[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

May 25




INDIA:

see: 
http://www.uniindia.com/main-accused-of-triple-murder-case-gets-capital-punishment-3-others-get-lifer/east/news/1609799.html








SAUDI ARABIA:

‘Death penalties are the norm in Saudi Arabia’



An online platform devoted to news from the region, has reported on Saudi plans 
to imminently execute 3 religious activists. Clerics Salman al-Odah, Awad 
al-Qarni and Ali al-Omari are expected to be put to death once Ramadan, the 
Muslim month of fasting, ends on June 4.

The German branch of Reporters Without Borders, along with Human Rights Watch 
head Kenneth Roth, immediately shared the news on Twitter. And Al-Jazeera and 
other Arabic media have also started covering the news.

The Gulf monarchy last carried out such an execution in April, when 37 where 
put to death. DW spoke with Madawi Al-Rasheed, a London-based social 
anthropologist originally from Saudi Arabia, about whether Riyadh is planning 
another wave of politically-motivated executions.

DW: Can you confirm the report that 3 Muslim clerics are about to be executed 
in Saudi-Arabia?

Madawi Al-Rasheed: Based on what I know, Saudi courts have not yet handed down 
the death sentence. But the public prosecutor is clearly considering the death 
penalty. The judiciary has brought 37 charges against cleric Salman al-Odah 
alone. The Saudi regime could exploit the tense political climate in the region 
to carry out the death sentences — especially when it comes to allegations 
concerning ties to Qatar or conflicts with Iran. The three clerics are accused 
of terrorism and espionage, as well as being members of the Muslim Brotherhood. 
So once again, we’re expecting to see death sentences — though nobody can know 
for sure.

After the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October, the Saudi 
regime saw that the international community was in no way prepared to impose 
sanctions or jeopardize its own economic interests. The US government, in 
particular, ignored its own CIA reports about the killing, as if President 
Donald Trump were simply trying to exonerate Saudi Arabia.

The report in Middle East Eye cites anonymous sources, making them almost 
impossible to verify. Is it possible that someone is deliberately trying to 
tarnish Saudi Arabia’s image, as argued by regime loyalists?

It’s true; the report doesn’t name its sources. But that’s nothing unusual. 
Saudi dissidents often speak to international media under condition of 
anonymity. Otherwise, they risk facing reprisals by the regime. In this 
respect, the Saudi regime is not doing itself any favors by undermining 
transparency and shrouding its practices in secrecy.

But Saudi Arabia’s approach toward executions speaks for itself. A month ago, 
37 individuals were suddenly put to death. And the mass arrests that took place 
over the past three years are unprecedented. The Saudi regime is responsible 
for the lack of information concerning these incidents, not non-governmental 
organizations that make every effort to publicize these facts. The figures 
speak for themselves: according to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty 
International, Saudi Arabia has executed more than 100 individuals in the past 
6 months.

Some exiled dissidents have argued the Gulf monarchy may be disseminating such 
information ahead of time — as a sort of test, to see how the international 
community reacts to the death sentences, or to slowly prepare people for what’s 
to come. Do you think this is plausible?

I can’t confirm this. News of a death sentence always comes as a shock. Cleric 
Salman al-Odah, for example, is very well known. Even though no Saudis would 
protest in streets over the ruling, Salman al-Odah’s execution would not go 
unnoticed. He can’t be called a terrorist; it was his ties to Qatar that were 
his undoing.

Why is there so little international criticism against the Saudi state of 
affairs?

Plenty of criticism is expressed on the non-state level by Western NGOs and the 
media. They have focused on the arrested female activists, and have managed to 
make an impact. But the three men facing the death sentence have long been 
known to be clerics. Maybe that makes them less interesting. Or maybe they’re 
seen as representatives of political Islam, even though they have stood up for 
democracy.

So it’s just a question of time until the next wave of executions?

Yes, that’s what I fear. Death penalties are the norm in Saudi Arabia — but 
recently, mass executions have become a regular event. Last month, the 37 
individuals were executed at the same time; peaceful activists and even teens 
were among them. Young people are being put to death because they joined the 
Arab Spring protests, demanding reforms. They were only 16 years old when they 
were arrested. It’s appalling that the Saudi state lumps them all together and 
executes them — as if human lives are worth nothing.

(source: Madawi Al-Rasheed a Saudi social anthropologist and a visiting 
professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Middle 
East Centre. She has published several books on Saudi society and history. Her 
latest, Salman’s Legacy: The Dilemmas of a New Era, was published in 
2018----Egypt Independent)








ZAMBIA:

Court of Appeal upholds Mukata’s death sentence



The Court of Appeal has upheld the death penalty slapped on Keith Mukata by the 
Lusaka High court for murdering his security guard.

Delivering judgment in Kabwe yesterday on behalf of others, Court of Appeal 
judge Chalwe Mchenga found that Mukata had intentions to kill his guard 
Namakambwa Kalilakwenda when he concealed the firearm he used in his vehicle.

“I find that the appellant’s 14 grounds of appeal have failed and the trial 
judge was on firm grounds when she convicted and sentenced him for murder,” 
judge Mchenga said.

This is in a matter where the murder convict was challenging the High Court’s 
decision to sentence him to death by hanging for the murder of Kalilakwenda of 
Men in Black Security firm on May 6, 2017 at his law firm AKM Legal 
Practitioners.

In his judgment, judge Mchenga found that the trial judge Susan Wanjelani was 
on firm grounds when she found that Mukata had intent to murder his security 
guard because he concealed the gun in his motor vehicle in a basket that 
contained plates and hid the keys to the car in a flower bed.

He said there were no intruders at Mukata’s company because he was the only one 
who was at the scene therefore he could not find fault in the trial judge’s 
decision to dismiss claims by the appellant that there were intruders at his 
law firm, as the deceased was killed inside the premises.

Judge Mchenga ruled that justice Wanjelani could not be faulted when she 
concluded that Mukata and the security guard were face to face at the time of 
the shooting, therefore it was not possible that he was killed by a gunshot 
that was fired outside the law firm because the appellant, a holder of a 
firearm license, should have known the effects of firing a pistol at a person.

The court said the finding by the trial judge that the three empty cartridges 
that were discovered at the crime scene and the testimony by Collins Kabanda, a 
security guard of Altitude Advertising firm, that he heard someone order the 
deceased to open the gate after which three gunshots were fired did not 
prejudice the convict in any way.

He further ruled that there was no inference drawn by the trial judge when she 
found that there was overwhelming evidence to warrant Mukata’s conviction upon 
the State having proved the case beyond reasonable doubt as the only inference 
that could be drawn was that of guilt.

Mukata, who is a lawyer, was sentenced to death on February 28, 2018.

He then appealed against the High Court’s decision in the Court of Appeal on 
grounds that justice Wanjelani misdirected herself when she convicted him of 
murder based on circumstantial evidence.

Mukata had asked the Court of Appeal to acquit him of murder as there was no 
evidence linking him to the death of his security guard.

Mukata, who was represented by lawyers Mutemwa Mutemwa, Kasumpa Kabalata, 
Milner Katolo, Keith Mweemba and Wilis Muhanga, argued that judge Wanjelani 
erred in law and fact when she admitted evidence, which was not on record, 
leading to his conviction.

When the matter came up for hearing before a panel of 3 Court of Appeal judges, 
namely Chalwe Muchenga, Dominic Sichinga and Betty Mungomba, the convict, 
through his lawyers, submitted that the trial judge erred in law and fact when 
she found that he had malice aforethought before and after the incident, when 
he concealed the fire arm in the motor vehicle when there is no evidence on 
record to support such a finding.

They stated that Justice Wanjelani erred in law and fact when she dismissed 
Mukata’s testimony that there were intruders at the crime scene.

But judge Muchenga dismissed Mukata’s appeal and upheld his conviction on the 
charge of murder.

“We uphold the appellant’s conviction on the charge of murder. We have also 
looked at the sentence in light of the evidence that was before the trial judge 
and we equally uphold the sentence,” said judge Muchenga.

“The evidence before the trial judge did not disclose any extenuating 
circumstances to warrant the imposition of the sentence other than the one she 
used. The appeal lacks merit and is hereby dismissed.”

After the judgment was passed the former Chilanga member of parliament 
concealed his sorrow by wearing a smile as he shook hands with his 
acquaintances. Meanwhile, he’s lawyer, Milner Katolo, said he was awaiting for 
instructions from his client on whether to challenge the decision of the Court 
of Appeal in the Supreme Court.

(source: themastonline.com)








SOMALIA:

see:https://www.garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somalia-police-officer-facing-firing-squad-for-killing








NIGERIA:

Masari Approves Death Penalty For Cattle Rustlers, Kidnappers In Katsina----The 
governor endorsed these punitive measures following spate of attacks in the 
State, the latest being the attack on 3 communities in Dan Musa, Faskari and 
Batsari local government areas which claimed 26 lives



Aminu Bello Masari, the governor of Katsina State, has signed into law that 
anyone convicted of cattle rustling or kidnapping in the state should be 
executed.

The former speaker of the House of Representatives also approved life 
imprisonment in addition to a fine and compensation to victim for anyone 
convicted of rape.

The governor endorsed these punitive measures following spate of attacks in the 
State, the latest being the attack on 3 communities in Dan Musa, Faskari and 
Batsari local government areas which claimed 26 lives.

In reaction to the killings President Muhammadu Buhari had summoned Governor 
Masari and ordered the Security Chiefs to investigate the killings.

The President also directed, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, Acting Inspector General 
of Police, General AbayomiGabriel Olonisakin Chief of Defence Staff Abayomi to 
constitute an assessment team to intervene immediately the killings in the 
state and bring feedback.

The President instructed them to be meticulous in their assessment and find out 
how the method of operations of criminals and put safety measures in place to 
forestall recurrence.

(source: Sahara Reporters)