MID JUNE – JULY 2017 DEATH PENALTY REPORT

Date format: day/month/year

International Update (from 8.6.16 – 12.7.17)

  • USA
  • Florida –
  • 8.6.17 – The Florida Supreme Court overturned the death sentence of Bessman Okafor (convicted of murder) because the Jury in 2015 did not recommend it unanimously. Gov. Rick Scott then filed an executive order transferring the case from State Attorney Aramis Ayala, as he had done previously with 23 cases, following her decision no longer to seek the death penalty. (Source: Orlando Sentinel). Note: The Florida Supreme Court ordered a hearing on 28th June for justices to question attorneys representing the State Governor and the State Attorney respectively regarding this issue (Source: Police News).
  • 14.6.17 – A new conservative group with 9 members, Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty, has formed in Orlando. They cite the morality of taking another life and the expense. A news conference was held in front of the office of Aramis Ayala’s office, but claimed no connection to her. (Source: CBS Miami.)
  • 28.6.17 – Justices of the Florida Supreme Court began hearing arguments as to whether Aramis Ayala, removed from first-degree murder cases by Governor Rick Scott, had the discretion to adopt a policy not to seek the death penalty in her district. (Source: Reuters.)
  • 1.7.17 – Three Manatee County death row prisoners – Delmer Smith, Daniel Burns Jr and Melvin Trotter – have been granted stays of execution while challenges continue to be made against Florida’s death penalty laws. (Source: Bradenton Herald.)
  • 4.7.17 - Governor Scott signed the death warrant of Mark Assay. This will be Florida’s first execution since 2016. Convicted of killing two people, Mr Assay is scheduled to die on 24th August. (Source: Orlando Sentinel
  • Arizona –
  • 12.6.17 – Lawyers for a group of condemned prisoners who sued over how Arizona conducts executions believe they have reached a tentative settlement with the State. The agreement limits the power of the Department of Corrections’ Director to change execution drugs at the last minute, requires that drugs be tested before use, and bars the use of expired drugs. It also increases transparency in the execution process. The State had already agreed not to use midazolam. The agreement still needed the prisoners’ approval. (Source: US News).
  • 22.6.17 – Judge Neil Wake signed an order in effect authorising the deal. Major revisions to the State’s death penalty procedures include the elimination of paralytic drugs in lethal injections and giving witnesses more access to watch prisoners inside the death chamber. (Source: Reuters.)
  • South Dakota – 24.6.17 – The Pennington County Public Defender’s Office is asking the county for c. $350,000 to help with the extra defence costs in the case of Jonathon Klinetobe, accused of the murder of his former girlfriend. These extra costs are said to involve expert evaluations, travel expenses and witness fees. (Source:US News.)
  • New York – 25.6.17 – Federal prosecutors have decided not to appeal a ruling overturning the death penalty against Ronell Wilson, convicted in 2003 of the killing of two NYPD undercover detectives. It will not be challenging a finding in 2016 that Mr Wilson was ineligible for the death penalty because he met the legal standard for having a mental disability. (Source: Daily News.)
  • Ohio – 30.6.17 - The Federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the State is free to use a new three-drug protocol to carry out executions by lethal injection. Since 2014, the State, previously second only to Texas in the numbers executed, has carried out no executions, but that now looks likely to change. Ohio will now resume executions, using midazolam, rocuronium bromide and potassium chloride. Ronald Phillips is the first scheduled to die, on 26th July (Source: Star Courier.)
  • Pakistan –
  • 11.6.17 – Taimoor Raza has been sentenced to death by a counter-terrorism court after finding him guilty of committing blasphemy on line. Raza made a ‘derogatory’ comment about the Prophet Mohammad in a post on Facebook. This is the first death sentence to be imposed for committing blasphemy on social media, and follows a high-profile crackdown by the Government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. (Source: Mail Online)
  • 18.6.17 – A resolution has been passed by the European Parliament against the execution of convicted persons in Pakistan. Officials in Pakistan see India as instigator of this action, accusing the country of spreading ‘disinformation’ and calling for the ‘law of Pakistan on [the] death penalty to be respected by all countries, including the European Union.’ (Source: The Express Tribune.)
  • 7.7.17 – Jo Kaplan, Facebook’s Vice President of Public Policy, met Interior Minister Ali Khan to discuss the possible approval of a Facebook office in Pakistan. The Minister has demanded that Facebook prevent blasphemous content, or be blocked; Khan is reported to have said ‘Pakistan believes in freedom of expression, but that does not include insulting Islam or stoking religions tensions.’ Facebook have expressed the Company’s ‘deep commitment to protecting the rights of people who use its service, and to enabling people to express themselves freely and safely’. (Source: Reuters).
  • 7.7.17 - The non-government organisation working for prisoners’ rights, Justice Project Pakistan, says that at least 465 persons have been executed in the Country since it lifted the ban on the death penalty in December 2014. Such a high number of executions has made Pakistan the ‘fifth most prolific executioner’ in the world, following, China, Oran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. (Source: The Hindu).
  • China –
  • 25.6.17 – Chinese Courts have called for the death penalty for researchers who commit fraud, should their misconduct end up harming people. (Source: PBS News Hour.)
  • 26.6.17 – The Shanghai Daily reports that two men, found guilty of running a multibillion-yuan drugs business, were sentenced to death earlier in the month. Six others were granted reprieves, four were sentenced to life imprisonment and three received jail terms ranging from 7 to 15 years. (Source: Shanghai Daily.)
  • Egypt – 2.7.17 – The Cairo Criminal Court has upheld the death penalty for 20 people over the alleged roles in the killing of 13 policemen in the violence following the military’s ousting of former President Mohamed Morsi. Rights groups say the army’s crackdown on the supporters of Morsi has led to the deaths of over 1,400 people and arrest of 22,000 others, including some 200 people who have been sentenced to death in mass trials. (Source: Press TV.)
  • South Africa –
  • 3.7.17 - In an attempt to stop the murder of women, some members of the ANC Women’s League are pushing for the return of the death penalty. Note: The death penalty was used against freedom fighters during the apartheid era. It was declared unconstitutional in 1995 when the Constitutional Court ruled unanimously that it violated the right to life contained in the Bill of Rights. (Source: Huffington Post South Africa.)
  • 5.7.17 – State Security Minister David Mahlobo stated at a News Conference that the death penalty will not be brought back. This followed the rejection by the ANC’s Peace and Stability Commission of the calls from its Women’s League to reintroduce capital punishment for those who murder women and children. (Source: News 24.)
  • Nigeria – 10.7.17 – The State Governor of Ebonyi, David Umahi, has called for the death penalty as punishment for kidnapping in the belief this was the way to deter people from committing the crime. (Source: Premium Times).
  • Saudi Arabia – 10.7.16 – Audi Arabia executed 6 people for murder and drug-related offences, thought to be the highest number in a single day this year and bringing the number of executions claimed by the Government so far in 2017 to 44. A Pakistani man had been sentenced for drug trafficking, and 5 Saudi nationals for homicide. A report published in June by Reprieve found 41% of those executed in 2017 were killed for non-violent acts, such as attending political protests. The Group was concerned migrant workers were being tricked into smuggling drugs and then executed, with at least 23% of death sentences for drug offences imposed on Pakistanis. (Source: The Independent.)
  • Ghana – 12.7.17 – Calling on Ghana to scrap the death penalty, Amnesty have highlighted the grim conditions for scores on death row. Based on interviews with 107 prisoners, the report Locked Up and Forgotten: The need to abolish the death penalty in Ghana, has identified 148 death row prisoners in grim conditions, including 6 the Prison Service considers to be mentally ill. In addition, it finds that less than a quarter of death row inmates have been able to appeal their cases, and that no progresson abolition has been made since its recommendation by the Constitution Review Commission in 2011. (Source: Amnesty International).

Urgent Actions

  • Virginia – UA 134/17 – William Morva, a US-Hungarian National, is due to be executed on 6th July. Convicted of murder in 2008, he had been assessed by a psychiatrist as having a delusional disorder, and that this contributed to his crimes. The jury were not informed of his serious mental disability. (Circulated to DPLWG: 20.6.17). Note– Despite his serious mental disability, and the calls of more than 30,000 activists, Morva was executed on 6.7.17
  • Saudi Arabia – UA144/17 – Said Mabkhout, sentenced to death for murder after an unfair trial, is at risk of imminent execution. He has exhausted all his appeals. (Circulated to DPLWG: 3.7.17.)
  • Saudi Arabia – UA 156/17 – Nigerian national Suliamon Olufemi remains at risk of execution. In 2005, he was sentenced to death in connection with the murder of a policeman after an unfair trial. He has exhausted all his appeals. (Circulated to DPLWG: 4.7.17.)
  • Iran – UA 212/14 – Iranian spiritual teacher, Mohammad Ali Taheri is again at risk of the death penalty. He is being prosecuted for ‘spreading corruption on earth’, and has been held in solitary confinement for over 6 years. His second hearing is due to take place in July. (Circulated to DPLWG 10.7.17.)
  • Singapore – Update on UA 12/17 – The family of Prabagaran Srivijayan, a Malaysian national, have been advised that his execution has been scheduled in Singapore for 14th July. Against international law and standards, he was convicted of and sentenced to the mandatory death penalty in 2012 for drug-related offences. He has an appeal pending before the Courts of Malaysia. (Circulated to DPLWG: 12.7.17.)

Campaigning

  • Reggie Clemons – an email was sent on 12th June to Farshid Talaghani asking for AIUK to re-commence campaigning for Reggie, and a follow-up email on 11th July. A response has been received – the IAR have forwarded the email to the IAR Campaigner for the Americas, and also to Amnesty USA requesting an update.The Group will send Reggie a letter and card with good wishes prior to the start of his trial at the beginning of August.
  • World Day Against the Death Penalty – Tuesday 10th October. A Group Action will be identified to take place on the day. Depending on the outcome or stage reached in his trial, this may focus on Reggie Clemons. Alternatively, the action may take its lead from any national Amnesty World Day Action – decision to be made at the September meeting.

Friday, 14 July 2017

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