[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

January 16




VIETNAM:

Vietnam school teacher gets death sentence for drug trafficking



A school teacher in northern Vietnam has received the death penalty for drug 
trafficking, state media reported Wednesday.

Vu Ba Xenh, 40, was arrested in June 2018 in Nghe An province with 15 kilograms 
of drugs following a police shootout, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported.

On the day of his arrest, Xenh, who was offered 200 dollars to transport drugs 
around Nghe An, had been meeting smugglers on the Vietnamese side of a forested 
border area to transport the drugs onward within Vietnam, but the group was 
intercepted by police.

Although Xenh was successfully apprehended, other members of the group opened 
fire on the police and fled.

2 police officers were shot, with one permanently confined to a wheelchair as a 
result of his injuries.

Police found 20 packages of heroin, 7 kilograms of methamphetamine and 12,000 
pills of an undisclosed "synthetic" drug at the scene, including the 15 
kilograms of drugs found on Xenh's person, as well as 1 gun. While it was 
unclear from the court ruling the type of drugs specifically found on Xenh, 
trafficking more than 100 grams of either meth or heroin warrants the death 
penalty in Vietnam.

(source: gulf-times.com)








TAIWAN:

Wu Feng supports death penalty in wake of child abuse cases in 
Taiwan----Turkish entertainer Wu Feng comes out in support of death penalty in 
wake of recent child abuse cases in Taiwan



In the wake of 2 brutal cases of child abuse seen in Taiwan in recent days, 
Taiwanese-Turkish TV show host Ugur Rifat Karlova, better known as Wu Feng 
issued a comment today in which he came out in support of the death penalty for 
particularly heinous cases.

In response to Yahoo News article about an 18-month-old toddler who was beaten 
to death by her mother and those around her and the news of a father beating 
his son for not adding hot peppers to his meatballs, Wu Feng posted a comment 
below expressing his support for the death penalty in extreme cases of child 
abuse, quickly gaining thousands of likes by Taiwanese readers.

In the comments section of the article about the beating death of the tiny 
toddler, Wu Feng wrote the following comment:

"I have never publicly shared my support for the death penalty! But for the 
first time since the recent spate of child abuse, I sincerely support very 
serious punishment that includes the death penalty! This kind of behavior 
should definitely not be punished lightly! I feel that we as influential 
entertainers are also responsible for helping Taiwan's society progress, and 
the world to improve."

Within 1 hour alone the comment gained 1,150 likes and has garnered many 
thousands since. Many netizens echoed their support for Wu Feng's comments:

"I support heavy sentences."

"We need entertainers to help voice our concerns, and we need the whole nation 
to pay attention to the issue."

"I support whipping first, and then the death penalty."

"My idea is the same as yours, chaotic times call for heavy punishments."

While others expressed doubts that substantive action will be taken:

"Most people have lost confidence in Taiwan's judiciary."

"Everyone shouted for half a day and did not see the government do anything."

"But we shouted again and again. Did it work?"

(source: taiwannews.com.tw)








MALAYSIA:

Death penalty: Rahim Noor suggests referendum



Former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor has suggested 
holding a referendum before the proposed abolishment of the death penalty is 
brought to the Dewan Rakyat at the next Parliamentary sitting.

“This is a very important and serious decision to be made, hence it needs to be 
thoroughly studied by the Government.

“Personally, I disagree with the idea of abolishing the death penalty. I 
strongly appeal to the government to review this matter,” he said at a news 
conference here today.

Abdul Rahim said abolishing the death penalty would have serious impact, 
including emotionally, on a victim’s family.

Last Nov 13, the Cabinet proposed the death penalty for 32 offences under eight 
Acts, including Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, be abolished.

The Bill on abolishing the death penalty is reportedly expected to be tabled at 
the next Dewan Rakyat sitting and the Attorney-Gneral’s Chambers is now in the 
final stage of preparing a paper for the purpose.

According to Parliament’s official portal, the next Dewan Rakyat sitting will 
be from March 11 to April 11, 2019.

(source: theedgemarkets.com)

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

Govt urged to stick to plan to abolish death penalty



Prominent human rights lawyer Eric Paulsen has called on the government to 
stick to its plan to abolish death penalty in the country, and not to heed 
calls to abandon it.

The Lawyers for Liberty co-founder said while public opinions were important 
when drawing up policies, human rights issues should not depend on them.

He said the government was perfectly right to push for the abolition of the 
capital punishment as there were absolutely no evidence that death penalty 
deters crime.

“In October, the Law Minister (Datuk Liew Vui Keong) confirmed this view in 
Parliament, that the death penalty has no deterrent effect, citing a study 
conducted by International Centre for Law & Legal Studies (I-CeLLs).

“So why then retain the death penalty? The death penalty has no place in any 
civilised society that values human rights, justice and mercy,” he said in a 
series of tweets today.

Paulsen added that the vast majority of those on death row were for 
drug-related offences, pointing out that offenders could be rehabilitated 
instead of being sent to the gallows.

“Why kill when we can rehabilitate?” he questioned.

Paulsen was responding to former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul 
Rahim Noor call on Tuesday to retain the death penalty, claiming the 
government’s decision to abolish it was too hasty.

He had said that the government should instead conducted a thorough study and 
obtain public feedback before making any decision regarding the matter, 
claiming that the majority of Malaysians still wanted capital punishment to 
remain.

Liew had, in the last Dewan Rakyat sitting in December, said the government 
intends to table the bill to abolish the death penalty in the next sitting, 
scheduled from March 11 to April 11.

Paulsen was only on Monday appointed Malaysia’s representative to the Asean 
Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) for the 2019-2021 term.

(source: thesundaily.my)








CHINA:

'Strange': China lashes Australia over drug death penalty criticism



China has hit back at Australian criticism of the death sentence handed to a 
Canadian man for the attempted smuggling of 200 kilograms of methamphetamine, 
calling it "strange".

"The smuggled drugs were going to be sent to Australia. You should ask the 
Australian officials if they were happy to see these drugs being imported into 
their country," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told 
reporters on Wednesday afternoon.

She said China's memory of the dangers of drugs was still fresh after 1840 and 
the Opium War.

The Canadian government has appealed for clemency for Robert Lloyd 
Schellenberg, who received the death penalty on Monday shortly after a 1-day 
retrial at a Dalian court.

He had been originally sentenced to 15 years jail last November, but had 
appealed.

Acting Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham said on ABC Radio on Wednesday the 
Australian government was "deeply concerned with this case".

"We expect at a level of principle that not only the death penalty should not 
be applied but also wherever people are in trouble the rule of law ought be 
applied fairly," he said.

The Australian Federal Police have a joint Taskforce Blaze with the Chinese 
narcotics police to exchange intelligence and run joint operations to disrupt 
the smuggling of methamphetamine from China to Australia.

China and Canada are embroiled in a worsening dispute, sparked by the arrest in 
Vancouver of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on a United States 
extradition request.

Canada has warned citizens travelling to China about a risk of "arbitrary 
enforcement" of laws after the Schellenberg retrial, and the detention of up to 
13 Canadians in the weeks following Meng's arrest last month.

2 Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, remain in detention accused of 
endangering China's national security.

The dispute between China and Canada has rattled the foreign diplomatic 
community in Beijing, particularly United States allies, which see their 
citizens could be put in a similar position in the future.

After repairing ties with China last year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said 
Australia won't take sides in the trade dispute between China and the United 
States.

Canada was seen to be taking a similar approach: The Trudeau government was 
pursuing greater economic ties with China, despite Washington seeking to inject 
a so-called "poison pill" against China trade deals in North American free 
trade agreement.

Canada had last year also publicly pushed back against political pressure from 
Washington to ban Huawei from its 5G network, as Australia and New Zealand had 
done, and was yet to announce a decision.

Yet China has reacted with fury against Canada after Canadian law enforcement 
officers acted on the US arrest warrant for Meng.

Prime minister Justin Trudeau has said his office had no involvement in the 
arrest decision which was a matter for the independent legal system. China has 
continued to demand Meng's release, as its state media threatened consequences 
for Canada.

Canada's foreign affairs minister Chrystia Freeland said on Tuesday: "It is a 
complicated and difficult moment in our relationship with China."

Trudeau has reportedly spoken by phone with New Zealand, another Five Eyes 
intelligence partner which has a strong trading relationship with China, about 
the detained men.

Bloomberg reported that executives from Chinese state-owned enterprises had 
been cautioned against travelling to the US and the Five Eyes intelligence 
partner countries – Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Britain.

Meng's arrest is viewed in China as part of a US attempt to contain Huawei, one 
of the world's biggest telecommunications companies.

(source: Sydney Morning Herald)

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

Canada asks China clemency for its national sentenced to death for drug 
trafficking



Ottawa has asked Beijing to spare the life of its citizen, Robert Lloyd 
Schellenberg, who was sentenced to death by a Chinese court for smuggling a 
large volume of drugs into the country.

“We have already spoken with China’s ambassador to Canada and requested 
clemency,” Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters on 
Tuesday. She said that Ottawa believes the death penalty is “inhumane and 
inappropriate,” and it always seeks to protect its citizens from capital 
punishment.

Schellenberg was slapped with the harshest possible punishment for drug 
smuggling on Monday. The Canadian was accused of smuggling more than 200kg of 
methamphetamine into China. He was arrested back in 2015 and sentenced last 
year to 15 years behind bars, as well as a fine of some $22,000.

On Monday, however, Schellenberg’s sentence was upgraded to capital punishment, 
as his appeal backfired badly. The harsher punishment was required since the 
evidence indicated that the Canadian “was involved in organized international 
drug crime,” according to prosecutors.

The new verdict was blasted by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said 
the Chinese court’s decision was “arbitrary” and “extremely concerning.” Canada 
also updated its travel advisory regarding China, urging its citizens to 
exercise a “high degree of caution” before going there, Freeland stated.

Beijing has brushed off the international outcry over Schellenberg’s case as 
insignificant.

“I can very clearly state that we are not worried in the slightest,” Chinese 
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying stated, adding that Canada’s 
“so-called allies could be counted on 10 fingers,” and their opinion does not 
actually represent the stance of the international community. The death penalty 
for the Canadian national has been criticized by the UN, as well as several 
countries, including Australia.

(source: rt.com)

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

Capital punishment in China “a very grave” problem, says lawyer who fought 
corruption extradition----B.C. man faces death penalty; fate of extradited 
Chinese businessman unknown



China has “very grave” problems with the imposition of the death penalty, says 
a Canadian lawyer who fought the extradition of China’s most wanted man a 
decade ago.

David Matas’ comments come the day after B.C.’s Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, 36, 
was sentenced to death for drug trafficking in China. The original sentence was 
15 years in prison.

“Robert Lloyd Schellenberg of course should not be executed,” Matas said. “But 
neither should any of the thousands of Chinese who are executed each year. The 
problem here is China, not Canada.”

Matas headed the legal team for Lai Changxing, whose extradition on corruption 
charges China won in 2011 after years of court proceedings. A key point in the 
success of that extradition was a 2001 diplomatic note from China’s 
then-president Jiang Zemin to former prime minister Jean Chretien with 
assurances that Changxing would not be executed if returned to China.

The Winnipeg-based lawyer noted China does not publish death penalty statistics 
but he said unofficial estimates indicate it executes three times the number of 
people executed in the rest of the world’s countries combined.

Now, translated Chinese documents show the Dalian Intermediate People’s Court 
in China’s northeast province of Liaoning imposed a death sentence after 
changing Schellenberg’s conviction as an accessory to trafficking to one of 
being a participant in the crime.

Chinese law requires all death sentences to be approved by the Supreme People’s 
Court.

“However, 85 to 90% of death penalty sentences are upheld on appeal,” Matas 
said.

Schellenberg’s original conviction came before the arrest in Vancouver of 
telecommunications giant Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou was 
detained Dec. 1 at Vancouver International Airport, where Canadian police acted 
on a provisional arrest warrant from the United States under an extradition 
treaty between countries.

Meng was released on bail of $10 million in cash and sureties Dec. 11 in 
Vancouver as she awaits possible extradition to the United States. The case 
could take years to resolve.

Meng is accused of conspiracy to defraud multiple international financial 
institutions in relation to international sanction violations. She’s the 
daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei.

Beijing has decried the arrest, accusing Canada of kidnapping, violating the 
rule of law

Since Meng’s arrest, two other Canadians – former diplomat Michael Kovrig and 
businessman Michael Spavor – have been arrested in China.

However, it is the threat of Schellenberg’s death sentence in the wake of 
Meng’s arrest that has drawn further worldwide attention to the situation.

And, it has increased the rhetoric on both sides, with China accusing Canada of 
not abiding by the rule of law in Meng’s case and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 
calling the death sentence “arbitrary.”

Matas, however, sees a bigger picture, saying Canada should assist Schellenberg 
but also use the situation to highlight China’s use of the death penalty.

(source: burnabynow.com)

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

China has carried out death penalty threats against Canadians in the past, Star 
has learned



Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned a Chinese court’s decision Monday to 
sentence a Canadian man to death on drug trafficking charges, but there is new 
reason to doubt that China will be persuaded to grant clemency.

The Star has learned that China has previously dismissed clemency pleas by a 
former prime minister, Stephen Harper, and former governor-general David 
Johnston against imposing the death penalty on Canadians in 2 cases.

The former Canadian ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques, said in an 
interview he was personally involved in steps taken by the embassy and the 
Canadian government, including personally delivering a letter Harper wrote 
seeking to prevent the execution of two Canadians of Chinese origin. 
Saint-Jacques recalls it occurred in late 2014 or early 2015, in separate drug 
trafficking cases in Guangdong province.

“I think what we just succeeded in doing was delay their execution by maybe 1 
year.”

That’s cause for alarm as Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg faces execution by 
a Chinese justice system that had previously sentenced him to 15 years in jail 
on charges of smuggling 222 kilograms of crystal meth. A Chinese appeal court 
had ordered the sentence reviewed in late December, and after a one-day hearing 
the prosecution request to toughen the sentence was granted. Schellenberg, 
reported to have prior drug convictions in B.C., now has 10 days to file an 
appeal.

Saint-Jacques says the 2 Canadians previously executed in China were dual 
citizens. One had entered China on his Canadian passport, the other had 
travelled on a Chinese travel document. In the latter case, he said, China did 
not recognize the man’s dual citizenship and dealt with him as a Chinese 
citizen.

Harper took up their cases personally during a visit to China in a meeting with 
President Xi Jinping, who Saint-Jacques said told the Canadian leader China 
regards “drug trafficking as a very serious crime and they were following 
Chinese law.” Harper travelled to China in November 2014.

Harper’s letter was sent weeks after the visit, the day before the scheduled 
execution of 1 man, but was to no avail, said Saint-Jacques. He said Canadian 
officials were allowed one last consular visit, but the execution eventually 
went ahead, with the 2nd execution occurring within weeks as well, he said. 
Saint-Jacques could not recall the full names of either man, nor are there any 
records of such cases in English-language Canadian media.

Global Affairs Canada did not confirm details of Saint-Jacques’ statements when 
first contacted but acknowledged late Monday that executions did occur in 
roughly that time period. The Star was unable to independently verify any other 
details.

The revelation was one of a number of alarming developments Monday.

The Canadian government warned of new travel risks for Canadians.

Ottawa said while the risk level for travel to and within China was unchanged 
at “high,” it added a new warning: “We encourage Canadians to exercise a high 
degree of caution in China due to the risk of arbitrary enforcement of local 
laws.”

Canada’s embassy in Beijing emailed Canadians registered in the country to be 
aware of the new risks, asking them to update the embassy if they leave China.

The Canadian government also made clear its concern over the fate of other 
Canadians now facing the Chinese justice system.

On Monday, the Chinese government formally dismissed Trudeau’s claim of 
diplomatic immunity for a Canadian former diplomat, Michael Kovrig, arrested by 
China last month.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, said Kovrig “is not entitled to 
diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by any 
measure.

“He is not currently a diplomat. Michael Kovrig used an ordinary passport and a 
business visa to come to China.”

Kovrig was on leave from Global Affairs Canada to work for a non-governmental 
peace advocacy group, the International Crisis Group. Arrested by China after 
Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on Dec. 1, Kovrig faces vague 
allegations of engaging in activities that endangered Chinese state security. A 
second Canadian, businessman Michael Spavor, was arrested last month as well, 
and faces similar unspecified charges.

Trudeau reacted Monday with dismay to the latest developments in Schellenberg’s 
case and tied it to his concern about China’s actions in the other cases.

“It is of extreme concern to us as a government as it should be to all our 
international friends and allies that China has chosen to begin to arbitrarily 
apply death penalty in cases facing – as in this case facing a Canadian.”

Trudeau told reporters he would seek clemency for Schellenberg, speaking after 
he shuffled his cabinet Monday morning. As part of that shuffle, Trudeau moved 
his justice minister out of the portfolio responsible for handling the U.S. 
extradition request of Meng, and installed a legal expert in comparative and 
public law, David Lametti.

Meng’s arrest infuriated the Chinese government, which has accused Canada of 
acting arbitrarily in the matter.

China dismissed Canada’s explanation that it was obliged to act under a 
bilateral extradition treaty with the U.S., with its ambassador in Ottawa 
publicly accusing Canada’s government last week of double standards driven by 
“white supremacy.”

Chunying fired a shot at the Canadian government’s insistence that Trudeau is 
bound to respect the independence of a Canadian court now seized with the Meng 
case.

“As to the Canadian side’s claim that all countries should respect judicial 
independence, I believe this is quite right if only the Canadian side itself 
could first prove its judicial independence with concrete actions.”

Saint-Jacques, who was Ottawa’s envoy from 2012 to 2016 and worked with Kovrig, 
said in an interview there is little doubt that with the men’s arrests and 
Schellenberg’s suddenly toughened sentence, China “is sending a clear message” 
to Canada.

He said the government needs to “prepare a Plan A and a Plan B in case this 
further escalates because this problem is going to be with us for some time,” 
said Saint-Jacques.

Saint-Jacques predicted Meng’s legal defence team will try to block the U.S. 
request and draw out the legal arguments for years, and he encouraged the 
Trudeau government to keep up the international pressure because China cares 
about its international reputation, even if it does not care about Canada.

Trudeau said Canada would continue to enlist the support of its international 
friends and allies to object to China’s actions.

Trudeau said all governments should be worried about China’s “arbitrary” moves.

“We are extremely concerned as should be all countries around the world that 
China is choosing to act arbitrarily whether it is in application of its own 
justice system to its own citizens and people around the world or whether it’s 
in its choice to not respect longstanding practices and principles in regard to 
diplomatic immunity.

“This is something that everyone should be alert to and certainly something we 
as a government take very seriously and will continue to engage strongly with 
China on.”

Several governments, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, 
France, the European Union, and Australia have already stepped up to express 
concern about China’s arrests of Kovrig and Spavor.

Schellenberg’s aunt, Lauri Nelson-Jones, in an email to the Star’s Vancouver 
reporter Perrin Grauer, said “All I can really say at this moment is, it is our 
worst case fear confirmed. Our thoughts are with Robert at this time.”

“It is rather unimaginable what he must be feeling and thinking. It is a 
horrific, unfortunate, heartbreaking situation. We anxiously anticipate any 
news regarding an appeal.”

“Canada seeks clemency for all Canadians facing the death penalty in foreign 
jurisdictions. We have sought clemency in the case of Mr. Schellenberg and will 
continue to do so,” said Global Affairs spokesman Guillaume Bérubé.

Global Affairs says about 200 are currently detained in China “for a variety of 
infractions and continue to face legal proceedings. Many of these Canadians are 
out on bail or serving probation,” while a handful are in custody.

Alex Neve, of Amnesty International Canada, said Monday the sentence against 
Schellenberg “was imposed after a rushed retrial,” and called on the Chinese 
government to abandon its plans to carry out the death sentence.

Neve called on the Canadian government “to intervene at very senior levels, 
including the Prime Minister, to press that request.”

Neve said the fact the Schellenberg death penalty “has arisen in the context of 
the strained relationship between China and Canada arising from Canada’s arrest 
of Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. extradition warrant, adds greater urgency to the need 
for immediate and concerted effort on the part of the Canadian government to 
convince Chinese authorities to overturn the death penalty in this case.”

John Kamm, head of Dui Hua, a San Francisco-based non-governmental group that 
advocates for political prisoners in China, said in an interview that 
Schellenberg’s aunt has asked for his help in advocating for the Canadian man.

He said his organization is aware of 19 foreigners, but no North Americans 
among them, who have been executed by China from 2009 to present.

Kamm said the best thing that could happen now for Schellenberg is for an 
appeal to be filed, and “a cooling off period between the 2 countries,” the 
sooner the better.

However, Trudeau’s comments, and Ottawa’s travel advisory update, signaled a 
distinct shift in tone from the Liberal government towards China.

In December, Trudeau told reporters he has learned since taking power that it 
does no good to “politicize” or “amplify” consular cases because it can 
actually hinder what he said is the ultimate goal of securing Canadians’ 
release from detention and their safe return home.

(source: thestar.com)








IRAN:

Fate And Punishment Of Dissident Clerics In Iran



Only 4 months after his Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979, the revolution's 
leader Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini took the first step to set up a "special 
clerical court" to deal with those whom he called "corrupt clerics."

He said the court was not there to defend the clerics. Instead, it is there "to 
defend Islam."

Corrupt clerics were those who did not submit to the newly established 
political system's ideology. There have always been dissenters among the ranks 
of Iranian clerics during the past 40 years, but it was hard to show any 
deviation from the regime’s strict line as the response was expected to be 
harsh, and it often was.

A cleric had to be the mouthpiece of the established system, obey the Supreme 
Leader and be demonstrably anti-secular and anti-Western.

Khomeini often talked about Ulam-i Su (bad scholars) in Iran and abroad. Even 
some eulogists, who are not exactly clerics were killed or treated otherwise 
violently during the first year after the revolution.

Fear of violent punishment for disobedience, led to a secrecy that concealed 
dissidence and independent thought in the clerical ranks, which otherwise 
operates based on blind obedience. The fear, also explains why there is no 
clear picture of what many clerics really think. On the other hand, not all 
those who are punished are dissidents. Some are simply black sheep that break 
traditional rules and harm the image of the clergy.

Although the government that came to power after the 1979 revolution was an 
Islamic Republic ruled by clerics, some clergies who were not happy with the 
regime change, came under attack by the new leaders because of their links to 
the previous regime.

In March 1980, a top Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Tabatabai, complained at a 
meeting with Khomeini that "incompetent judges have disrobed innocent pious 
clerics, harming Islam in your name and in the name of Islam."

The Special Clerical Court was established in 1990. A year after Khomeini's 
death. Before that tribunals formed of three clerics and 2 local elders tried 
clerics linked to the Shah's secret police, SAVAK, Persian acronym that stood 
for the state intelligence and security organization.

The law that led to the establishment of the court stipulated, among other 
things, that "Those who are not qualified to wear the clerical robe, shall be 
condemned to be disrobed."

Being disrobed, means no longer being entitled to wear the long Qaba, another 
long cloak on top of it called Aba, and a turban that covers the head. Some 
clerics believe that was the way the prophet used to dress up.

Here is a list of some of the clerics disrobed under the Islamic Republic as 
the punishment has been frequently used to discredit and humiliate critics.

Seyed Abdolreza Hejazi - He was one of the most renowned preachers in Tehran in 
the 1970s. At the time of the revolution he was a close aide of dissident 
cleric Ayatollah Kazem Shariatmadari. Shortly after the revolution he was 
accused of being an accomplice in a coup plot against the Islamic Republic. 
Hejazi was disrobed and executed in 1983. Ironically, the Shah's secret police 
believed he was a revolutionary who supported Khomeini.

Ali Akbar Hekamizadeh – He was the author of the book "Millennial Secrets", a 
discourse against religious superstition. In the book he asked questions that 
were later answered by Ayatollah Khmoeini in his book "The Islamic Government." 
After the Islamic revolution, Islamic Republic authorities disrobed him under 
pressure from fanatical clerics. He died in 1987.

Hassan Yusefi Eshkevari – Reformist cleric and former MP, Eshkevari was 
arrested in 2000 after taking part in a conference about human rights in 
Berlin, along with other participants in the event. He was tried at the Special 
Court for Clerics in Tehran and subsequently disrobed before going to jail for 
5 years after his death sentence was commuted under international pressure. 
Eshkevari lives in Germany.

Ali Afsahi – A young cleric and the editor of a publication about cinema and 
sports, Afsahi was disrobed forever and jailed for 4 months on charges of 
"insulting saints and clerics" following a speech at the Bushehr Film Center in 
the year 2000.

Seyed Mohammad Mousa Mirshahvalad – A clerical student in Mashad, Mirshahvalad 
was sentenced to 20 months in jail, 30 lashes and being disrobed for 2 years 
for "insulting state officials and propagating against the state." He was 
pardoned in 2003.

Hadi Qabel – A reformist cleric, Qabel was arrested in 2007 on charges of 
"propagating against the regime." According to his lawyer, the Special Clerical 
Court disrobed him and sentenced him to 40 months in prison, and a 500,000 
tuman fine. He was disrobed on charges of "undermining clerics' prestige." 
Qabel was pardoned in 2009 after serving 22 months in jail.

Seyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi – He is a cleric who has openly opposed the 
intervention of religion in politics, and the rule of jurisconsult (Velayat-e 
Faqih), in other words, the rule of Supreme Leader, currently Khamenei. A court 
in September 2007 tried him for "fighting God" and "propagating against the 
regime," and sentenced him to 10 years jail after disrobing him.

Majid Jafari Tabar – was sentenced to death in 2014 for "financial corruption, 
having devoted followers, and claiming to be in contact with the hidden Imam." 
After his conviction, his pictures were published showing him next to 
Khamenei's son and President Hassan Rouhani.

Ahmad Montazeri – He was sentenced first to 21 and then to 6 years in jail in 
2016 for publishing a tape in which his father Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri 
disclosed secrets about mass murders in Iranian jails in the 1980s. He was also 
sentenced to being disrobed, but his sentence was later suspended for 3 years.

Mohammad Reza Nekounam - A seminary teacher, Nekounam was first arrested in 
2014 for insulting high-ranking hardline cleric Nasser Makarem Shirazi. In 2016 
he was jailed again for writing an article in a newspaper. In 2017, the Special 
Clerical Court disrobed him before sentencing him to lashes and 5 years in 
jail.

Hassan Aghamiri – Social media activist nicknamed as the Telegram Cleric, 
Aghamiri has over one million followers on Telegram and more than 200,000 
followers on Instagram. He is extremely popular for his critical speeches. A 
court in Tehran disrobed him in January 2019 on charges of "undermining 
clerics' prestige and insulting sanctities" and sentenced him to 2 years in 
jail but suspended his jail sentence for 2 years.

(source: radiofarda.com)








THAILAND:

Rights activists push for ban on death sentences for female convicts



Human rights defenders are calling for an end to capital punishment for women 
as a next step forward to achieving the universal abolition of death sentences 
in Thailand.

A public forum hosted by the Union for Civil Liberty (UCL) on Monday discussed 
a proposal to ban the death sentence for female inmates in Thailand, and 
concluded that executing women is not only ineffective in suppressing crimes 
but also contributes to additional social problems.

Assoc Professor Gothom Arya, director of Mahidol University’s Institute of 
Human Rights and Peace Studies, has pushed for the abolishment of capital 
punishment for all convicts, but acknowledged strong public opinion in favour 
of retaining the sentence.

A gradual step-by-step approach to abolition would better suit the country, 
Gothom suggested, adding that it is more practical than going against majority 
public opinion and abolishing it in one move.

“Thailand has already abolished death sentence for pregnant women and youth, so 
it appears the next step would be to officially end the execution of female 
convicts,” he said.

(source: The Nation)