August 4
IRAN:
Jailed Iranian-Swedish Dual National Pressured To Accept New Charges
In a telephone conversation with his family, the Iranian-Swedish scientist and
disaster medicine expert, Dr. Ahmad Reza Jalali (Djalali) has revealed that he
has been under pressure to admit new charges and participate in another "forced
confession" in front of cameras.
Speaking to Radio Farda on Saturday, August 3, Jalali's wife, Vida Mehran Nia
disclosed that her husband had been taken to solitary confinement outside
Tehran's notorious prison, Evin.
"My husband told me on the phone that he had been under heavy pressure to
submit to a forced confession," Ms. Mehran Nia said, adding, "They
(intelligence agents) have threatened him to either admit new accusations or be
prepared for the execution of death penalty issued against him."
In an unexpected move last Monday, Ahmad-Reza Jalali was mysteriously
transferred to an unknown place of detention.
While on an official academic visit hosted by Tehran University, Jalali 47 was
accused of “collaboration with a hostile government” and arrested on April
2016. Since then, he has been kept behind bars at Tehran’s notorious Evin
prison.
He was later shown on state TV in December 2017, confessing to providing
information to Israel's Mossad spy agency about Iranian military and nuclear
scientists, including two who were assassinated in 2010.
In a voice recording that was published on YouTube on 22 October, Ahmad-Reza
Jalali is heard saying that, while in solitary confinement, he was twice forced
to make “confessions” in front of a video camera by reading out statements
pre-written by his interrogators.
Amnesty International and other rights groups have condemned Jalali's
detention, saying it follows a pattern of Iran detaining dual nationals and
expatriates indefinitely without due process.
Immediately after the Islamic Republic's Supreme Court upheld Jalali's death
sentence, Sweden granted him citizenship, soliciting a protest from Iran.
Iran does not recognize dual nationality
(source: radiofarda.com)
CANADA:
Canadian resident escapes Iran after 11 years of detention----Saeed Malekpour
says he was beaten in prison and was sentenced to death in 2010
An Iranian-born Canadian resident has escaped to return to Canada after being
detained in Iran for 11 years.
Saeed Malekpour, a web programmer from Victoria who had permanent resident
status in Canada, was arrested in Iran in 2008 and accused of setting up a
website that was used to post pornography. Malekpour maintained his innocence
and said he was tortured in prison to force a confession to crimes against
Islam.
He was sentenced to death in 2010.
Payam Akhavan, an expert in international law at McGill University and a former
United Nations prosecutor who has been involved in the case for years, said
that the Iranian government released Malekpour on furlough a few days ago after
coming under intense pressure.
Malekpour then escaped Iran through a 3rd country that is not being revealed.
He is now in Vancouver.
'It was dangerous'
Akhavan said that no one in Iran, including his family members and lawyer, was
aware of Malekpour's plan to leave the country.
"It was far from certain that the plan to bring him to Canada would succeed. So
we are all very relieved," Akhavan said in a phone interview.
"It was dangerous. Really, until he set foot in Canada we were not sure that
everything would go according to plan."
"[He is] once again living as a free man."
Husband of jailed British-Iranian woman stages hunger strike outside embassy in
U.K.
The news of his release first broke on Friday, when Malekpour's sister, Maryam,
who has long advocated for his release, tweeted that he had landed in Canada.
"The nightmare is finally over!" she wrote. "Together we prevailed."
Akhavan, who witnessed the reunion between Maryam and her brother after more
than a decade apart, said it was "a beautiful sight to behold, but also
heartbreaking."
"To think that this innocent man who was just 33 years old when he was arrested
... has lost a decade of his life."
In a written statement, a spokesperson for Global Affairs wrote that "Canada
welcomes the news that Saeed Malekpour has been reunited with his family in
Canada. We have advocated for Mr. Malekpour's release and are pleased that he
is now in Canada."
Global Affairs declined to comment further on the case, citing privacy
concerns.
Akhavan said the Canadian government was "exceptionally helpful" in the case,
and provided Malekpour with the proper paperwork to re-enter the country after
over a decade away.
U.S. joins Freeland in condemning 'arbitrary detention' of Canadians and calls
for 'immediate release'
According to a written statement from Amnesty International written prior to
his release, Malekpour had travelled to Iran in 2008 to visit his ailing
father.
While detained, Malekpour reported that he was blindfolded, handcuffed and
beaten in order to force a confession.
Malekpour's is not the first high-profile case of a Canadian-Iranian being
jailed in Iran.
In February 2018 Iranian-Canadian academic and environmental activist Kavous
Seyed-Emami died in an Iranian prison.
In 2003 Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi died under suspicious
circumstances while in custody in Iran.
(source: CBC News)
INDIA:
“Will recommend Government to include death Penalty for Child Rapist in J&K on
lines of national POCSO Act"
Vasundhra Phatak Masoodi, a noted lawyer, was recently appointed as the
Chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Women and Child Rights.
Masoodi, who has argued several cases relating to discrimination against women
including the cases of domestic violence spoke to Greater Kashmir’s SHAFAQ SHAH
about the issues pertaining to children and Women in Jammu and Kashmir.
The State Women’s Commission, which is now being called as the Women and Child
Rights Commission, has been silent about some of the major incidents involving
violence against women and girls in the state, the recent example being the
Kathua case. How do you think you are going to bring a change in the working of
the commission?
See, I believe whether it is Kathua case or any other case, where a woman or
girl or children, since we are also been given the responsibility of child
welfare, I believe the institutions should do justice to the mandate which is
entrusted upon them and they must come forward to address those issues very
vigorously which are supposed to be done by them in any which capacity.
Since I am not aware as to what commission had done or had not done in Kathua
case at that particular time, I can speak only for my own self. What I could do
and what I have done in the Kathua case it’s all in the public domain.
After you joined as the chairperson of the commission you went to Lal Ded and
GB Pant hospital. In the recent past this is the first time a chairperson has
done an inspection of the largest maternity and children hospital in Kashmir.
What do you have to say about it?
According to me I have not done something which is out of the way, or done
something which is too much for people. This is just a plain responsibility
that I wanted to exercise. I wanted to ascertain as to what women in Lal Ded
hospital are going through, because being very closely associated with Jammu
and Kashmir and being married here for last 18 years I have always been
involved into the happenings and the news with the regards to the welfare of
women and children. I had a notion that somewhere the system in Lal Ded is not
working properly, so it was on my top most priority, not only Lal Ded but G B
Pant hospital also and when I took over the charge, in just half an hour i went
out of my office, took my staff along and went for the inspection.
This is something which has been simmering in me for long and when I say this,
it means I have given up my practice in the supreme court just for the sake of
people in the state of J&K, especially women and children because this is the
least I can do for them by being a part of them and by making sure that all the
benefits of the laws that are in place, welfare schemes, policies that have
been formulated for their welfare are duly being accessed by them and
accessible justice being one of them.
What changes do you think your visit has brought in the hospitals?
I have been informed by someone very recently that after my visit the
superintendent or the management concerned they have issued some kind of
directives with regard to the creation of proper toilets, infrastructure, and
with the regards to the upkeep of the patients over there. Also, I have been
told that Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar has formulated an advisory
and they have mentioned my name as one of the members without even taking my
consent.
The Government of India recently approved changes in POCSO Act, which deals
with crime against children, and included death penalty for sexual assault for
minors. Would you also pitch for the same changes in the POCSO Act here in J&K?
As you are aware of the fact that there has been amendment in the POCSO Act and
exactly the same we are going to recommend to the Governor Administration.
So would you also recommend ban on pellet guns in Kashmir as they have done
immense damage to the women and children in J&K?
This is the mandate of Commission to protect Women and Child Rights and
anything that is against or violates the basic human rights of women and
children should be banned.
What is the stand of Commission on the harassment of women in offices and
public transport?
The Commission will soon be issuing advisory to all government and
non-government institutions to implement Vishaka guidelines in letter and
spirit, including setting up of Internal Complaint Committee (ICC). The
commission strongly believes that government should roll out women only buses
viz viz ensuring reserved seats for women in existing means of transport.
The cases of harassment against women in public transports should be dealt
sternly and the license of such vehicles/ transport companies be revoked
wherein such cases are reported.
Last year there was an amendment in the act and the protection for the rights
of children were also included in the Act which was later renamed as State
Commission for Protection of Women and Child Rights. How many cases of children
have the commission received so far?
See, as of now and as per my latest knowledge not many cases of children have
been received by the commission and the problem is lack of awareness among the
people. But, yes we are taking suo-moto cognisances of many cases.
We don’t have shelter and observation homes for women and children in J&K and
the ones we have are not up-to-mark. How are you going to address this issue?
I went to inspect the orphanages that we have in Shalimar. I had a surprise
inspection and a close door interaction with the children. I had requested the
superintendent and the staff to be out for some time, so that I could have one
on one discussion with them.
I was satisfied with the general upkeep of the children there, for that I
congratulate the superintendents of both girls and boys wing of the orphanage.
But the building of the orphanage is faulty. It’s a 60- year – old building and
it has developed cracks. This is an unsafe building for the children.
They told me when it rains, the rooms get inundated. This is very disturbing.
There is a dearth of staff in the orphanage; also there is no medical facility
available for the children.
I have interacted with many NGOs ever since I have taken over. In fact, I am
myself reach out by all sorts of means so that they can come forward. I have
asked them to come up with a charter of demands. I have also requested the
superintendent of the orphanage to come up with the charter of demands so that
the commission can provide welfare to the kids in our capacity it can also make
recommendations to the government so that best of the best facilities can be
assured.
What problem do you think women and children in Kashmir are facing?
Some days ago a women came to the commission with a representation and said
that my case is being running for almost 9 years in the High Court and it’s
stuck up at the final hearing stage and yet there is no final hearing. She
cried a lot and said that Mam I am at the verge of disaster. The prime time of
my life has been spoiled.
I attended to her, despite the fact that we are not mandated to entertain such
applications that are sub judice. I could have straight away told her that you
case can’t be entertained, but I made her sit, made her comfortable and
whatever in my personal capacity I could advise her, I advised.
So mu point is, the problem is not with the women and children, there is a huge
problem of our culture. Then we do have cases of domestic violence here and
then there are cases of harassment of women at their work places. Recently I
got one of these cases and there are some cases which are lined up and there
are some cases from Jammu also which have come to my notice. I have instructed
my staff to start writing to all of them, because the commission was vacant for
last 1 1/2 year.
The office of the Commission is not accessible to the people, because it has
been shifted from the old Assembly Complex, and people have no knowledge where
the office building has been shifted. Have you taken up this matter with the
higher ups?
I have taken up this matter with the Governor administration and they have told
us that they sought this matter out. (source: greaterkashmir.com)
***************
Assam man gets death penalty for killing girlfriend, a topper ---- The court
also sentenced the man’s mother Kamla Devi, and his sister Bhawani, to life
imprisonment for abetting him in the murder.
A local court on Saturday awarded the death penalty to a man convicted of
murdering his girlfriend, who was a Class 12 topper, 20 months ago.
The court also sentenced the man’s mother Kamla Devi, and his sister Bhawani,
to life imprisonment for abetting him in the murder of Shweta Agarwal on
December 4, 2017. The trio was convicted on July 30.
Shweta was found dead at the house of Govind Singhal, her boyfriend. After
investigation, the police concluded that Singhal had murdered her.
Singhal had taken Shweta to his rented accommodation in the Shantipur locality
of the city. Following a quarrel over the issue of their marriage, Singhal, in
a fit of anger, had pushed her so hard that she hit her head against a wall,
lost consciousness and died.
Police said Singhal had initially tried to dump the body but had instead ended
up setting it on fire in the bathroom. “His mother and sister said they were
not at home when the crime was committed but we found gaps in the statements
given by the three convicts,” an investigating officer said.
“I am happy that our daughter has received justice after so many months,”
Shweta’s father Om Prakash Agarwal told mediapersons. “But all three should
have been given the death penalty,” he added.
Shweta, who was a college student when she was killed, had been a topper in the
Commerce stream of the Class 12 exam in 2015.
(source: The Hindu)
******************
Kathua rape-murder case: J&K seeks death penalty for 3 main convicts in HC ----
The appeal seeks death penalty for the 3 main convicts — Sanji Ram, Deepak
Khajuria and Parvesh Kumar — who were sentenced to life imprisonment by a
Pathankot court on June 10.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has filed an appeal in Punjab and Haryana
High Court, seeking death penalty for the 3 main convicts in the gangrape and
murder of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua, contending that the case was “rarest of
rare” and d In 2 other appeals, the state sought conviction of the accused
acquitted, Vishal Jangotra, and setting aside of the acquittal of 3 police
officials from the charge of conspiracy.
The appeals are expected to come up for hearing on August 7 along with other
appeals filed by convicts and complainant.
“It is not a case of any spur of the moment provocation or even a case where
the accused gets overcome by lust. This is a case where a calculated and
meticulously planned conspiracy was hatched, the victim was identified and
targeted, and what disturbs the moral fibre of the society is that the same was
done due to the enmity between the two communities, of which an innocent girl
of 8 years paid the ultimate price,” reads an appeal filed through Jammu Crime
Branch.
The appeal seeks death penalty for the 3 main convicts — Sanji Ram, Deepak
Khajuria and Parvesh Kumar — who were sentenced to life imprisonment by a
Pathankot court on June 10.
Former Sub Inspector Anand Dutta, SPO Surinder Kumar and Head Constable Tilak
Raj were sentenced to 5 years in jail for destruction of evidence.
A Special Investigation team (SIT) had concluded that the victim was murdered
and raped in January 2018 as part of a conspiracy to “dislodge” her community
from the village. The trial was conducted by the District and Sessions Judge,
Pathankot, on Supreme Court’s orders.
In the appeal, the State critiqued the trial court’s order: “…it can be safely
stated that the learned trial judge has been highly perfunctory in the
discharge of judicial function in the matter of sentencing.”
Submitting that the trial court “erred gravely” while accepting the plea of
alibi of the accused named Jangotra, who was acquitted on the basis of alibi
that claimed he was in UP to take an examination when the crime occurred, the
appeal stated that the trial court ignored the confessional statement of
convict Parvesh Kumar. The trial court also ignored the testimony of three
witnesses regarding Jangotra’s presence at the crime scene January 13, 2018,
the state submitted.
Stating that the trial court has misread evidence of the handwriting expert
regarding the attendance sheet of the exam Jangotra purportedly took, the state
said that the trial court has relied on an interested witness, Jangotra’s
sister, to show that he had used a debit card at an ATM during the relevant
period at Meeranpur — the card could have been used by anyone, the state
pointed out in its appeal.
In its appeal against acquittal of former policemen Dutta, Kumar and Raj, who
were convicted only under the charge of destruction of evidence, and not for
conspiracy, the State said, “The trial court on one hand has come to the
conclusion that the accused were in connivance with the other main accused but
has erroneously and without application of mind acquitted the accused of other
charges framed against them, which stands proved beyond any shadow of doubt.”
Stating that while the trial court held the three policemen played a part in
misdirecting the search party from visiting the area where the victim was
confined, the state has said the court failed to draw the inference that this
misdirection was not only to shield the culprits but was “in pursuance of the
conspiracy hatched to execute the plan.”
(source: The Indian Express)
PHILIPPINES:
Dela Rosa confident death penalty bill will be approved
Senator Ronald de la Rosa on Sunday said his bill proposing death penalty for
drug traffickers stands a good chance of getting Congress’ approval compared to
other bills restoring capital punishment not just for drug-related cases but
also for heinous crimes and plunder.
He said the death penalty was rejected by the previous Congress because of
sentiments that it was anti-poor.
Interviewed during the Dureza Cup 2019 shooting competition here, Dela Rosa
said the death penalty is needed to curb the proliferation of illegal drugs.
He admitted that the illegal drug trade has continued to thrive despite the
administration’s war on drugs which started under his stint as then director
general of the Philippine National Police.
"If may death penalty, matatakot pumasok ang mga foreigners," de la Rosa said.
In one televised debate among senatorial candidates for the midterm elections
last May, de la Rosa said most of the shabu (crystal meth) shipment coming to
the Philippines had come from China.
"It depends on the operational definition (of drug trafficking), but for me it
would mean in the possession or selling of at least 1 kilo of shabu," the
senator, said when asked what would be considered drug trafficking under his
proposal.
President Rodrigo Duterte urged Congress to restore the death penalty for
illegal drugs and plunder during his fourth State of the Nation Address last
month.
“We have not learned our lesson,” Duterte said, adding it was tons of shabu
worth millions of pesos that funded the Marawi siege in 2017.
"Drugs will continue unless corruption is eliminated," he said. "We have a long
way to go against this social menace."
Church leaders and human rights groups have opposed the death penalty, saying
it puts poor suspects at a disadvantage and has not been proven to be a
deterrent to crime.
(source: mindanews.com)
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