[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

July 18



SRI LANKA:

EU reiterates call for moratorium on death penalty



The European Union has once again called on Sri Lanka to stop the 
implementation of capital punishment. Ambassadors of EU countries in Sri Lanka 
had reiterated their request when they met with a group of UNP parliamentarians 
this morning.

According to a joint statement issued by the EU heads of Missions in Sri Lanka, 
they had restated the strong and unequivocal opposition of the EU and its 
member states to capital punishment in all circumstances and in all cases.

The Heads of Missions also reiterated their call to Sri Lanka to maintain its 
moratorium on the death penalty with a view towards complete abolition.

(source: newsfirst.lk)








INDIA:

Kathua rape case: HC issues notices to J&K, 6 convicts; girl's father seeks 
enhanced punishment----In the petition filed on July 10, the girl's father had 
sought enhancement of the convicts' sentence to capital punishment and life 
imprisonment, and also challenged the acquittal of one accused.



The Punjab and Haryana High Court Thursday issued notices to the Jammu and 
Kashmir government and 6 men convicted in the case of rape and murder of an 
8-year-old nomadic girl in Kathua on a plea by her father seeking enhanced 
punishment for them.

The court also issued a notice to the accused who was acquitted in the case by 
a lower court.

In the petition filed on July 10, the girl's father had sought enhancement of 
the convicts' sentence to capital punishment and life imprisonment, and also 
challenged the acquittal of one accused.

"The court Thursday issued notices to the state of Jammu and Kashmir and all 
the accused in the matter," petitioner's counsel Utsav Bains said.

The division bench of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Harinder Singh Sidhu fixed 
August 7 as next date of hearing, the counsel said.

The father had prayed that the sentence of Sanji Ram, the mastermind of the 
crime, Deepak Khajuria, a special police officer, and Parvesh Kumar should be 
enhanced from life imprisonment to capital punishment.

The petitioner had also prayed that the sentence of special police officer 
Surendra Verma, head constable Tilak Raj and sub-inspector Anand Dutta be 
enhanced from 5 years to life imprisonment.

The acquittal of Vishal Jangotra has also been challenged by the petitioner. 
Last month, a court in Pathankot had awarded life imprisonment till the last 
breath to Sanji Ram, Deepak Khajuria and Parvesh Kumar.

They were convicted under sections of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) relating to 
criminal conspiracy, murder, kidnapping, gangrape, destruction of evidence, 
drugging the victim and common intention.

The court, while acquitting Vishal Jangotra, son of Sanji Ram, had sentenced 3 
other accused--Anand Dutta, Tilak Raj and Surender Verma - to 5-year jail.

As per charge sheet filed in April last year, the girl was kidnapped on January 
10 and was raped in captivity in a small village temple, whose caretaker was 
Sanjhi Ram, after keeping her sedated for 4 days.

She was later bludgeoned to death, it said.

(source: indiatoday.in)

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

Bill on death penalty for child sex abuse introduced in Rajya Sabha



In a bid to combat rising cases of child sex abuse, a Bill for enhancing 
punishment, including a provision for death penalty, for committing sexual 
crimes against children was introduced in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The bill also puts curbs on child pornography by making provisions for 
imprisonment up to seven years as well as fine.

Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani introduced the Protection of 
Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2019, that seeks to amend the 
existing POCSO law of 2012.

"...as there is a strong need to take stringent measures to deter the rising 
trend of child sex abuse in the country, the proposed amendments make 
provisions for enhancement of punishments for various offences so as to deter 
the perpetrators and ensure safety, security and dignified childhood for a 
child," the amendment bill said.

It empowers Centre to make rules "for the manner of deleting or destroying or 
reporting about pornographic material in any form involving a child to the 
designated authority".

According to the amendment bill, those committing penetrative sexual assaults 
on a child below 16 years of age would be punished with imprisonment up to 20 
years, which might extend to life imprisonment as well as fine.

"Whoever commits aggravated penetrative sexual assault shall be punished with 
rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall be not less than 20 years, but 
which may extend to imprisonment for life, which shall mean imprisonment for 
the remainder of natural life of that person and shall also be liable to fine 
or with death," the bill said.

To curb child pornography, the Bill provides that those who uses a child for 
pornographic purposes should be punished with imprisonment for up to five years 
and fine.

However, in the event of 2nd or subsequent conviction, the punishment would be 
up to 7 years and fine.

In statement of objects and reasons, the Bill mentioned that incidence of child 
sexual abuse cases demonstrating the inhumane mind-set of the abusers, who have 
been barbaric in their approach towards young victims, is rising.

"Children are becoming easy prey because of their tender age, physical 
vulnerabilities and inexperience of life and society," it said.

The unequal balance of power leading to the gruesome act might detriment the 
mind of the child to believe that might is right, the Bill said, adding that 
studies establish that those victims become more abusive later in their life.

The Union Cabinet had last week approved amendments in the POCSO Act, which 
deals with crime against children.

(source: catchnews.com)








MALAYSIA:

Law minister: Judges to have discretion in imposing death penalty



Judges will still have the discretion to impose the death penalty under 
proposed changes in the law to abolish the mandatory death sentence currently 
in existence for 11 offences, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk 
Liew Vui Keong said today.

He clarified that the proposed changes being sought by the government were 
meant to give judges wider discretion in deciding whether to impose the death 
penalty or life imprisonment or imprisonment for a shorter period, depending on 
the facts of individual cases.

Among the 11 offences currently carrying the mandatory death sentence, nine 
relate to crimes under the Penal Code, while the remaining two comprise 
offences under the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971.

22 other offences carry the option of a death sentence or life imprisonment 
with whipping but in these cases, the courts already have the discretion to 
choose.

In an exclusive interview with Bernama, the minister said the term ‘mandatory’ 
in reference to the 11 offences meant that “the courts have no choice but to 
impose the death sentence”, adding that with the proposed changes, the 
prosecution would still be entitled to appeal if it felt a certain sentence 
imposed was not commensurate with the gravity of the offence committed.

The Bill containing the proposed changes will be discussed in the October 
sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.

The minister clarified that the proposal to abolish the mandatory death 
sentence was not new nor was it done in haste, adding that efforts began as far 
back as 2010 during the previous administration and in 2013, a research 
initiative called ‘The Death Penalty in Malaysia and the Way Forward’ had 
recommended that the mandatory death sentence be abolished.

In this connection, Liew stressed that there was no need for the issue to be 
politicised.

He said a task force would be established to study the technical aspects 
relating to the abolition of the mandatory death sentence, apart from looking 
at sentences that would serve as alternatives to the maximum penalty, and these 
would comprise penalties which were in proportion to the crimes committed.

The task force will be composed of representatives of government agencies, 
academia, civil society and other relevant parties.

“The government is ready to listen to voices from all levels of society, 
including minority groups, to ensure that the new law is more inclusive, 
holistic and effective,” Liew said, adding that his team would also provide 
detailed briefings to the general public.

(source: malaymail.com)








PAKISTAN:

ICJ tells Pakistan to review Kulbhushan Jadhav death penalty----In a ruling 
seen as a significant victory for India’s efforts to prevent the execution of 
the 49-year-old, the UN’s principal court ruled that a continued stay of 
Jadhav’s death sentence was an “indispensable condition” for an effective 
“review and reconsideration” of his conviction.



The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Wednesday ruled that Pakistan had 
violated former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav’s right to consular 
access and called for a review of the death sentence handed to him by a 
military court at an appropriate forum of Islamabad’s choice.

In a ruling seen as a significant victory for India’s efforts to prevent the 
execution of the 49-year-old, the UN’s principal court ruled that a continued 
stay of Jadhav’s death sentence was an “indispensable condition” for an 
effective “review and reconsideration” of his conviction.

Noting the review could be done in various ways, ICJ left the “choice of means” 
to Pakistan. The court, based in The Hague, Netherlands, said the review must 
be unconditional and lead to a result. It also called on Pakistan to take all 
measures for an effective review, including “enacting appropriate legislation”.

Jadhav was arrested by Pakistani security agencies in Balochistan on March 3, 
2016, and charged with involvement in spying and subversive activities. In 
April 2017, Pakistan announced that Jadhav had been given the death sentence by 
a military court.

Hours after the ICJ verdict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “We welcome 
today’s verdict in the ICJ. Truth and justice have prevailed. Congratulations 
to the ICJ for a verdict based on extensive study of facts. I am sure 
Kulbhushan Jadhav will get justice. Our Government will always work for the 
safety and welfare of every Indian.”

External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar described it as a 
“landmark judgment” that validated India’s position and said: “We will continue 
to work vigorously for Kulbhushan Jadhav’s early release and return to India.”

Kumar said ICJ, by a vote of 15-1, upheld India’s stance that Pakistan was in 
“egregious violation” of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

“We note the court has directed that Pakistan is under an obligation to inform 
Jadhav without further delay of his rights and to provide Indian consular 
officers access to him in accordance with the Vienna Convention. We expect 
Pakistan to implement the directive immediately,” he added.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar tweeted: “Spoken to #Kulbhushan’s 
family. Applaud their courage. Satyameva Jayate.”

It was not clear from Pakistan’s initial reactions if it would abide by the 
ICJ’s verdict. Pakistan’s Foreign Office announced it will “proceed as per law” 
and reiterated its allegations that Jadhav was involved in espionage, sabotage 
and terror acts that it claimed were a “clear case of Indian state terrorism”.

India has rejected the allegations against Jadhav and said he was kidnapped by 
Pakistani operatives from the Iranian port of Chabahar, where he was running a 
business. In May 2017, New Delhi petitioned ICJ, which stayed Jadhav’s 
execution.

However, ICJ ruled on Wednesday that it could not uphold India’s demand to 
annul the Pakistani military court’s death sentence and direct Islamabad to 
release and repatriate Jadhav. The 16-judge bench said it was not the 
conviction and sentencing of Jadhav that violated Article 36 of the Vienna 
Convention relating to consular access.

ICJ emphasised that the review of Jadhav’s case by Pakistan must be effective 
as the outcome of his mercy petition to the Pakistan Army chief was not known, 
and no evidence was submitted to the court on the presidential clemency 
procedure.

ICJ noted that Pakistan had stated during arguments that its high courts were 
competent to carry out a review. But it also observed Article 199 of Pakistan’s 
Constitution had been interpreted by the Supreme Court as limiting the 
availability of such a review for a person like Jadhav, who is subject to the 
Pakistan Army Act. “Thus, it is not clear whether judicial review of a decision 
of a military court is available on the ground that there has been a violation 
of the rights set forth in Article 36, paragraph 1, of the Vienna Convention,” 
the verdict said.

The verdict, however, added that Pakistan “contends that its domestic legal 
system provides for an established and defined process whereby the civil courts 
can undertake a substantive review of the decisions of military tribunals, in 
order to ensure procedural fairness has been afforded to the accused, and that 
its courts are well suited to carrying out a review and reconsideration that 
gives full weight to the effect of any violation of Article 36 of the Vienna 
Convention”.

Rahul Gandhi of the Congress welcomed the verdict. “My thoughts tonight are 
with Kulbhushan Jadhav, alone in a prison cell in Pakistan & with his 
distraught family for whom this verdict brings a rare moment of relief, joy & 
renewed hope, that he will one day be free to return to his home in India,” he 
tweeted.

Lawyer Harish Salve, who appeared for India in the case, said: “I see this as a 
sense of relief, gratification. I see this as something which we are very happy 
with. It is now the moment for us to help Jadhav get justice.”

While the 16-judge bench was unanimous in ruling that the UN’s principal court 
had jurisdiction to hear India’s petition, the seven other conclusions were 
endorsed by 15 of the judges on the panel led by ICJ president Abdulqawi Ahmed 
Yusuf, and opposed by Pakistan’s ad hoc judge Tassaduq Hussain Jillani.

These 7 conclusions included the rejection of Pakistan’s objections to the 
admissibility of India’s petition and violation of Jadhav’s rights to consular 
access under the Vienna Convention by Pakistan as it failed to notify him and 
the Indian government without delay of his detention. This, the judges ruled, 
deprived India of the right to communicate with Jadhav, and have access to him 
in detention and arrange for his legal representation. The bench concluded that 
Pakistan was under an obligation to inform Jadhav without further delay of his 
rights and to provide Indian consular officers access to him.

The bench further held the “appropriate reparation in this case consists in the 
obligation of... Pakistan to provide, by the means of its own choosing, 
effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence” of Jadhav.

It also declared a “continued stay of execution constitutes an indispensable 
condition for the effective review and reconsideration” of Jadhav’s death 
sentence.

Sanjay Hegde, a senior advocate of India’s Supreme Court, said there was still 
a lack of clarity on whether the review of Jadhav’s case will be done by a 
civil or military court.

“The execution has been stayed, the trial remains, but we don’t know if the 
review suggested by ICJ will be by a military court or a civil court. However, 
I don’t see any difference between the 2 because Pakistani civil courts are 
permeable to military influence as has been seen in the cases of former 
president Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif,” Hegde 
said.

(source: Hindustan Times)

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

Pakistan should immediately release Jadhav, says EAM Jaishankar, vows efforts 
to bring him back----The International Court of Justice on Wednesday directed 
Pakistan to suspend the death sentence given in 2017 to Jadhav on charges of 
espionage and sabotage.



A day after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered review of death 
penalty to Kulbhushan Jadhav, India on Thursday asked Pakistan to release the 
former Navy officer forthwith and vowed to vigorously continue efforts to bring 
him back.

Making a statement in both houses of Parliament on the ICJ judgement, External 
Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, "Pakistan was found to have deprived India 
of the right to communicate with Jadhav, have access to him, visit him in 
detention and arrange his legal representation".

"Kulbhushan Jadhav is innocent of the charges made against him. His forced 
confession without legal representation and due process will not change this 
reality," he said. "We once again call upon Pakistan to release and repatriate 
him forthwith," the minister said.

The International Court of Justice on Wednesday directed Pakistan to suspend 
the death sentence given in 2017 to Jadhav on charges of espionage and 
sabotage. "The Government will vigorously continue its efforts to ensure his 
safety and wellbeing, as well as his early return to India," Jaishankar said as 
members cutting across party lines welcomed the landmark judgement by thumping 
benches.

Jadhav, 49, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by the 
Pakistani military court on charges of "espionage and terrorism" after a closed 
trial in April 2017.

Jaishankar, who first made the statement in Rajya Sabha and then in Lok Sabha, 
noted that Jadhav was awarded a death sentence by a Pakistani military court 
martial on "fabricated charges". This was done without providing Indian 
representatives consular access to him, as envisaged by international law and 
practice.

"We made it clear even at that time that India would view very seriously the 
possibility that an innocent Indian citizen could face death sentence in 
Pakistan without due process and in violation of basic norms of law and 
justice,' the minister said. To ensure Jadhav’s wellbeing and safety and to 
secure his release, Jaishankar said India approached the ICJ to seek 
appropriate relief.

"The ICJ delivered its judgement on July 17,2019. Very significantly, the court 
unanimously found that it had jurisdiction on the matter and by a vote of 15-1, 
pronounced on the other key aspects of the case. The dissenting judge was from 
Pakistan," he said.

The IJC pronounced that Pakistan had breached obligations under the Vienna 
Convention on Consular Relations. "It did so by not notifying India without 
delay of the detention of Shri Jadhav, thereby depriving us of the right to 
render consular assistance," he said.

The minister also praised senior advocate Harish Salve, who argued India’s case 
in the ICJ and lauded Jadhav’s family’s courage in these difficult 
circumstances. Pakistan, he said, was also found to have deprived India of the 
right to communicate with Jadhav, have access to him, visit him in detention 
and arrange his legal representation.

"The Court declared that Pakistan is under an obligation to inform Shri Jadhav 
without further delay of his rights and to provide India consular access to 
him," he said.

"It stated that appropriate reparation in this case was for Pakistan to 
provide, by means of its own choosing, review and reconsideration of the 
conviction and sentence of Shri Jadhav". He said a continued say of execution 
constitutes an "indispensable condition for the process of effective review and 
reconsideration".

"Government has made untiring efforts in seeking his release, including through 
legal means in the International Court of Justice. Yesterday’s judgement is not 
only a vindication for India and Shri Jadhav, but for all those who believe in 
the rule of law and the sanctity of international treaties," he said.

(source: newsnation.in)



CHINA----execution

Chinese man executed for avenging mother's murder



A Chinese man who avenged the death of his mother was executed Wednesday by 
order of the Supreme People's Court in Shaanxi Province.

Zhang Koukou killed a family of 3 as payback for the slaying of his mother more 
than 2 decades ago, China's People's Daily reported Wednesday.

Zhang murdered 2 brothers, and their father, all with the surname Wang, as 
retribution, according to ABC News.

The death penalty came from the Supreme People's Court. The Intermediate 
People's Court in Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province, carried out the execution.

Zhang may have sought revenge after his mother died due to serious injuries, 
following a quarrel with then-17-year-old Wang Zhengjun in 1996.

Wang was tried as a minor in a Chinese court at the time, and he was sentenced 
to seven years in prison and ordered to pay about $1,400 in fines.

Zhang "held a longtime grudge" toward Wang and his mental health suffered as a 
result of his mother's murder, according to People's Daily.

The defendant launched his attack on Wang and his family during the Lunar New 
Year holiday in 2018. The Wangs had returned to their hometown, and Zhang 
stabbed the three men to death.

On Wednesday the Supreme People's Court condemned Zhang for taking matters of 
justice into his own hands.

"The case of the homicide against Zhang's mother has already received legal 
judgment," the court said. "But Zhang held a grudge for more than 20 years and 
acted out in vengeance."

The court also said the methods Zhang used were "evil and cruel."

Judges also said Zhang cannot be lightly punished despite his confession to the 
crime, and that verdicts from his first two trials were "accurate and correct."

According to Amnesty International, China is believed to execute more people 
annually than any other country, but Beijing does not release numbers.

(source: United Press International)

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

Yang Hengjun: Australian writer detained in China expected to be charged, 
lawyer says----Yang, who has been detained for six months, is expected to be 
charged with endangering national security



Australian writer Yang Hengjun is expected to be formally charged with 
endangering national security, according to his lawyer.

Yang, a Chinese public intellectual who has long advocated for democratic 
reforms in China, has been detained for the last 6 months in an unknown 
location in China.

Yang’s lawyer, Mo Shao Ping, said Yang’s family in Shanghai has been told to 
come to Beijing to receive a formal notice of the writer’s criminal detention, 
indicating formal charges are forthcoming.

The maximum punishment for endangering national security is life in prison or 
in serious cases, the death penalty. The notice the family receives should have 
more details of the charges Yang faces, which could include additional charges. 
Yang was initially detained on suspicion of endangering national security.

“Anything is possible. Right now we cannot say,” Mo said.

The Australian embassy in Beijing said a relative of Yang’s notified the 
embassy that he has been transferred to a detention centre in Beijing.

Yang, a naturalised Australian citizen since 2002, has been held under a system 
known as “residential surveillance at a designated location”, RSDL, a type of 
secret detention where authorities can deny access to lawyers and family.

At the end of 6 months under RSDL, a suspect should be released, formally 
charged, or transferred to criminal detention. Friday marks six months since 
Yang’s detention under RSDL, according to his lawyer.

Yang’s case could complicate already cooling ties between Australia and China, 
over concerns about potential Chinese interference in national affairs, Huawei 
and human rights.

On Monday, Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, said her 
government was “deeply concerned” about Beijing’s treatment of Uighurs, an 
ethnic minority in Xinjiang. Payne said China had blocked Australia’s attempts 
to offer consular assistance to dual citizens and their families believed 
detained in Xinjiang.

Intelligence officials believe Chinese hackers may have been responsible for a 
security breach at Australian National University in June.

Yang, a former Chinese diplomat, is a popular writer and blogger known for his 
spy novels and political commentary.

Being transferred to criminal detention does not augur well for Yang, human 
rights advocates say. Friends of his previously believed he would be released 
following the 30th anniversary of the June Fourth crackdown.

“While we don’t know the details of Yang’s case, the Chinese government has a 
record of deploying vague ‘national security’ charges to prosecute peaceful 
critics,” said Yaqiu Wang, China researcher for Human Rights Watch.

This week, Geng Shuang, a spokesman for China’s ministry of foreign affairs, 
said Yang’s case was proceeding “in accordance with the law” and that the state 
had “fully guaranteed” the protection of his rights.

Critics say the pace of Yang’s case shows a lack of evidence on the part of 
authorities.

“They haven’t got evidence,” said Feng Chongyi, an academic at the University 
of Technology Sydney and a friend of Yang’s. “If they had gotten anything they 
would have gone immediately to arrest him and would have charged him earlier 
before the expiry of 6 months.”

Feng believes how the Australian government responds will affect how Chinese 
authorities pursue Yang’s case.

“They continue to do the so-called investigation. If there is no cost to them 
of course they will take this kind of political prisoner as long as they can.”

Yang’s wife, Yuan Xiaolong, a permanent resident of Australia, has been barred 
from leaving China.

Human Rights Watch urged the Australian government to press Chinese authorities 
to release her from the exit ban.

Yang is known in online circles as minzhu xiaofan, or “democracy peddler”. “I’m 
like an old auntie jabbering on, always promoting democracy and repeating its 
benefits,” he wrote in an article in 2014.

“Dictatorship is always torn down in one night, but good democracy isn’t built 
in one night.”

(source: The Guardian)








NIGERIA:

Oluwo of Iwo advocates death penalty for kidnappers in Osun



The Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has called for death penalty 
for kidnappers in the state to help put an end to kidnapping.

Akanbi made the call during a courtesy visit by the traditional rulers of Iwo 
land to Governor Gboyega Oyetola in Osogbo on Thursday.

The traditional rulers visited the governor to felicitate with him on his 
victory as the winner of the September 2018 Governorship election, as upheld by 
the Supreme Court.

The monarch said the issue of kidnapping in the state had become worrisome and 
demanded a harsh penalty for anyone involved in the act.

“We traditional rulers want to beg the governor on behalf of other royal 
fathers to strictly enforce a harsh penalty for kidnappers when apprehended.

“If possible it should be death penalty instead of life imprisonment as the 
case may be,” Akanbi said.

(source: punchng.com)








MOROCCO:

Verdicts due in Morocco trial for killing of Scandinavian hikers



Verdicts are expected on Thursday for 24 suspected extremists accused over the 
murder of 2 Scandinavian women beheaded while on a hiking trip in Morocco.

Winding up an 11-week-long trial in an anti-terrorist court in Sale, near the 
capital Rabat, the defendants are to make their final statements before judges 
withdraw.

Verdicts are expected to be announced later the same day in the case that has 
shocked the North African country.

“We expect sentences that match the cruelty of the crime,” lawyer Khaled El 
Fataoui, speaking for the family of Danish victim Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 
told AFP.

Helle Petersen, her mother, in a letter read out in court last week, said: “The 
most just thing would be to give these beasts the death penalty they deserve.”

Prosecutors have already called for the death penalty for the 3 main suspects 
behind the “bloodthirsty” killings in the High Atlas mountains last December.

The maximum sentence was sought for 25-year-old suspected ringleader Abdessamad 
Ejjoud and 2 radicalised Moroccans, although Morocco has had a de facto freeze 
on executions since 1993.

Petitions on social media have likewise called for their execution.

The 3 admitted to killing Jespersen, 24, and 28-year-old Norwegian Maren 
Ueland, whose family has declined to take part in the trial.

The prosecution has called for jail terms of between 15 years and life for the 
21 other defendants on trial since May 2.

A life sentence has been sought for Abderrahim Khayali, a 33-year-old plumber, 
who had accompanied the 3 alleged assailants but left the scene before the 
murders.

The prosecution called for 20 years in jail for Kevin Zoller Guervos, a 
Spanish-Swiss convert to Islam.

The only non-Moroccan in the group, Guervos is accused of having taught the 
main suspects how to use an encrypted messaging service and to use weapons.

His lawyer, Saad Sahli, said Guervos had cut all ties with the other suspects 
“once he knew they had extremist ideas” more than 18 months ago.

All but 3 of those on trial had said they were supporters of Daesh, according 
to the prosecution, although Daesh itself has never claimed responsibility for 
the murders.

The 3 killers of the women were “bloodthirsty monsters,” the prosecution said, 
pointing out that an autopsy report had found 23 injuries on Jespersen’s 
decapitated body and 7 on that of Ueland.

Ejjoud, an underground imam, had confessed at a previous hearing to beheading 
one of the women and Younes Ouaziyad, a 27-year-old carpenter, the other, while 
Rachid Afatti, 33, had videoed the murders on his mobile phone.

The defence team called for “mitigating circumstances on account of their 
precarious social conditions and psychological disequilibrium.”

Coming from modest backgrounds, with a “very low” level of education, the 
defendants lived for the most part in low-income areas of Marrakesh.

Jespersen’s lawyers have accused authorities of having failed to monitor the 
activities of some of the suspects before the murders.

(source: gulftoday.ae)




SAUDI ARABIA:

Saudi prince saves defendant on death row from execution



A member of the Saudi royal family, who is also the governor of the Saudi 
region of Asir, has garnered many observers’ praise when he intervened to stop 
the execution of one convict who was sentenced to death on a charge of murder.

Prince Turki bin Talal mediated between the convict and the victim’s family, 
and succeeded to convince the family to forgive the killer of their son and 
therefore relief him from the death penalty, Saudi newspaper Muwatin reported.

Prince Bin Talal said wise leadership entails ensuring that justice is made, 
but it also promotes forgiveness.

Saudi law stipulates retribution for crimes, including death. Islamic Sharia 
allows for the cancellation of a death sentence handed down in the context of 
vengeance if the victim’s family choose to give up their right to see 
retribution carried out.

(source: middleeastmonitor.com)








IRAN----female execution

90th woman executed in Iran during Rouhani’s term in office since 2013



An imprisoned woman was hanged at dawn on Wednesday, July 17, 2019, in the 
Prison of Noshahr, in northern Iran. This is the 90th woman executed in Iran 
during Rouhani’s term in office since 2013.

The official news agency of the Iranian regime, IRNA, cited the General and 
Revolutionary Prosecutor of Kelardasht, Seyyed Farzad Hosseini, announcing the 
execution of this 43-year-old woman in the Prison of Noshahr.

The semi-official news agency, ROKNA, also identified this woman as “Z.S.M.”

Less than a month ago, on June 19, a woman identified as Fatemeh Nassiri was 
hanged in Gohardasht (Rajaii-Shahr) Prison of Karaj. She had been imprisoned 
since 11 years ago in Qarchak prison. She was said to have undertaken the crime 
committed by her son.

There are unconfirmed reports of the hanging another woman by the name of 
Fariba, along with Fatemeh Nassiri on June 19.

This is at least, the 90th woman to be executed during s6years of Rouhani’s 
presidency.

Iran is the world’s record holder in per capita executions. More than 3700 
persons have so far been executed during 6 years of Rouhani’s terms in office.

The Iranian regime deploys execution and the death penalty as a tool for 
maintaining its grab on power and for silencing a disgruntled populace the 
majority of whom live under the poverty line, while unemployment is rampant in 
the country and there is no freedom of speech.

Rule 61 of the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and 
Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) reads, “When 
sentencing women offenders, courts shall have the power to consider mitigating 
factors such as lack of criminal history and relative non-severity and nature 
of the criminal conduct, in the light of women’s caretaking responsibilities 
and typical backgrounds.”

Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance 
of Iran, has consistently emphasized on the need for abolition of the death 
penalty in Iran. While denouncing the hanging execution of this 90th woman, the 
Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran calls on all 
international organizations and institutes defending human rights to intervene 
to have the death penalty revoked in Iran.

(source: ncr-iran.org)