Sept. 2
INDIA:
HC issues notice to Union law secretary on PIL
The Madras High Court has issued notice to the Union law secretary and the
secretary of the social justice and empowerment ministry on a PIL, urging for a
section of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act), providing for a "mandatory
death penalty", to be declared as null and void.
The petitioner, Shazim Sagar, a law student, alleged that section 3(2)(I) of
the said act, providing for the punishment, was violative of the Constitution.
The petitioner submitted that the section provided for the punishment if any
person, not being a member of the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe community,
gave or fabricated false evidence, with an intention to cause a member of the
SC/ST community to be convicted for an offence, resulting in the imposition of
capital punishment.
The section added that if such a person was executed on account of the false
evidence, the person responsible for the same should also be punished with
death, the petitioner said, adding that the provision was "discriminatory".
A mandatory death punishment had been held to be opposed to human dignity and
struck down by constitutional courts across the world, the petitioner said and
prayed that the section be declared as null and void.
Justices K K Sasidharan and G R Swaminathan of the Madurai bench of the court,
after hearing the arguments of the petitioner, ordered issue of notice to the
Union law secretary and the secretary of the social justice and empowerment
ministry.
(source: ptinews.com)
NORTH KOREA:
Watchdog Urges North Korea to Overturn 'Chilling' Death Sentences for Reporters
The Committee to Protect Journalists called on Pyongyang on Friday to overturn
death sentences it had handed in absentia to 2 South Korean reporters for
allegedly defaming the North.
A central court in North Korea was reported Thursday to have given death
penalty to Son Hyo-rim and Yang Ji-ho and their newspaper publishers for
reviewing a book about the country.
"North Korea's threat to execute Son Hyo-rim and Yang Ji-ho for writing
critically about the regime is at the same time ridiculous and chilling. North
Korea should immediately commute the death sentence and end its hostile
rhetoric," CPJ deputy chief Robert Mahoney said.
The watchdog cited Son's colleague from the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper as saying the
female journalist was a culture reporter who did not cover North Korea
regularly. The book, North Korea Confidential, has received extensive coverage
and it is not clear why Pyongyang has singled out the 2 reviewers, he said.
(source: sputniknews.com)
KENYA:
Man faces death penalty in robbery with violence suit
A 20-year-old man who is facing a robbery with violence charge and stealing
from a blind man risks the death sentence if found guilty.
Simon Ndauti, alias Symo, is accused of stealing Sh1,000 from Boniface Maingi
in Rauraka on August 3.
According to police, Maingi was walking with his guide when the accused
snatched the snatched the money from him.
H's guide reported the matter and police arrested Nduati on August 24.
He denied the charge and was released on Sh10,000 cash bail or surety of
similar amount pending hearing on November 16.
In the same court, Nduati was also charged with violently robbing John Madugu
of Sh5,000 joined with others.
Police said, around 7am that complaint was in the house sleeping when he heard
knock on the door and upon inquiry the person identified himself as a
neighbour.
It is reported that Madugu's wife went to open the door where she was
confronted by Nduati and other seven men armed with knives.
The prosecution said, they entered in the house warned them form raising an
alarm as they demanded to be given money. The wife had Sh5,000 which she handed
to the accused.
He denied the charges before chief magistrate Emily Ominde and was released on
Sh200,000 bond. The matter will be heard on November 16.
(source: the-star.co.ke)
IRAN:
U.S. 'Deeply Concerned' By Death Sentence Against Iranian Spiritual Leader
The United States says it is "deeply concerned" by reports that imprisoned
Iranian spiritual leader Mohammad Ali Taheri has been sentenced to death, and
it called on the authorities to reverse the decision.
The State Department on September 1 said the charges of founding a religious
cult and "spreading corruption on Earth" violate Tehran's obligations to
"respect and ensure his freedoms of expression and religion or belief."
The statement added that the death penalty should be used "only for the most
serious crimes."
"We call on the Iranian government to take whatever steps necessary to reverse
Taheri's conviction and death sentence," it added. "We join our voice with
those who call on Iran to uphold its obligations under Iranian and
international law and to ensure that the human rights of all individuals in
Iran are respected and guaranteed."
The State Department added it was "deeply disturbed" by reports that some of
Taheri's followers had also been arrested on "similar objectionable charges."
An Iranian court in August sentenced Taheri to death for a 2nd time, 2 years
after an initial death sentence was overturned on appeal.
Taheri's lawyer, Mahmud Alizadeh Tabatabaei, said on August 27 that Taheri had
been sentenced after being convicted of "spreading corruption on Earth" for
founding a group called the Circle of Mysticism.
Tabatabaei said he would appeal the ruling within the required 20 days and
expressed hope that the Supreme Court would overturn the sentence.
Taheri's family has claimed the spiritual leader has suffered harassment in
prison and was pressured into giving a forced video confession.
Taheri, 61, is a popular faith healer whose group promotes a mystical
understanding of the universe.
He was for a time allowed to practice and teach in public, but he came under
increased pressure following a warning by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei, about "false mysticism that might lure away people from Islam."
Taheri was first arrested in 2010 and has been in Evin prison in Tehran since
2011, when a court sentenced him to five years in prison for blasphemy.
He was sentenced to death on similar charges in 2015, but an appeals court
later rejected the verdict.
Taheri has reportedly gone on hunger strike several times to protest his
detention.
Many of his followers, especially around the city of Isfahan, have been
detained by the authorities.
(source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
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