Sept. 27
INDONESIA:
Bali 9 charges carry death penalty
Prosecutors in Bali have confirmed that all 9 Australians arrested over an
alleged heroin exportation conspiracy face charges carrying the death
penalty.
The final legal step leading up to trials of the 9 suspects was completed
today when prosecutors handed the cases to the Denpasar District Court.
There will be 7 trials, which are likely to begin in a month.
The 4 alleged 'drug mules' - Renae Lawrence, Martin Stephens, Scott Rush
and Michael Czugaj - will have separate trials, as will the alleged
ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.
3 others - Tach Duc Thanh Nguyen, Si Yi Chen and Matthew James Norman -
who were all arrested at a Kuta Hotel, will go on trial together.
The documents lodged today confirm that in every case the prosecution will
be under sections of the law carrying the death penalty.
Trials would be expected to start within a month from this step in the
process although extensions of time can be sought.
Typically a trial date would be set within 2 weeks of today.
(source: ABC News)
JAPAN:
Top court lets 1986 death sentence stand
The Supreme Court turned down Monday an appeal against the death sentence
on a man for robbery and murder of an elderly couple in Sendai in the
oldest criminal case that was pending at the top court.
Morio Horie, 54, was given the death sentence in both district and high
court rulings for killing Hiroshi Abe, 82, and his wife Chie, 75, in 1986
at their home, stealing passbooks for an account with 4.5 million yen in
deposits and dumping their bodies in the mountains.
(source: Kyodo News)
CHINA:
Supreme Court to curb death sentences
The Supreme People's Court will add 3 criminal courts to review death
sentences, said Wan EXiang, vice president of the Supreme Court of China,
China Youth Daily reported Monday.
A series of judicial reforms will focus on judicial power's neutrality,
publicity, procedural fairness and finality, Wan said. The withdrawal of
the power of local courts to review death sentences is the 1st step to
ensure the neutrality of justice.
Abolition of the death penalty remains disputed and impossible in China
against traditional Chinese culture, Wan said. However, the withdrawal of
the power to review death penalties may well protect the defendants' legal
rights, he said.
Earlier this year, Xiao Yang, president of the Supreme Court of China,
said China will carry out a deeper reform of criminal trial procedures.
Such reform had once been considered a breakthrough in the country's
judicial reform.
(source: Shanghai Daily)
