Sept. 12
CHINA:
Death penalty used on very small number of criminals: China----Human rights
groups say death sentences are often issued after unfair trials and that too
much weight is given to confessions that are often obtained through torture.
China, which is believed to execute more convicted people than the rest of the
world combined, said Monday that it uses the death penalty only on "a very
small number of extremely serious criminal offenders."
In a report published Monday, China's government says authorities "trictly
control the death penalty and employ it with prudence."
Although China no longer executes people for most nonviolent crimes, its law
allows for the death penalty for dozens of offenses, including treason,
separatism, spying, arson, murder, rape, robbery and human trafficking.
A legal revision last year removed a number of offenses from the list of those
punishable by death, included smuggling arms and ammunition, counterfeiting
currency, forcing others into prostitution and obstructing military personnel
in the performance of their duties.
The number of executions in China is not known because such data is considered
a state secret. Amnesty International estimates that it executes more people
than the rest of the world???s countries put together, which totaled 1,634 in
2015.
Human rights groups say death sentences are often issued after unfair trials
and that too much weight is given to confessions that are often obtained
through torture.
President Xi Jinping has made a priority of reducing wrongful convictions and
reforming the justice system to restore public confidence in the ruling
Communist Party. However, the party refuses to consider a Western-style
separation of powers that would allow for a completely independent judiciary.
(source: Indian Express)
PHILIPPINES:
Public 'split' on death penalty restoration
People's support for restoration of death penalty is weak and shallow, a
pro-life lawmaker said on Monday.
"Offhand, many Filipinos who appear to favor the revival of capital punishment
are merely venting their exasperation over the miserable performance of our
criminal justice system," Rep. Lito Atienza of Buhay party-list group noted.
"Filipinos hunger and thirst for justice, not for blood. And this craving for
justice may be satisfied only by profound and comprehensive reforms in law
enforcement, prosecution service, the judiciary and our prisons," according to
Atienza, also House senior deputy minority leader.
He was responding to results of an online poll on the House of Representatives'
official website, which showed that 50 % of participants favored the renewal of
the death penalty, while 48 % rejected the extreme punishment, with 2 %
undecided.
The ratings imply that the reinstatement of the death penalty "is a highly
discordant matter that is best deferred by Congress," Atienza, a former 3-term
city mayor of Manila, said.
The lawmaker blamed "widespread corruption" for the dismal functioning of the
justice system that he said has "deeply frustrated and angered" many Filipinos.
"Many citizens still do not report crime victimizations simply because they do
not have confidence in our justice system. And the primary reason for this lack
of public trust is corruption, which we have to eradicate first," Atienza said.
"In fact, many homeowners in middle-class subdivisions are extremely wary of
opening their doors to Oplan: Tokhang precisely because they're scared that
corrupt officers might put in false drug evidence," he added, referring to the
operation plan implemented by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in
connection with the Duterte administration's war on illegal drugs.
The PNP has acknowledged that double-dealing officers have been reselling back
into the market some of the illegal drugs seized in the course of police
operations under Oplan: Tokhang.
London-based Amnesty International and New York-based Human Rights Watch have
repeatedly warned that the Philippine police still engage in unlawful methods
and corrupt practices, including arbitrary arrest and detention, torture,
intimidation and the use of planted evidence.
In March this year, a Pampanga trial court handed down a historic ruling in
which a police officer was convicted of torturing a bus driver falsely accused
of a drug offense and other felonies in a case of mistaken identity.
Police officer Jerick Dee Jimenez was sentenced to a maximum of 2 years and 1
month in prison, and ordered to pay P100,000 in damages to his torture victim,
Jerryme Corre.
It was the 1st-ever conviction under the country's 2009 Anti-Torture Act.
Atienza said rotten police officers who resort to torture target only
"impoverished people" who could not ably protect themselves.
"Many police officers still use torture to extract confessions because they
either lack basic criminal investigation skills, or they've been paid by
somebody to pin a crime on another person," he added.
According to Atienza, "We have to advance our scientific methods in criminal
investigation, if we are to put more criminals behind bars and discourage the
use of fabricated evidence. We have to develop forensic specialization."
(source: Manila Times)
*******************
Pro-life solon says support for death penalty 'weak, shallow'
A pro-life lawmaker on Monday said public support for the reinstatement of the
death penalty is "weak and shallow," citing an online poll posted at the House
of Representatives website.
In a statement, Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza said those who expressly support the
restoration of capital punishment were merely frustrated at the poor justice
system.
Atienza said this "thirst for justice" should be quenched by fixing the law
enforcement and the judicial system instead of resorting to the death penalty.
"Offhand, many Filipinos who appear to favor the revival of capital punishment
are merely venting their exasperation over the miserable performance of our
criminal justice system," Atienza said.
Atienza cited an online poll in the Congress website which showed that 50 % of
participants supported death penalty, while a close 48 % rejected it. At least
2 % was undecided.
Atienza said the ratings imply that the issue "is highly discordant matter that
is best deferred by Congress."
It was Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez who first filed the bill seeking to reimpose
the death penalty after former president Gloria Arroyo abolished capital
punishment in 2006.
Alvarez filed the bill to reinstate the death penalty, pursuant to President
Rodrigo Duterte's campaign promise of returning capital punishment against
heinous criminals.
Alvarez's bill sought to reimpose the death penalty for heinous crimes listed
under Republic Act 7659, including murder, plunder, rape, kidnapping and
serious illegal detention, sale, use and possession of illegal drugs,
carnapping with homicide, among others.
In the bill he co-authored with deputy speaker Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro,
Alvarez said there is a need to reimpose the death penalty because "the
national crime rate has grown to such alarming proportions requiring an all-out
offensive against all forms of felonious acts."
"Philippine society is left with no option but to deal with certain grievous
offenders in a manner commensurate to the gravity, perversity, atrociousness
and repugnance of their crimes," according to the bill.
(source: Philippine Inquirer)
***********************
Duterte has given the green light for Mary Jane's execution: Jokowi
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said on Monday that Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte had given the green light for the execution of Filipina death row
inmate Mary Jane Veloso.
"President Duterte has given the go-ahead to proceed with the execution,"
Jokowi was quoted as saying by Antara news agency in Serang, Banten.
According to Jokowi, the legal process will be followed up by Attorney General
M. Prasetyo.
"I have explained to [Duterte] about Mary Jane's situation and I told him that
Mary Jane [has been found guilty] for carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin. I also
told him about the delay in the execution during the meeting," Jokowi said.
Veloso was arrested at Adisucipto Airport in Yogyakarta in April 2010.
Veloso was excluded from the list of the third round of executions prepared by
the Attorney General's Office (AGO) in April, as legal procedures continue in a
separate but related case in her country. Veloso was on the execution list last
year but was granted a stay of execution because her alleged boss had been
arrested in the Philippines, and the authorities there requested Indonesian
assistance in pursuing the case.
(source: Jakarta Post)
IRAN----executions
At Least 8 Prisoners Executed on Drug Related Charges
7 prisoners were executed at Bandar Abbas Central Prison (Hormozgan province,
southern Iran) on drug related charges, reports Iranian state-run media
Tabnkak. The hangings were reportedly carried out on Saturday September 10.
According to the unofficial news agency, HRANA, the prisoners were sailors who
were sentenced to death on drug related charges. HRANA identifies the prisoners
as: Ghasem Daryanavard, Amin Bibaki, Khosro Badpa, Sattar Hoot, Mohammad Hanif
Boop, Haroun Heykalnejad and Tareq Naraaj.
Last week, at least one prisoner was reportedly executed at Mashhad's Vakilabad
Prison on drug related charges. The prisoner has been idenitfied by unofficial
sources as Einollah Mohammadzadeh, sentenced to death on drug related charges.
A source close to Mr. Mohammadzadeh told HRANA that "justice was not
implemented" in his court hearing. The exact date of Mr. Mohammadzadeh's
execution is not known at this time. Additionally, Iranian official sources
have been silent regarding his execution.
(source: NCR-Iran)
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