is 
particularly appalling. The authorities must take steps to abolish the death 
penalty. “Instead of treating peaceful protesters as criminals and resorting to 
extreme measures to intimidate them into silence, Saudi Arabia’s authorities 
must ensure that Israa al-Ghomgham and all others detained solely for 
exercising their right to peaceful dissent are released immediately and 
unconditionally.”

Background: Israa al-Ghomgham was arrested along with her husband Mousa 
al-Hashim in December 2015 for their roles in participating in protests for 
greater rights and reforms for the Shi’a minority in the eastern Qatif province 
in the aftermath of the Arab Spring uprisings. She is facing trial before Saudi 
Arabia’s notorious Specialized Criminal Court which deals with 
counter-terrorism cases, along with five other individuals Ahmed al-Matrood, 
Ali Ouwaisher, Mousa al-Hashim, Khalid al-Ghanim and Mujtaba al-Muzain.

They are facing a series of charges including “participating in protests” which 
is punishable under Royal Decree 44/A, a follow-up decree to the 2014 Law for 
the Crimes of Terrorism and its Financing.

(source: Amnesty International)




PAKISTAN:

Petition rejected: ATC issues convict’s black warrant



An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) issued the black warrant of a convict facing a 
death sentence in Faisalabad, Express News has reported.

ATC Judge Muhammad Khalil Naz issued a death warrant for the execution of Noman 
Siddiqui. The convict had kidnapped and murdered a child named Shahzeb in 2014 
after demanding a ransom for his release.

Later, the police arrested him and initiated legal proceedings. When the 
hearing of the case concluded, the court sentenced Noman to death and 25 years 
in jail on different sections. The court also ordered him to pay Rs2.2 million 
diyat to the victim’s family.

After the verdict, Noman filed a petition against the decision in the high 
court, but it was rejected. The court ordered the carrying out of the death 
sentence on February 7, 2019.

On January 13, former chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar took notice of a death 
warrant issued against mentally challenged prisoner Khizar Hayat. He sought a 
report to ascertain the prisoner’s condition and suspended the sentence till 
further orders. Hayat was serving his sentence at the central jail in Kot 
Lakhpat.

Murder convicts get death penalty, life term

Nisar directed the law officer to verify whether the condemned prisoner was 
mentally-ill. He observed that the matter involved basic human rights and 
needed to be heard on an urgent basis.

A district and sessions judge in Lahore had scheduled the execution of Hayat 
for January 15. He was sentenced to death in 2003 over the shooting of a fellow 
police officer. He had spent nearly 15 years on death row. Hayat was first 
diagnosed as a schizophrenic in 2008 by jail medical authorities.

In 2010, the jail medical officer recommended that Khizar Hayat needed 
specialised treatment and should be shifted to the psychiatric facility. 
However, this was never done. In 2017, the Lahore High Court had stayed the 
execution of Hayat.

(source: The Express Tribune)








CAMEROON:

Cameroon's Arrested Opposition Leader Begins Hunger Strike



Cameroon's arrested opposition leader Maurice Kamto and 29 of his imprisoned 
supporters started a hunger strike a day after being told they will face 8 
charges amounting to treason. If found guilty, they could face the death 
penalty.

Christopher Ndong, secretary-general of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, said 
Friday that the strikers aim to show that President Paul Biya's re-election to 
a 7th term in October was a stolen victory.

"Kamto wants that this government should give way because they are not 
legitimate after the 7th of October 2018 polls," Ndong said. "He won the 
election and he wants that they should honestly hand down power without shame, 
because he is saying if they think that what he declared as a winner is false, 
let us go back and do a recount."

The opposition's calls for a recount of the October vote are likely to fall on 
deaf ears.

Biya is Africa's 2nd-longest ruling leader — in power for 36 years — and his 
government has shown little tolerance for opposition.

Police arrested Kamto and nine party officials Monday after days of peaceful 
protest in Yaounde and three other cities ended in clashes.

Government spokesman Rene Emmanuel Sadi said police shot and wounded seven 
protesters and arrested 117. Opposition supporters put the number of arrests at 
more than 200.

Kamto and his colleagues are now facing eight charges, including treason, 
inciting violence, and disruption of public peace.

Cameroon Bar Council lawyer Mujem Fombad says the men could be facing the death 
penalty.

"Article 102 of the penal code sanctions hostility against the fatherland. Any 
citizen, any citizen taking part in hostility against the republic shall be 
guilty with treason and punished with death," Fombad said.

Opposition supporters also stormed Cameroon's embassies in Paris and Berlin on 
Saturday.

Minor damage and stolen documents were reported at the Paris embassy, which was 
temporarily closed.

In Yaounde, authorities summoned the French ambassador to demand that 
protesters who stormed the embassy be extradited to face charges.

Rights group Amnesty International has called on Cameroon to release all 
peaceful protesters, including Kamto.

(source: voanews.com)








ST. LUCIA:

National security minister gives his views on death penalty



National Security Minister, Hermangild Francis, says St. Lucians should be 
allowed to determine whether or not to abolish the death penalty, as he 
maintained that he had no definitive position on the matter.

Francis, an attorney, who is also the home affairs and justice minister, said 
that with plans being advanced for constitutional reform, the issue of the 
death penalty could be put to the people for their consideration.

“I think St. Lucians have to have a say as to whether they still want the death 
penalty or not,” Francis said on a radio programme here on Friday night.

The former deputy police commissioner told radio listeners that his position on 
the death penalty is “neither here nor there” and that he supports the law at 
present.

“I am for the law. The law says that if you kill, there are certain categories 
of murder; that you should face the hangman,” Francis, said, noting that while 
St. Lucia has not carried out a hanging in years, it does not mean that it 
cannot be done in the future.

“That’s what the law says,” he insisted.

St. Lucia has not carried out the death penalty since 1995 when Joseph Solomon 
was executed after being convicted for murder and rape in 1979.

The London-based international human rights organisation, Amnesty 
International, has been urging Caribbean countries to abolish the death penalty 
noting that as of the end of 2017, over 96 % of all those on death row in the 
English-speaking Caribbean were held in 3 countries namely Barbados (13 %), 
Guyana (32 %) and Trinidad and Tobago (52 %).

(source: stlucianewsonline.com)