July 18
IRAN:
10 Prisoners in Rajai Shahr Prison Scheduled for Execution
About 10 prisoners in Karaj's Rajai Shahr Prison (Alborz Province, northern
Iran) were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their
executions scheduled for Wednesday July 20. According to close sources, 2 of
the prisoners have been identified as Reza Teimouri and Mohsen Khanmohammadi.
A close source tells Iran Human Rights: "Most of these prisoners are on death
row for murder charges. They weren't able to obtain consent from the
complainants on their case files to stop their executions, so they are
scheduled to be hanged on Wednesday morning."
On Wednesday July 13, Iranian authorities reportedly executed 6 prisoners at
this prison. Since last week, starting from Monday July 11 until Sunday July
17, about 30 executions were reportedly carried out across Iran.
(source: Iran Human Rights)
BANGLADESH:
Bangladesh charges 38 with murder over 2013 garment factory collapse
A court in Bangladesh formally charged 38 people with murder on Monday in
connection with the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza building which killed 1,135
people in the country's worst industrial disaster.
A total of 41 defendants face charges over the collapse of the complex, which
housed 5 garment factories supplying global brands. Plaza owner Sohel Rana is
the principal accused.
Public Prosecutor Abdul Mannan said 38 people had been charged with murder
while 3 were charged with helping Rana to flee after the incident. Rana was
arrested after a four-day manhunt, apparently trying to flee across the border
to India.
Of the 41 people charged, 35, including Rana, appeared before the court and
pleaded not guilty, Mannan told reporters. The other 6 are fugitives and will
be tried in absentia.
If convicted, defendants could face the death penalty.
The collapse of the complex, built on swampy ground outside the capital Dhaka,
sparked demands for greater safety in the world's 2nd-largest exporter of
readymade garments and put pressure on companies buying clothing from
Bangladesh to act.
Duty-free access to Western markets and low wages for its workers helped turn
Bangladesh's garment exports into a $28 billion-a-year industry that is the
economic lifeblood of the country of 160 million people.
The minimum monthly wage for garment workers in Bangladesh is $68, compared
with about $280 in mainland China, which remains the world's biggest clothes
exporter.
The Rana Plaza tragedy prompted safety checks that led to many factory closures
and the loss of exports and jobs but the industry had begun to recover strongly
despite sporadic attacks in Bangladesh claimed by Islamic State and al Qaeda.
These have included murders of liberals, gay people, foreigners and members of
religious minorities.
But a targeted attack on a restaurant in Dhaka on July 1 that claimed the lives
of 20 people including 18 foreigners, many of whom worked in the garment
business, could pose a fresh threat to the industry.
Islamic State said it was responsible for one of the most brazen attacks in the
South Asian nation's history, although that claim has yet to be confirmed.
(source: Reuters)
TURKEY:
Turkey's President Erdogan refuses to rule out death penalty
Turkey's President has refused to rule out the death penalty for the thousands
of people arrested following a violent failed military coup Friday.
"There is a clear crime of treason and your request can never be rejected by
our government," said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking through his
translator in a world exclusive interview with CNN's Becky Anderson at his
presidential palace in Istanbul, Turkey.
"But of course it will take a parliamentary decision for that to take action in
the form of a constitutional measure so leaders will have to get together and
discuss it and if they accept to discuss it then I as president will approve
any decision that comes out of the parliament."
This is the 1st interview given by the president since the attempted military
coup on Friday, July 15.
If Turkey does reintroduce the death penalty, it won't be joining the European
Union, according to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini earlier Monday.
Commenting on people's calls for the death penalty for coup plotters, Erdogan
said: "'Why should I keep them and feed them in prisons, for years to come?' --
that's what the people say."
"They want a swift end to it, because people lost relatives, lost neighbors,
lost children... they're suffering so the people are very sensitive and we have
to act very sensibly and sensitively," he added.
The comments come in the wake of Friday's failed military coup and the
president's vow over the weekend that those responsible "will pay a heavy price
for this act of treason."
A total of 8,777 officers from the Turkish Ministry of Interior have so far
been removed from office, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.
Among the arrested are 103 generals and admirals -- 1/3 of the general-rank
command of the Turkish military.
A formal written request for the extradition of Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen,
who is in self-imposed exile in the United States, will be submitted within
days, Erdogan told Anderson.
When asked what he would do if the U.S. refused to extradite Gulen, he said "we
have a mutual agreement of extradition of criminals."
"So now you ask someone to be extradited, you're my strategic partner I do
obey, I do abide by that, but you don't do the same thing -- well, of course,
there should be reciprocity in the types of things," the president continued.
Erdogan has previously blamed Gulen for the attempted coup -- a claim which
Gulen has denied.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. hadn't yet received a formal
request from Turkey for Gulen's extradition.
(source: CNN)
**************
NATO's Stoltenberg to Erdogan: 'Ensure full respect for democracy' in coup
aftermath
NATO-Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg denounced the military coup attempt in
a phone call with Turkey's president. Stoltenberg assured him of NATO's full
support, yet reminded Erdogan of the need to observe the rule of law in the
coup aftermath.
"Being part of a unique community of values, it is essential for Turkey, like
all other Allies, to ensure full respect for democracy and its institutions,
the constitutional order, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms,"
Stoltenberg's statement reads.
A similar statement was issued earlier by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
"NATO also has a requirement with respect to democracy," Kerry said during a
joint press conference with EU Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini on
Monday.
Turkey is NATO's 2nd largest member and its Ingirlik air base is used by the US
and its allies to launch airstrikes on Islamic State (formerly known as IS,
ISIL/ISIS).
Kerry reiterated his support for the legitimate Turkish government as well as
its efforts "in bringing the perpetrators of the coup to justice," according to
the Independent. He cautioned Ankara "against a reach that goes beyond that and
stress the importance of the democratic rule being upheld," however.
"Obviously a lot of people have been arrested and arrested very quickly," Kerry
said, while noting that it's important not to abandon the principles of
democracy while investigating the cases.
"The level of vigilance and scrutiny is obviously going to be significant in
the days ahead. Hopefully we can work in a constructive way that prevents a
backsliding," he said.
Turkey's Foreign Minister told Kerry that his country would adhere to the
principles of democracy and follow the law.
On Sunday, Turkey's president vowed to bring back the death penalty as he
addressed crowds of supporters in Ankara. The practice was abolished in Turkey
in 2004. However, the country's prime minister said that Ankara will not push
for the introduction of the punishment. "We are not going to rush the
introduction of the death penalty, this issue needs to be discussed; it will
not be quick. We intend to act in a legal way," said Turkish PM Binali Yildirim
during a government session on Monday.
The potential return of capital punishment to Turkey has raised alarm bells in
the European Union.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Mogherini warned Turkey that the reinstatement of the
death penalty would cost the country its chance to join the EU. "No country can
become an EU member state if it introduces the death penalty," she said. The
official also reminded Ankara that "Turkey is an important part of the Council
of Europe and is bound by the European Convention on Human Rights, which is
very clear on the death penalty."
In the meantime, Turkish officials are trying to verify the final death toll
from the coup violence. The latest estimate puts the number of victims at 232,
according to country's prime minister, Yildirim.
Around 1,400 people have been injured. Figures issued earlier by the Turkish
authorities put the number of victims at more than 290. It is unclear why the
death toll has been revised. President Erdogan made clear that he intends to do
everything necessary to bring the perpetrators to justice. Following the
attempted overthrow, he vowed that anyone who had supported the coup "will pay
a heavy price for their treason to Turkey."
A total of 7,543 civilians and police officers, as well as members of the
judiciary and army, including over a hundred generals and admirals, were
arrested in the wake of the coup. Addressing his supporters on Friday night,
Erdogan said that "This uprising is a gift from God to us because this will be
a reason to cleanse our army." On top of that, over 8,000 members of the
Turkish Interior Ministry - mostly police officers - have been removed from
office over alleged links to the uprising, Reuters says. The outlet adds that
30 governors and dozens of high-ranking civil servants have been sacked.
The Turkish Finance Ministry has also suspended some 1,500 of its employees who
are suspected of having ties to US based cleric Fethullah Gulen, according a
Ministry official, as cited by TASS. Ankara suspects Gulen of being behind the
coup against Erdogan and has already asked Washington to hand him over. The US
has said it will do so only if enough evidence is provided, however. In an
interview with the Kanal 7 broadcaster, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet
Simsek said on Monday that Ankara hopes for "strong support" for its request to
extradite Gulen when enough evidence has been collected.
(source: rt.com)
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