Stades de mort : la FIFA alertée

<div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTb7QujpT-nSsULV7vc9Mh8HcugnaTbpcYC3hwEziid5loXIFVqg9N1gLH4CePDKrjfKja4KOfwRq1uHJ1Kn0YQfG63gJGv4r8TyE-PaI6g95eo1iRCKAlkO7VNoVhsyBicXDlMj5PnU/s1600/Public+execution+in+Iran.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTb7QujpT-nSsULV7vc9Mh8HcugnaTbpcYC3hwEziid5loXIFVqg9N1gLH4CePDKrjfKja4KOfwRq1uHJ1Kn0YQfG63gJGv4r8TyE-PaI6g95eo1iRCKAlkO7VNoVhsyBicXDlMj5PnU/s400/Public+execution+in+Iran.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Si j'étais joueur, je ne pourrais jouer là où un homme a été décapité ou pendu."</td></tr></tbody></table>[<a href="https://translate.google.com/?hl=en&tab=wT#fr/en/http%3A%2F%2Fdeathpenaltynews.blogspot.com%2F2017%2F01%2Fstades-de-mort-la-fifa-alertee.html" target="_blank">Click here to Google translate this article into your own language.</a> Choose the target language in the right-hand box and then click on Translate. Alternatively, you can use the Google translation tool at the top of this page's right sidebar.]<br /><br />En 2017, dans certains coins de la planète, on exécute toujours publiquement des gens dans des stades de foot. La FIFA, qui a récemment ajouté à ses statuts un article qui l'engage à respecter les droits de l'homme et à promouvoir leur protection, promet d'aborder la question avec la fédération iranienne.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ce matin du 22 septembre 2016, à Neyriz, ils sont quelques dizaines à s'être rendus dans le petit stade de foot de cette ville de 45 000 habitants, située dans la province de Fars, dans l'ouest iranien. Pourtant, aucun match n'est programmé ce jour-là. Installé sur un semblant de tribune, séparé du terrain par un grillage, le public, majoritairement masculin, est venu assister à une exécution. Celle de Saeed T., condamné à la peine capitale pour viol et meurtre. Exposé sur la plate-forme arrière d'un camion, le visage recouvert d'un linge noir, l'homme sera pendu en public, tracté de bas en haut par une grue. Une pratique qui n'a rien d'exceptionnel en <a href="http://www.sofoot.com/iran.html" target="_blank">Iran</a>, où une interprétation particulière de la charia fait office de code pénal. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">En 2015, sur 969 exécutions, 57 se sont déroulées dans l'espace public (selon les chiffres officiels communiqués par l'État iranien, probablement en deçà de la réalité). Cette barbarie, l'ONG française Ensemble contre la peine de mort (ECPM) ne l'accepte pas. Et elle a décidé de le faire savoir à la FIFA, en adressant fin septembre un courrier à son président, Gianni Infantino. « Exécuter dans un stade, ce n'est pas anodin, explique Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan, le directeur d'ECPM. C'est dans ce sens que nous tentons d'alerter Infantino. La FIFA ne peut pas dire que cela ne la regarde pas. Si j'étais joueur, ce serait impossible de jouer là où un homme a été décapité ou pendu. »</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Une barbarie sans limite</h3><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Avec l'Arabie saoudite, la <a href="http://www.sofoot.com/coree-du-nord.html" target="_blank">Corée du Nord</a> et les territoires contrôlés par Daesh, l'<a href="http://www.sofoot.com/iran.html" target="_blank">Iran</a> est l'un des derniers pays à pratiquer l'exécution publique, que ce soit sur des places ou dans des stades. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">La <a href="http://www.sofoot.com/chine.html" target="_blank">Chine</a> et l'<a href="http://www.sofoot.com/afghanistan.html">Afghanistan</a> – qui s'y adonnait à l'époque des talibans – ont récemment abandonné. « C'est la théâtralisation de la mise à mort, dans le seul but de faire peur à la population, pose Chenuil-Hazan. Le stade est ouvert. Hommes, femmes, enfants, vieillards, tout le monde est incité par la police à venir assister au "spectacle". </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">En <a href="http://www.sofoot.com/iran.html" target="_blank">Iran</a>, la peine de mort a toujours été un outil politique. La majorité des condamnés à mort sont coupables de trafic de drogue ou d'homosexualité, et sont souvent issus de minorités ethniques ou religieuses. C'est un message adressé aux Kurdes et aux Afghans, qui représentent le prolétariat local. Ils exécutent même des mineurs. Leur code pénal, c'est la charia. Et ils s'y tiennent. » </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pour rendre le « spectacle » le plus macabre possible, les autorités iraniennes, qui exécutent essentiellement par pendaison, ont décidé de mettre en place une graduation de l'horreur. Selon la sentence, la peine capitale peut s'effectuer sous deux formes différentes. La première consiste à « lâcher » le pendu. Dans sa chute, sa nuque se brise et le pauvre bougre décède rapidement. La seconde prouve que la barbarie ne connaît aucune limite. C'est celle qu'a subie Saeed T. à Neyriz. Le condamné est pendu par traction, accroché à une grue qui s'élève jusqu'à ce que ses pieds ne touche plus le sol. La mort par suffocation est alors beaucoup plus lente et douloureuse. Contacté par ECPM, le fabricant japonais de ces grues a accepté de demander à l’État iranien d'arrêter d'utiliser son matériel pour ce type d'activité. Visiblement sans succès.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">La FIFA répond enfin</h3><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Le 6 décembre dernier, non sans quelques relances, la FIFA a enfin répondu au courrier d'ECPM. Et c'est Fatma Samoura, la secrétaire générale, qui s'y est collée. En anglais, elle indique à Raphaël Chenuil-Hazan qu'elle a bien pris note de « l'incident » qui a eu lieu à Neyriz, et que « la FIFA condamne ce type d'action, qui par sa nature, viole fondamentalement la dignité inhérente à chaque être humain » . Et par conséquent, elle ne manquera pas d'aborder le sujet « lors de ses futurs échanges avec la Fédération iranienne de football » . Enfin, la Sénégalaise conclut en signalant au directeur d'ECPM que, comme l'exige le nouvel article 3 de ses statuts, « la FIFA s'engage à respecter les droits de l'homme internationalement reconnus, et s'efforce de promouvoir leur protection. Cet engagement implique des efforts pour prévenir et atténuer les impacts négatifs sur les droits de l'homme de tiers en relation directe avec nos opérations. Dans le cadre de ces activités, nous cherchons de plus en plus à collaborer avec nos associations membres, pour les aider à mettre en place des mécanismes adéquats, afin qu'ils respectent les droits de l'homme. » </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">À la lecture du courrier venu de <a href="http://www.sofoot.com/suisse.html" target="_blank">Suisse</a>, Chenuil-Hazan se dit « satisfait que cet article 3 donne à la FIFA le pouvoir d'agir, satisfait que la FIFA ait prévu d'engager des échanges avec la fédération iranienne. Maintenant, nous attendons que la FIFA donne des suites concrètes en sanctionnant l'<a href="http://www.sofoot.com/iran.html">Iran</a>, pourquoi pas en l'excluant de compétitions internationales, puisque ses nouveaux statuts lui en donnent le droit » . En avril 2013, l'instance mondiale avait déjà mis en garde l'<a href="http://www.sofoot.com/iran.html">Iran</a> au sujet de ses exécutions sur des terrains de foot. Évidemment sans conséquence pour cette « association membre » .</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Source: <a href="http://www.sofoot.com/stades-de-shoot-437334.html" target="_blank">so foot</a>, Mathias Edwards, January 10, 2017<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">⚑ | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: <a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com">deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a>.</div><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px solid rgb(255, 204, 0); color: black; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WebDPN/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4sspwgGptzvuHVklum5TwxKppRN-lIC5TN8RLZFq_B4ZOtBrX1ssXPNKQ6XpSyQFRJRtVQN45HMkpt3VX0JtOW0TovwxZAurG-AV6gh98IAXo7Ip6QlpkZr9WrM3_m943Mwy-gGxBAY/s1600/Find+us+Facebook.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULIPEaT_P6oIauxAZd17XRRxljesDLS7iIjdQXT7Xct99uHeohx4IYmiAB6S044gTjMDGSy50sL2vDzOyPZ-3vJj9zwcYQ2rgzJh9v1-QDiunKAQtLLLqJ83s38qN3HABxGIC8GsIOD0/s1600/Find+us+twitter.jpg" /></a><span id="goog_1427852018"></span><span id="goog_1427852019"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b>Opposed to Capital Punishment? 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Stades de mort : la FIFA alertée

"Si j'étais joueur, je ne pourrais jouer là où un homme a été décapité ou pendu." [ Click here to Google translate this articl...

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Saudi Arabia 'arrests two human rights activists'

<div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17VPZIY7eGt7MjX2nIL_LwRdI7AbDm7J2_A5cLQyYcmSTaoTGLBxhp9zKFVhhV3RYPCPcc1r3_lsIp7o0Zq_WDBAKg5xz0mygr_F0iLIsAQaxzCo_KDVdSXhYKudWjK6-X_rIDcEeJTY/s1600/hmed+al-Musheikhis+and+Essam+Koshak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Ahmed al-Musheikhis and Essam Koshak" border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17VPZIY7eGt7MjX2nIL_LwRdI7AbDm7J2_A5cLQyYcmSTaoTGLBxhp9zKFVhhV3RYPCPcc1r3_lsIp7o0Zq_WDBAKg5xz0mygr_F0iLIsAQaxzCo_KDVdSXhYKudWjK6-X_rIDcEeJTY/s400/hmed+al-Musheikhis+and+Essam+Koshak.jpg" title="Ahmed al-Musheikhis and Essam Koshak" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahmed al-Musheikhis and Essam Koshak</td></tr></tbody></table>The authorities in Saudi Arabia have arrested two human rights activists so far this year, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International say.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Essam Koshak and Ahmed al-Musheikhis were summoned for questioning by police in Mecca and Qatif last week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Officials have not disclosed the reasons for the detentions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/01/11/saudi-arabia-2-rights-advocates-arrested" target="_blank">HRW said</a> they "fit a pattern of ongoing repression" against peaceful advocates and dissidents, at least 25 of whom have been convicted since 2011.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Many have been handed sentences as long as 10 or 15 years after being found guilty of charges including "breaking allegiance with the ruler", "sowing discord", "inciting public opinion", "setting up an unlicensed organisation", and violating the cybercrime law.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><h3>'Relentless persecution'</h3></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Koshak was detained after being summoned for interrogation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Mecca on 8 January.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 45-year-old was not allowed to appoint a lawyer and was being questioned about his Twitter account, which he mainly used to tweet about human rights issues,<a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/01/saudi-arabia-steps-up-ruthless-crackdown-against-human-rights-activists/" target="_blank">according to Amnesty</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Musheikhis, a founding member of the unregistered Adala Centre for Human Rights, was telephoned by CID officers and told to report to a police station in Qatif, in Eastern Province, on 5 January. He was subsequently transferred to the city of Dammam, where he remains in custody.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amnesty said the 46-year-old was known for his work including helping relatives of those detained in Eastern Province as part of protests by members of the kingdom's Shia Muslim minority against what they say is discrimination against them by the Sunni-led government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Musheikhis' brother, Yussuf, was <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde23/5236/2016/en/" target="_blank">sentenced to death</a> in January 2016 after being convicted of offences including "armed rebellion against the ruler". Amnesty said Yussuf al-Musheikhis was convicted after a grossly unfair trial at which he claimed he was tortured into "confessing".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amnesty said another activist, Issa al-Nukheifi, had been detained in Mecca since 18 December after being summoned for questioning about his tweets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Saudi Arabia's relentless persecution of human rights defenders is a blatant campaign aimed at deterring them from speaking about the human rights situation in the country and working on behalf of victims of violations," said Lynn Maalouf of Amnesty's Beirut office.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Saudi government has in the past insisted that its judiciary is independent, and that all trials are transparent and in line with Islamic law.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">HRW also reported on Tuesday that the Saudi authorities had recently banned Jamal Khashoggi, one of the country's most prominent journalists, from publishing any of his writings in the country.</div><br />Source: <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-38583673" target="_blank">BBC News</a>, January 11, 2017<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">⚑ | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: <a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com">deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a>.</div><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px solid rgb(255, 204, 0); color: black; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WebDPN/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4sspwgGptzvuHVklum5TwxKppRN-lIC5TN8RLZFq_B4ZOtBrX1ssXPNKQ6XpSyQFRJRtVQN45HMkpt3VX0JtOW0TovwxZAurG-AV6gh98IAXo7Ip6QlpkZr9WrM3_m943Mwy-gGxBAY/s1600/Find+us+Facebook.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULIPEaT_P6oIauxAZd17XRRxljesDLS7iIjdQXT7Xct99uHeohx4IYmiAB6S044gTjMDGSy50sL2vDzOyPZ-3vJj9zwcYQ2rgzJh9v1-QDiunKAQtLLLqJ83s38qN3HABxGIC8GsIOD0/s1600/Find+us+twitter.jpg" /></a><span id="goog_1427852018"></span><span id="goog_1427852019"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b>Opposed to Capital Punishment? 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Saudi Arabia 'arrests two human rights activists'

Ahmed al-Musheikhis and Essam Koshak The authorities in Saudi Arabia have arrested two human rights activists so far this year, Human Rights...

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Indonesia secures release of man on death row in Saudi Arabia

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyIeCbSFDX-xFveWN7Wfjpkpkhf0RMJYGpmBkSaD-zC6jN5o-0RZJr7YGbAODbAHhe3cvAp3M6cOLkhkjLzCSwYu0mC14CallOmwncwBv8eQm53w2TXHsTqD8ToXf4pwrD2XOyiQViUc/s1600/Syarif+Hidayat+Anang+%2528center%2529%252C+arrives+in+Jakarta+after+being+spared+from+death+row+in+Saudi+Arabia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Syarif Hidayat Anang (center), arrives in Jakarta after being spared from death row in Saudi Arabia." border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEyIeCbSFDX-xFveWN7Wfjpkpkhf0RMJYGpmBkSaD-zC6jN5o-0RZJr7YGbAODbAHhe3cvAp3M6cOLkhkjLzCSwYu0mC14CallOmwncwBv8eQm53w2TXHsTqD8ToXf4pwrD2XOyiQViUc/s400/Syarif+Hidayat+Anang+%2528center%2529%252C+arrives+in+Jakarta+after+being+spared+from+death+row+in+Saudi+Arabia.jpg" title="Syarif Hidayat Anang (center), arrives in Jakarta after being spared from death row in Saudi Arabia." width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Syarif Hidayat Anang (center) arrives in Jakarta after being spared<br />from death row in Saudi Arabia.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh has secured the release of an Indonesian man who had been on death row in Saudi Arabia for alleged murder, the Foreign Ministry revealed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The man, identified as Syarif Hidayat Anang, was arrested by Saudi authorities in 2013 on allegations of being complicit in the murder of another Indonesian citizen, Enah Nurhasan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He was detained alongside three Saudi citizens in Ahsa in the country's east, according to a statement by the ministry's directorate for the protection of Indonesian nationals and entities abroad.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From the outset, the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh had provided legal assistance, having appointed Saudi lawyer Abdullah Al Mohaemeed to represent Syarif until 2015. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since May 2016, defense duties were taken over by Muhammad Ahmad al-Qarni, another legal adviser.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"From the results of an investigation into the case files by the Indonesian Embassy's protection team, we were certain that Syarif was not involved in the murder, and that's why we went all out to secure his release," Dede Rifai, the embassy's consular attaché who coordinated the legal efforts, said on Saturday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Syarif was acquitted on all charges on Dec. 12 last year, while the remaining suspects remained on death row. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He arrived in Jakarta late on Friday in the company of his legal adviser, following the issuance of his release earlier this week, the ministry revealed. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Source: <a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/01/07/indonesian-spared-from-death-row-in-saudi-arabia.html" target="_blank">The Jakarta Post</a>, Tama Salim, January 7, 2017<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">⚑ | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: <a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com">deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a>.</div><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px solid rgb(255, 204, 0); color: black; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WebDPN/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4sspwgGptzvuHVklum5TwxKppRN-lIC5TN8RLZFq_B4ZOtBrX1ssXPNKQ6XpSyQFRJRtVQN45HMkpt3VX0JtOW0TovwxZAurG-AV6gh98IAXo7Ip6QlpkZr9WrM3_m943Mwy-gGxBAY/s1600/Find+us+Facebook.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULIPEaT_P6oIauxAZd17XRRxljesDLS7iIjdQXT7Xct99uHeohx4IYmiAB6S044gTjMDGSy50sL2vDzOyPZ-3vJj9zwcYQ2rgzJh9v1-QDiunKAQtLLLqJ83s38qN3HABxGIC8GsIOD0/s1600/Find+us+twitter.jpg" /></a><span id="goog_1427852018"></span><span id="goog_1427852019"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b>Opposed to Capital Punishment? 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Indonesia secures release of man on death row in Saudi Arabia

Syarif Hidayat Anang (center) arrives in Jakarta after being spared from death row in Saudi Arabia. The Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh has sec...

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Saudi executes 153 in 2016: Amnesty International

<div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfN8wQG-3XirCKSl7YLHJNwzBPuGFa-E7OFgn14eN09eUA-os_fEH_JFDh0-8wbzlve4BEV8y0135chbHMEwkQfX5wsdcxWtAhcz-1CuSuk5P3UNwoaz5x0cyEhzICv5K-WsembhZQN0/s1600/Public+execution+of+a+Burmese+woman+in+KSA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Public execution of a Burmese woman in Saudi Arabia in 2016" border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDfN8wQG-3XirCKSl7YLHJNwzBPuGFa-E7OFgn14eN09eUA-os_fEH_JFDh0-8wbzlve4BEV8y0135chbHMEwkQfX5wsdcxWtAhcz-1CuSuk5P3UNwoaz5x0cyEhzICv5K-WsembhZQN0/s400/Public+execution+of+a+Burmese+woman+in+KSA.jpg" title="Public execution of a Burmese woman in Saudi Arabia in 2016" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Public execution of a Burmese woman in Saudi Arabia in 2016</td></tr></tbody></table><i>Saudi Arabia executed more than 150 prisoners in 2016 for breaking kingdom's strict Islamic laws</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Saudi Arabia executed more than 150 prisoners under their strict Islamic laws, new figures have shown.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ultra-conservative kingdom, one of the world's most prolific executioners, punishes crimes such as murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery, rape, homosexuality and apostasy with the death penalty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to Amnesty International a total of 153 executions were carried out in 2016, slightly down in the 158 carried out the previous year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Murder and drug trafficking cases account for the majority of Saudi executions, although 47 people were put to death for 'terrorism' offences on a single day last January.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They included prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, whose execution prompted Iranian protesters to torch Saudi diplomatic missions, leading Riyadh to sever relations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Most people put to death in Saudi Arabia are beheaded with a sword and the grisly event can often draw a small crowd.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Human rights group Amnesty International says the number of executions in Saudi Arabia last year was the highest for 2 decades.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And the level of executions was criticised today by Allan Hogarth, Amnesty International UK's head of policy and government affairs, who said the kingdom is 'making a mockery of justice'.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mr Hogarth told the Independent: 'The death penalty is always cruel and unnecessary, but the Saudi justice system lacks evens the basics of a fair trial system.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">'It's truly frightening that its courts are sentencing so many people to death... Saudi Arabia is making a mockery of justice and dozens of people are paying with their lives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">'It's time that 'strategic allies' like the UK started speaking out about this shocking state of affairs. For too long Downing Street has bent over backwards to avoid 'offending' the Saudi royals.'</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Source: dailymail.co.uk, December 31, 2016</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><h2>Saudi executes 153 in 2016</h2></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Saudi Arabia carried out 153 executions in 2016, according to an AFP tally based on official announcements, slightly down from the year before.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ultra-conservative kingdom is one of the world's most prolific executioners and has a strict Islamic legal code under which murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery, rape, homosexuality and apostasy are all punishable by death.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Rights group Amnesty International said Saudi Arabia carried out at least 158 death sentences in 2015, coming third after Iran and Pakistan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Amnesty's figures do not include secretive China.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Murder and drug trafficking cases account for the majority of Saudi executions, although 47 people were put to death for "terrorism" offences on a single day in January.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">They included prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, whose execution prompted Iranian protesters to torch Saudi diplomatic missions, leading Riyadh to sever relations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Source: Agence France-Presse, December 31, 2016<br /><br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Saudi Arabia: Generosity of Saudi Man Saves Indian from Execution</h2><br />December 28, 2016: Limbadri, an Indian worker, never had it in his wildest dreams that he would escape death sentence especially after he had spent eight years behind bars waiting for execution. <br /><br />He thought his head would be separated from his body in an implantation of a court rule which sentenced him to capital punishment after killing a Saudi during a fight. <br /><br />With the date of execution coming closer, Awad bin Guraiah Al-Yami, a Saudi businessman, intervened with the family of the victim to pardon the killer offering them SR1.3 million as diyah (blood money). <br /><br />Yami’s good offices were fruitful when the family accepted the blood money and pardoned the murderer. <br /><br />The court endorsed the pardon and the Indian worker is now waiting to be released from prison. <br /><br />The Indian was working in a farm in Najran.<br /><br />Source: saudigazette.com.sa, December 18, 2016</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">⚑ | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: <a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com">deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a>.</div><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px solid rgb(255, 204, 0); color: black; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WebDPN/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4sspwgGptzvuHVklum5TwxKppRN-lIC5TN8RLZFq_B4ZOtBrX1ssXPNKQ6XpSyQFRJRtVQN45HMkpt3VX0JtOW0TovwxZAurG-AV6gh98IAXo7Ip6QlpkZr9WrM3_m943Mwy-gGxBAY/s1600/Find+us+Facebook.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULIPEaT_P6oIauxAZd17XRRxljesDLS7iIjdQXT7Xct99uHeohx4IYmiAB6S044gTjMDGSy50sL2vDzOyPZ-3vJj9zwcYQ2rgzJh9v1-QDiunKAQtLLLqJ83s38qN3HABxGIC8GsIOD0/s1600/Find+us+twitter.jpg" /></a><span id="goog_1427852018"></span><span id="goog_1427852019"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b>Opposed to Capital Punishment? 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Saudi executes 153 in 2016: Amnesty International

Public execution of a Burmese woman in Saudi Arabia in 2016 Saudi Arabia executed more than 150 prisoners in 2016 for breaking kingdom's...

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Countries with close links to the UK and EU continued to occupy the ranks of the world’s most prolific executioners in 2016

<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7PVPcKXWdiBk2aCILt2E2edJA8KO5Rl2_mJ1xlwL6fQ50a64w5CvM91AoXNDXiBRymdPZWjaPvy9nZc2iKrh6IWHWFZ4kJM-S7NGjJMSoNo-oBTJHcmCbYK4TseIaPWlgalMfxBp8Pc/s1600/Iran+The+Execution+Line.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The execution line - Iran" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7PVPcKXWdiBk2aCILt2E2edJA8KO5Rl2_mJ1xlwL6fQ50a64w5CvM91AoXNDXiBRymdPZWjaPvy9nZc2iKrh6IWHWFZ4kJM-S7NGjJMSoNo-oBTJHcmCbYK4TseIaPWlgalMfxBp8Pc/s400/Iran+The+Execution+Line.jpg" title="The execution line - Iran" width="400" /></a></div>Global executions in 2016 - Countries with close links to the UK and EU continued to occupy the ranks of the world’s most prolific executioners in 2016, research by international human rights group Reprieve has found.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Saudi Arabia, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/18/at-least-150-people-executed-in-saudi-arabia-for-second-year-in-row" target="_blank">over 150 people were executed</a> for the second year running, including 47 people in one day in January 2016. Among those killed were juveniles and political protestors. Fears remain for the fate of at least three people sentenced to death as children – Ali al-Nimr, Dawood al-Marhoon and Abdullah al-Zaher – who still await beheading.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Pakistan, the authorities continued to execute scores of prisoners from the country’s 8,000-strong death row. A total of 419 prisoners have been hanged since a moratorium on the death penalty was lifted in December 2014. Concerns remained over the strong risk of miscarriages of justice in Pakistan: earlier this year, the Supreme Court found that <a href="http://www.reprieve.org.uk/press/pakistan-acquits-two-hanged-men-insane-man-faces-execution/" target="_blank">two men who had been hanged were innocent</a>. Pakistan’s government claims its use of the death penalty is a response to terrorism, but Reprieve’s research found that <a href="http://www.reprieve.org.uk/press/94-hangings-pakistan-not-terrorism-cases-new-figures/" target="_blank">94% of prisoners recently hanged in Pakistan had nothing to do with terrorism</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In Iran, the government continued to hang hundreds of prisoners, nearly half of whom who were arrested for alleged drug offences. Reprieve continued to raise concerns that <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/eu-funding-could-be-linked-to-mass-executions-in-iran-a7453041.html" target="_blank">international funding for Iran’s anti-narcotics police may contribute to death sentences</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">China continues to keep the number of executions a closely-guarded secret, but is widely believed to remain the world leader, with the death toll estimated in the thousands. The UK this year signed an <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/china-uk-high-level-security-dialogue-official-statement/china-uk-high-level-security-dialogue-communique" target="_blank">agreement</a> to increase cooperation with China on security and crime, leading to potential risks that British assistance could contribute to the death penalty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Other countries of concern</h3><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The torture and sentencing to death of political protestors, and juveniles, continued apace in several countries with close ties to the UK.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of particular concern are Bahrain – where several protestors await execution on the basis of forced ‘confessions’ – and Egypt. Reprieve has established that in the last three years, <a href="http://www.reprieve.org.uk/press/egypt-death-sentences-near-2000-amid-fears-irish-student/" target="_blank">the Egyptian judiciary has sentenced 1,857 to death</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition, 2016 saw alarming proposals in Kuwait to <a href="http://www.reprieve.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016_11_16_INT-Letter-to-PM-Theresa-May-about-GCC-summit-as-sent.pdf">lower to 16 the age at which people can be sentenced to death</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Commenting, Maya Foa, a director of Reprieve, said:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It is alarming that countries with close links to the UK and EU continued to occupy the ranks of the world’s most prolific executioners in 2016. From Saudi Arabia, Iran and China, to Pakistan, Egypt and Bahrain, we have found children on death row, innocent people hanged, drugs offences dealt with as capital crimes, and torture used to extract false confessions. Countries that oppose executions must do more in 2017 to ensure that their overseas security assistance does not contribute to others states use of the death penalty.”<br /><br /><h3>#1 - China. Executed: Unknown (Est. +1,000)</h3>The number of executions is a state secret, and the executions reported in the media are likely to be a fraction of those that are carried out. China continues to execute more people than any other country in the world.<br /><br /><h3>#2 - Iran. Executed: 534+</h3>The actual number of executions is likely to be higher in Iran, given the government’s underreporting of executions and the holding of secret executions. Reprieve’s research shows that at least 211 of the hangings that took place in 2016 were for drugs offences, in violation of international law.<br /><br /><h3>#3 - Saudi Arabia. Executed: 154</h3>This execution total is close to last year’s record high of 158. Among those executed this year were at least 4 juveniles who were killed as part of a mass execution of 47 people in January. One of them, Ali al-Ribh, was arrested in school, tortured into a false ‘confession’ to protest-related charges, and executed.<br /><br /><h3>#4 - Iraq. Executed: 101+</h3>Ongoing armed conflict makes it impossible to obtain exact figures for Iraq, but Reprieve was able to establish that at least 101 executions took place in 2016. However, based on unconfirmed media reports, the real figure may be more than double this total.<br /><br /><h3>#5 - Pakistan. Executed: 87</h3>According to figures gathered by Reprieve, there had been 87 executions in 2016 as of December 6. This was a decrease since 2015, which saw Pakistan embark on an unprecedented execution spree, and leapfrog Saudi Arabia to become the world’s third most prolific executioner. The country lifted a six-year moratorium on the execution of civilians in December 2014.<br /><br /><h3>#6 - USA. Executed: 20</h3>The most prolific executioner <a href="http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/" target="_blank">among US states</a> was Georgia, which executed 9 people this year. Execution numbers fell to a record low amid growing concerns about the effectiveness of capital punishment. 2016 saw public support for the death penalty fall to under 50%, death sentences drop to a record low and every FDA-approved pharmaceutical company oppose the misuse of medicines in lethal injections, causing many states to put executions on hold.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Figures correct as of 20th December 2016.</i><br /><i><br /></i>➫ For Your Information:<b> </b>Upon reading the above article, Alan Shadrake, author of "<a href="http://deathpenaltynews.blogspot.fr/2016/07/once-jolly-hangman-singapore-justice-in.html" target="_blank">Once a Jolly Hangman, Singapore Justice in the Dock</a>", contacted Death Penalty News on December 23, and submitted the following comment: "They forgot to mention Singapore!"<br /><br />Source: Reprieve, December 23, 2016. Reprieve is an international human rights organization.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">⚑ | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: <a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com">deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a>.</div><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px solid rgb(255, 204, 0); color: black; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WebDPN/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4sspwgGptzvuHVklum5TwxKppRN-lIC5TN8RLZFq_B4ZOtBrX1ssXPNKQ6XpSyQFRJRtVQN45HMkpt3VX0JtOW0TovwxZAurG-AV6gh98IAXo7Ip6QlpkZr9WrM3_m943Mwy-gGxBAY/s1600/Find+us+Facebook.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULIPEaT_P6oIauxAZd17XRRxljesDLS7iIjdQXT7Xct99uHeohx4IYmiAB6S044gTjMDGSy50sL2vDzOyPZ-3vJj9zwcYQ2rgzJh9v1-QDiunKAQtLLLqJ83s38qN3HABxGIC8GsIOD0/s1600/Find+us+twitter.jpg" /></a><span id="goog_1427852018"></span><span id="goog_1427852019"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b>Opposed to Capital Punishment? 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Countries with close links to the UK and EU continued to occupy the ranks of the world’s most prolific executioners in 2016

Global executions in 2016 - Countries with close links to the UK and EU continued to occupy the ranks of the world’s most prolific execution...

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Saudi executions pass 150 this year, nearing 2015 total

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqWs1key3STc6Nk2cYxxQnQBBmzx0gjkUNWbKNHqoprDKDyHQgeb0NYp95HHn6o_fdAU3nsxG_lHmBi238Wsmm1x5Nt7fcVRRuAlZH_nGtPd8EyB8AIC7ujARV7UMpYxZWzmMNHaTi9g/s1600/Public+execution+Saudi+Arabia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Public execution in Saudi Arabia" border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqWs1key3STc6Nk2cYxxQnQBBmzx0gjkUNWbKNHqoprDKDyHQgeb0NYp95HHn6o_fdAU3nsxG_lHmBi238Wsmm1x5Nt7fcVRRuAlZH_nGtPd8EyB8AIC7ujARV7UMpYxZWzmMNHaTi9g/s400/Public+execution+Saudi+Arabia.jpg" title="Public execution in Saudi Arabia" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Public execution in Saudi Arabia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Saudi Arabia has executed at least 153 people this year, nearing last year's record high of 158, according to figures collated by human rights organization Reprieve.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Among those executed this year were at least 4 juveniles who were killed as part of a mass execution of 47 people in January this year. One of them, Ali al-Ribh, was arrested in school, tortured into a false ‘confession’ to protest-related charges, and executed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The high number of executions raises fresh concerns for the fate of three other juveniles who have been sentenced to death – Ali al-Nimr, <a href="http://www.reprieve.org.uk/case-study/dawood-al-marhoon/" style="color: #06686b;" target="_blank">Dawood al-Marhoon</a> and Abdullah al Zaher. The trio were arrested as children in the wake of protests, and tortured into ‘confessions’. They could be executed at any time, without notification to their families.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has also emerged the juveniles continue to be mistreated on death row. According to reports, prison guards recently beat Dawood and threatened him with solitary confinement after he submitted a complaint about a previous instance of abuse. The health of the three juveniles is said to be suffering amid poor prison conditions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some 47 of those who were executed this year were tried in the country’s secretive ‘Specialized Criminal Court’. Reprieve has raised concerns that the court is routinely used to try people who were arrested in relation to political protests, including the three juveniles, and a disabled young man named Munir Adam. Hearings often take place without a lawyer, and forced ‘confessions’ extracted under torture are frequently admitted as evidence.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the figures, 23 of those executed this year were arrested for drug offences – of these, 14 were foreign nationals. Previous <a href="http://www.reprieve.org.uk/case-study/the-death-penalty-in-saudi-arabia/" style="color: #06686b;" target="_blank">research</a> by Reprieve has found that many of those held on Saudi Arabia’s death row for drug-related offences are trafficking victims, who were forced to carry drugs into the Gulf from overseas.   </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The figures are released as Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood meets with King Salman in Riyadh. Reprieve has <a href="http://www.reprieve.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016_11_16_INT-Letter-to-PM-Theresa-May-about-GCC-summit-as-sent.pdf" style="color: #06686b;" target="_blank">written</a> to Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, asking them to seek a commutation of the death sentences handed to juveniles and political protestors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mrs May said in a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/dec/07/theresa-may-calls-on-gulf-leaders-to-press-on-with-economic-reforms" style="color: #06686b;" target="_blank">speech</a> to the Gulf Cooperation Council earlier this month that the UK would help Gulf countries to “reform” and to “embed international norms.” However, she reportedly failed to raise individual cases during a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Commenting, Maya Foa, a director at Reprieve, said: “Saudi Arabia’s 2016 execution toll is fast approaching last year’s shocking high, with some 153 prisoners killed. Among those executed were political protestors, people arrested for alleged drug offences, prisoners who were tortured into ‘confessions’, and juveniles. Meanwhile, Dawood al-Marhoon, who was arrested as a child and who languishes on death row, is being subjected to threats and beatings. These appalling abuses give the lie to the Prime Minister’s claim that the UK’s engagement with Saudi Arabia promotes ‘reform’. The Government must urgently use its ever-closer relationship with Saudi Arabia to secure genuine change – this includes the release of juveniles facing the death penalty, like Dawood.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The total number of executions in 2016 so far is estimated at 153. In 2015, the figure was 158; while in 2014 the total number of executions was estimated at 87. A breakdown of Reprieve's figures is available on request.</div><br /><br />Source: Reprieve, December 19, 2016. 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Saudi executions pass 150 this year, nearing 2015 total

Public execution in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia has executed at least 153 people this year, nearing last year's record high of 158, accor...

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Pakistan: Only 7 % of executions related to terror charges

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWDk3hNkc-EvNElfdfttOv_CRPz-rIcZFaNqMJkHHRbK2UyybsCjK3QFsw84N4Wt_gNOHCpo43JpoiIU1eLEba1YdAjLmJNNyvydnZRf7asIjNyp5dWYS80w2Q2M3y_-xaL90uA-keAw/s1600/pakistan-lifts-moratorium-on-death-penalty-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pakistan comes in a world ranking in executions" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWDk3hNkc-EvNElfdfttOv_CRPz-rIcZFaNqMJkHHRbK2UyybsCjK3QFsw84N4Wt_gNOHCpo43JpoiIU1eLEba1YdAjLmJNNyvydnZRf7asIjNyp5dWYS80w2Q2M3y_-xaL90uA-keAw/s400/pakistan-lifts-moratorium-on-death-penalty-.jpg" title="Pakistan comes in a world ranking in executions" width="340" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"After China and KSA, Pakistan comes in world ranking of executions."</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Since Dec 2014, 426 criminals executed, mostly in cases unrelated to terrorism; after China and KSA, Pakistan comes in world ranking of executions in 2016</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Execution of convicted terrorists", the 1st point in National Action Plan, was included as a deterrent against the terrorists but only 7 % of the total 426 have been executed on the charges of terrorism.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) data shows that from December 2014 to November 2016, only 29 out of 426 people have been executed under the Anti Terrorism Act. Vast majority of the 426 executions carried out since the moratorium was ended for the death penalty in December 2014 has been for crimes unrelated to terrorism.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is an ideological debate on the issue of execution in the country as one side believes the death penalty serve the purpose of deterrent against crimes. The other side claims that execution can never be a deterrent against the crimes and this could be justified through the crime data of western countries where execution is banned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The legal and constitutional experts also believe there are legal shortcomings and serious problems in the criminal justice system. Therefore, they say under these circumstances the extreme punishment is unjustified and illegal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Syed Nayyar Abbas Kazmi was one of person executed after the moratorium was ended for the death penalty. His number was 182 on the list of those who executed in year 2015 and was hanged on July 29, 2015 in Multan jail. He was charged in murder case and arrested in 1996. According to his family, they were in negotiation with the victim's family for settlement but before they reached any agreement he was hanged.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Talking to The News, Syed Naeem Abbas Kazmi brother of Syed Nayyar Abbas, a resident of a small village Kotla Haji Shah (Layyah), said he was 18 when he was jailed and spent 19 years in the jail.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We tried a lot for settlement and were paying the blood money to the bereaved family. Initially they did not agree for the settlement but when he (Nayyar) spent more than 1/2 of his life in jail they agreed for the talks. We were almost in the middle of the negotiation but before we reached an agreement he (Nayyar) was hanged", commented Naeem Shah.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Soon after the terrorists attack on Army Public School Peshawar in December 2014, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif addressed the nation and announced a 20-point National Action Plan (NAP) whereof executing the terrorists was the 1st point.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2014, 7 people were hanged. All of them were executed on terrorism charges. 3 of them were involved in attack on General Musharraf. Dr Usman, the mastermind of GHQ attack and 3 other persons were accused of suicide attack on Musharraf's convoy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Similarly, 333 people were hanged in 2015, out of which 15 were executed on the charges of terrorism whereas the remaining 318 were hanged on murder charges. 3 out of the 15 have been hanged on the charges of attack on Musharraf. 3 have been charged for highjacking PIA plane whereas 4 people have been hanged on the charges of attack on Army Public School Peshawar.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From January to November 2016, total 86 people have been executed, out of which total 7 were hanged on the charges of terrorism. More than 90 % of the execution occurred in jails of Punjab province. According to the data obtained from Justice Project Pakistan, a local NGO, 46 persons have been hanged in Faisalabad,39 in Rawalpindi, 52 in Lahore, 10 in Karachi, 25 in Multan, 31 in Sahiwal, 33 in Bahawalpur, 4 in Mirpur, 9 in Jhang, 2 in Peshawar, 6 in Jahlum, 7 in Harripur, 5 in Sukkur, 1 in Larkana, 14 in Gujranwala, 13 in Sargodha, 19 in Attock, 6 in Toba Tek Singh, 17 in Mianwali, 7 in Mach, 16 in Gujrat, 9 in Vehari, 17 in Sialkot, 2 in Haiderabad, 9 in DG Khan, 6 in Kasur, 11 in Kohat and one in Teemer Graha.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Chairman Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Leader of the House in Senate, Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, while commenting on the execution says, Islam teaches to avoid awarding death penalty at first place and it should be applied as a last resort.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Sometimes perceptions and human errors cause to make mistakes therefore awarding death penalty should be avoided. This is such an extreme punishment which cannot be overturned so easily keeping our criminal and justice system in view. We have seen many cases when people are wrongly executed. Because of having no influence and lack of resources they could not challenge the verdict at the level of apex courts. This is the reason Islam has asked to avoid awarding extreme punishment as 1st choice," Raja Zafarul Haq remarked.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Though there is a proper system of punishments for any crime in Islam but these penalties are used as last resort. For instance there are 12 or 13 precautions which needed to be checked before awarding sentence of cutting hand of a thief. Similarly death penalty is even the extreme punishment which should be avoided unless it is necessary. There are many other ways to control the crimes and bring reforms in the society. The punishment should be awarded keeping justice system and course of evidence in view", he commented.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We need to review the capital punishment law and bring changes in it accordingly keeping our criminal justice system in view," recommended Raja Zafarul Haq.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Analysis of the official data of Lahore High Court for the year 2014 shows that total 1105 execution petitions were instituted across the province whereas 458 petitions were pending from the previous years. The courts disposed of 988 (63 %) execution petitions whereas 575 (37 %) remained pending for the next year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Similarly, the same year 1456 new cases were instituted in anti-terrorism courts whereas 380 cases were pending from the previous years. The courts disposed of 1400 (76 %) cases whereas 436 (24 %) cases remained undecided.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the Justice Project Pakistan's data, after China and Iran, Pakistan has become the 3rd ranking country in terms of executing people. In 2016, there is no exact data of executions in China, but 57 people hanged in Iran whereas Pakistan has executed 86 and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 93.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The data further shows that till 2013, Pakistan has the largest death row population in the world as total 8,568 were waiting for death penalties. According to JPP's data, total 800 prisoners on death row in Pakistan were tried as 'terrorists'. In 86% of these cases, there was no link to anything reasonably defined as 'terrorism'. Hence, the 'terrorism' cases represent more than 1 in 10 of Pakistan's death row in the figures from 2012. However, this is now estimated to be as high as 30% whereas in the province of Sindh the figure is as much as 40 %. It is pertinent to mention here that there are currently over 17,000 pending 'terrorism' cases in Pakistan</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Barrister Sarah Belal, director Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) believes executions can never serve as deterrent against crimes. This could be justified while analyzing the crime data of entire world as crime has no relation with hanging someone.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Our criminal justice system is full of problems. We have problems in investigation system; there is capacity problem in our police department whereas bribery and political pressures further add to the miseries of the people. How can we execute a person when the criminal justice system is problematic? Therefore first we need to take measures to improve the system and then think about executing the criminals", commented Barrister Sarah.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The government officials on the other hand have a totally different perspective on the death penalty. They claim that policy of execution has proven effective as deterrence against terrorism. According to the official statistics the number of terrorist attacks has decreased from 1,823 in 2014 to 1,009 in 2015. Fatalities from attacks have also decreased from 1,761 in 2014 to 1,081 in 2015.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Source: The News, December 14, 2016<br /><br /><h2>Death penalty: LHC rejects appeals of 7 military court convicts</h2><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The Lahore High Court dismissed on Tuesday the appeals of 7 militants convicted by military courts in cases of targeted killings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An LHC division bench comprising Justices Shahid Mahmood Abbasi and Shahid Mehmood Sethi dismissed the writ petitions of the 7 convicts associated with proscribed organisations after going through the record of the military court's proceedings and arguments presented in-camera by the federal government.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The military courts had awarded death penalty to Sabir Shah, Abdul Rauf, Awais Gujjar, Suleman Pathan, Rafiullah and Sheikh Farhan, but the heirs of the convicts challenged their sentences before the high court.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On behalf of the appellants, Advocate Ali Zia Bajwa argued the trial of the convicts was under way in anti-terrorism courts when their cases were shifted to the military authorities from Kot Lakhpat jail. Neither the convicts were allowed to meet their families nor given a chance to engage a counsel to defend themselves before the military courts, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The counsel contended the families of the convicts only come to know about the military courts' decision through a press release issued by the military's media cell. He requested the court to set aside the conviction by the military courts and acquit the petitioners.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The LHC judges, however, rejected the appeal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: justify;">Model Town inquiry</h3><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Lahore High Court has dismissed the petition filed by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) seeking the public release of the judicial inquiry into the Model Town carnage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Tuesday, an LHC full bench dismissed the plea for making the yet-to-be-released report a part of the religio-political party's private complaint pending in an anti-terrorism court.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Through its complaint, the PAT seeks the trial of prime minister, Punjab chief minister and others on charges of killing 14 party workers in a standoff with Lahore police on June 17, 2014.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PAT's counsel Rai Bashir Ahmad argued the Punjab government with mala fide intention restricted the publication of the report of the inquiry held by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said if the report became a part of the ATC proceedings, it would strengthen the statements of the witnesses.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The lawyer asked the bench to dismiss an order of the trial court and order it to make the inquiry report a necessary part of the proceedings on the complaint.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Minhajul Quran Administration Director Jawwad Hamid had filed the petition against dismissal of their application by the ATC.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The LHC bench headed by Justice Muhammad Yawar Ali dismissed the petition, announcing a reserved verdict.</div><br />Source: The Express Tribune, December 14, 2016<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">⚑ | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: <a href="mailto:deathpenaltynews@gmail.com">deathpenaltynews@gmail.com</a>.</div><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px solid rgb(255, 204, 0); color: black; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/WebDPN/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4sspwgGptzvuHVklum5TwxKppRN-lIC5TN8RLZFq_B4ZOtBrX1ssXPNKQ6XpSyQFRJRtVQN45HMkpt3VX0JtOW0TovwxZAurG-AV6gh98IAXo7Ip6QlpkZr9WrM3_m943Mwy-gGxBAY/s1600/Find+us+Facebook.jpg" /></a></div></td> <td><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/WebDPN" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULIPEaT_P6oIauxAZd17XRRxljesDLS7iIjdQXT7Xct99uHeohx4IYmiAB6S044gTjMDGSy50sL2vDzOyPZ-3vJj9zwcYQ2rgzJh9v1-QDiunKAQtLLLqJ83s38qN3HABxGIC8GsIOD0/s1600/Find+us+twitter.jpg" /></a><span id="goog_1427852018"></span><span id="goog_1427852019"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><b>Opposed to Capital Punishment? 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Pakistan: Only 7 % of executions related to terror charges

"After China and KSA, Pakistan comes in world ranking of executions." Since Dec 2014, 426 criminals executed, mostly in cases unre...

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