Aug. 27
IRAN:
Death penalty failing to deter drug trafficking in Iran -official
The death penalty has failed to reduce drug trafficking in Iran, a senior
Iranian judiciary official said on Saturday shortly before the scheduled
execution of 12 people for narcotics-related offences.
His criticism was unusual in a judiciary that has long been a bastion of the
hardline security establishment in the Islamic Republic, which carries out more
executions per capita than any other country. Nearly 1,000 prisoner were put to
death in 2015, most of them for drug trafficking.
Most narcotics are smuggled into Iran along its long, often lawless border with
Afghanistan, which supplies about 90 percent of the world's opium from which
heroin is made.
"The truth is, the execution of drug smugglers has had no deterrent effect,"
Mohammad Baqer Olfat, deputy head of judiciary for social affairs, was quoted
as saying by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
"We have fought full-force against smugglers according to the law, but
unfortunately we are experiencing an increase in the volume of drugs trafficked
to Iran, the transit of drugs through the country, the variety of drugs, and
the number of people who are involved in it," Olfat said.
He said he had suggested to the judiciary chief that rather than the death
penalty, traffickers should serve long prison terms with hard labour.
Mohammad-Javad Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Human Rights Council and a
brother of the powerful judiciary chief, said in 2015 that more than 90 % of
executions in the country were for drug-related crimes.
He said the death penalty has not led to a significant fall in drug-related
crimes and that the policy must be re-evaluated.
The Islamic Republic seized 388 tonnes of opium in 2012, around 72 % of all
such seizures globally, but says it has lost many security personnel in
skirmishes with drug traffickers in volatile regions bordering Afghanistan and
also Pakistan.
The United Nations has repeatedly praised Iran's battle against narcotics
trafficking but opposed its death penalty.
The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Iran urged Tehran on
Friday to halt the execution of 12 people on drug-related offences scheduled
for Saturday.
"It is regrettable that the (Iranian) government continues to proceed with
executions for crimes that do not meet the threshold of the 'most serious
crimes' as required by international law," Ahmed Shaheed said in a statement.
Given Iran's large number of executions, some countries including Britain and
Denmark have stopped providing funding for the United Nations drug control
programme in Iran.
(source: Reuters)
********************
This morning 12 individuals were executed by Iran regime
Despite repeated calls from UN expert and Special Rapporteur on Iran Human
Rights. Mr. Ahmed Shaheed to halt these executions, today 12 individuals were
executed in Gohardasht (Rajai-Shahr) Prison in Karaj, north-west of Tehran.
Families of the prisoners who rallied in front of prison yesterday, also were
urging Iran regime to halt the executions.
"It is regrettable that the Government continues to proceed with executions for
crimes that do not meet the threshold of the 'most serious crimes' as required
by international law, especially the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, to which Iran is State party. It is also troubling that
courts continue to issue death sentences in trials that not only breach
international fair trial standards but even domestic due process guarantees,"
Mr. Shaheed stressed.
The Special Rapporteur renewed his call on the Government of Iran to
immediately institute a moratorium on executions and to restrict use of the
death penalty for the "most serious crimes" (i.e. intentional killings). He
also repeated his calls on the Iranian authorities to adhere to international
standards guaranteeing fair trial and due process for those facing the death
penalty.
The names of 9 out of 12 individual who were executed are as follows:
Alireza Madadpour, Bahman Rezai, Arman Bahrami, Alireza Asadi, Mohsen Eslami,
Hosein Bayrami (transferred from Ghezelhesar prison) Mehdi Rostami, Amir and
ALireza Sarkhah.
(source: NCR-Iran)
****************
Urgent: At Least 10 Prisoners in Imminent Danger of Execution for Drug Offences
At least 10 prisoners in Karaj Central Prison (west of Tehran) have been
transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions. The
prisoners were reportedly able to have visits with their families for the last
time. According to close sources, the prisoners were transferred on the morning
of Wednesday August 24 and are all sentenced to death for drug related
offences. Their execution sentences are reportedly scheduled to be carried out
on the morning of Saturday August 27 at this prison.
Iran Human Rights is aware of the names of 5 of the 10 prisoners: Ali Asadi,
Alireza Madadpour, Mohsen Eslami, Bahman Rezaie, and Arman Bahrami. A relative
of 1 of the prisoners tells Iran Human Rights: "At least 10 prisoners were
transferred to solitary confinement, but prison authorities say that 4 of these
prisoners have received stay of execution orders, but they have not identified
which prisoners."
Karaj Central Prison is a detention centre attached to Ghezel Hesar Prison.
According to the Prisons Organization division, suspects who are convicted in
courts located in Karaj are held in the central prison. There have been
previous cases where death row prisoners held in Karaj Central Prison were
transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison for execution.
UN EXPERT CALLS ON IRAN AUTHORITIES TO HALT EXECUTIONS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY
In a statement released on Friday August 26, Ahmed Shaheed, the United Nations
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, urged Iranian
authorities to immediately halt the execution of Alireza Madadpour and the
other individuals who were transferred to solitary confinement in Karaj Central
Prison on Wednesday.
According to the statement, Mr. Madadpour was "tried by the Revolutionary Court
in Karaj on 17 July 2012, after being arrested the previous November when 990
grams of crystal meth were found during a raid on a house he cleaned. Mr.
Madadpour's state-appointed defence lawyer never met him and the trial lasted
20 minutes. Mr. Madadpour's request for pardon and retrial were not granted".
"It is regrettable that the Government continues to proceed with executions for
crimes that do not meet the threshold of the 'most serious crimes' as required
by international law, especially the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, to which Iran is State party. It is also troubling that
courts continue to issue death sentences in trials that not only breach
international fair trial standards but even domestic due process guarantees,"
says Ahmed Shaheed in the statement.
The UN Special Rapporteur also renewed calls on Iranian authorities to issue a
moratorium on executions and to "restrict use of the death penalty for the most
serious crimes (i.e. intentional killings)".
(source: Iran Human Rights)
SINGAPORE:
Nathan grants zero presidential pardon during his 2 terms
S R Nathan, the longest serving president from 1999 to 2011 did not grant
clemency to any death row inmates during his 2 terms as President.
This is according to the Singapore Working Group on the Death Penalty (SWGDP)
in itsstatement issued on the 13th World Day Against the Death Penalty last
October.
SWGDP stated, "Since Singapore's independence, only 7 clemencies have been
granted (as at Oct 2015), with the last being exercised by the late President
Ong Teng Cheong."
It went on to reveal that of the 7 clemencies, 2 were granted in the term of
President Benjamin Sheares, 1 under President Devan Nair, 3 under President Wee
Kim Wee, and 1 under President Ong Teng Cheong.
Presidential clemencies granted by past Presidents:
-- Benjamin Sheares (1971-1981): 2 in 10 years
-- Devan Nair (1981-1985): 1 in 4 years
-- Wee Kim Wee (1985 -1993): 3 in 8 years
-- Ong Teng Cheong (1993-1999): 1 in 6 years
-- S R Nathan (1999 - 2011): 0 in 12 years
The SWGDP is an advocacy group in Singapore which believes in giving convicted
people a 2nd chance to live. It advocates for the abolishment of the death
penalty in Singapore as well as commits to raising awareness on issues
surrounding the death penalty.
On its website, it said:
Although we believe that everyone needs to take the responsibility for his or
her mistakes and that no crime should go unpunished, we also believe that
unjust and problematic laws and procedures need to be debated and revised.
The death penalty is an irreversible punishment at the end of a process that is
prone to human error, which means that it is all too possible that innocent
lives will be taken away. And that is something that should not be allowed to
happen.
As at Oct 2015, the last clemency was granted by the late president Ong Teng
Cheong in May 1998. He commuted Mr Mathavakannan Kalimuthu's death sentence to
life imprisonment. He was 19 when he and 2 other men killed a gangster in 1996.
'I have to ask the man up there to forgive me'
After Nathan stepped down as President in 2011, he gave an interview to the
media. During the interview, he was asked about granting presidential pardons
during his 12-year term in office. He was asked if he found it difficult.
"The constitution clearly lays it down that I have to act on the advice of the
cabinet, and the cabinet acts on the advice of the Attorney-General," he said.
"You have a right to question it... through the process, you determine whether
all the facts have been taken into account, whether there's anything that needs
special consideration." Upon further probing by a reporter from Yahoo, Nathan
finally said, "Of course it's a difficult thing when it comes to the death
penalty. It's a matter of conscience. That's the law... and you do your best to
see that there is justice done."
"You are in no position to contradict the submission when you have not heard
the case," he continued. "You can't purely go on human emotions."
"I have to ask the man up there to forgive me for what is done for the good of
society."
(source: The Independent)
PAKISTAN:
Higher court could help Pakistani Christian
The Christian mother sentenced to death for allegedly committing blasphemy
should know in several weeks whether she will avoid execution in Pakistan.
Pakistan's supreme court has announced it will hear Asia Bibi's appeal during
the second week of October. She has has been imprisoned on death row for 6
years.
William Stark with International Christian Concern says in his experience in
blasphemy cases with religious minorities, the higher up you go in the court
system the more likely you will have the case decided by the merits.
He tells OneNewsNow the court system at the lower levels are very susceptible
to outside pressures from radicals.
"Our hope is that at the Supreme Court level there will be enough insulation
away from the radicals, and the threats that those radicals present, for them
actually to decide the case on the merits," he says. "If the case is actually
decided on the merits, I do fully believe she will be acquitted."
Stark believes Bibi's case could have a positive effect on other prisoners who
are being falsely accused of blasphemy.
"If Asia can get out, who is the highest profile case of all, that could
provide a little bit of hope to these families and these other individuals that
are currently in prison," he predicts.
This could be the last chance to avoid execution although if the death penalty
is confirmed by the Supreme Court, she could seek a presidential pardon.
Stark says Bibi and her family need to be remembered in prayer and that the
prayers need to continue even if she is acquitted.
"She and her family are going to have to leave Pakistan immediately," he warns,
"because there are people in Pakistan that do believe that she is a blasphemer
and that because of that it is their duty to kill her."
(source: onenewsnow.com)
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