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DEATH PENALTY REPORT – OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018Date format: day/month/yearInternational Update (from 11.10.18 – 7.11.18)USAWashington State – 11.10.18 – A Panel of Judges in the State’s Supreme Court unanimously struck down the death penalty, ruling that it violated the State’s Constitution. Five Justices said ‘the death penalty is invalid because it is imposed in an arbitrary and racially biased manner.’ The Court ordered that the eight people currently on death row should have their sentences converted to life in prison. (Source: The Guardian.)Alabama – 15.10.18 – Lam Luong, sentenced to death for the murder of his four children, has had his sentence reduced to life in prison without parole, following a statement from psychologists that his level of intellectual ability did not meet the State minimum to allow execution. (Source: )President Trump – 27.10.18 – The President has called for the death penalty to be imposed on the perpetrator of the fatal shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. (Source: The Evening Standard.)South Dakota – 29.10.18 – The execution took place of Rodney Berget, found guilty of the killing of a correctional officer during a failed prison escape attempt. The execution ended a 6-year battle over Mr Berget’s mental capacity to be put to death. (Source: Argus Leader.)Tennessee – 1.11.18 – The execution took place of Edmund Zagorski, convicted of two murders. Mr Zagorski had requested that he should die in the electric chair rather than from a lethal injection. (Source: The Independent) (See Urgent Actions below.) Ohio – 5.11.18 – The US Supreme Court rejected the chance to decide whether the State’s death penalty law violates the US Constitution. This clears the way for the State Court to hold a sentencing hearing for Maurice Mason, convicted of murder and rape in 1993. (Source: My Dayton Daily News.)Mid-Term Elections – 6.11.18 – The results in a number of States will impact on criminal justice issues, including the imposition of the death penalty – e.g. In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf’s win will mean the moratorium on executions will remain for at least 4 more years. (Source: The Appeal.) Missouri – 7.11.18 – Brett Kavanaugh, controversially appointed Supreme Court Justice, may hold the key vote in the case of Russell Bucklew, who has challenged his execution by lethal injection on the grounds his medical condition could result in severe pain. Kavanaugh has asked whether there are legal limits on the amount of pain suffered before making his decision. Note: Prisoners on death row who challenge their method of execution are legally obliged to offer an alternative. (Source: The Guardian.) Malaysia – 12.10.18 – The Cabinet has agreed to abolish the death penalty and halt pending executions. A proposed bill is to be discussed by the Government. More than 1,200 prisoners are currently on death row in the country, where hanging is mandated for a wide range of crimes, including murder, kidnapping and drug trafficking. The decision has been welcomed by rights advocates and foreign diplomats. (Source: Al Jazeera/Human Rights Watch.)Japan – 18.10.18 – A new film, with the title of ‘Kyokaishi’ Chaplain, and starring the late veteran Japanese actor Ren Osugi, is currently inspiring conversations across the country about the death penalty. The film which was released on 6th October, focuses on conversations between a Prison Chaplain and six inmates on Death Row. The script was based on interviews with Chaplains, former prison officials and others. The majority of Prison Chaplains in Japan are Buddhist monks, but the Association also includes Christian clergy and Shinto priests. (Source: The Asahi Shimbun.) UK – 19.10.18 – Following news that the Cleveland Police are investigating 10 murders committed in 2018, Ms Joan McTigue, Independent Councillor for Teesside has called for the reinstatement of capital punishment for ‘murderers like Ian Huntley’ where there is no doubt of their guilt. (Source: Gazette Live.)2.11.18 – Lincolnshire MP John Hayes has written to the Secretary of State for Justice ‘to ask if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to reintroduce the death penalty to tackle violent crime.’ (Source: Sunday Express.)Iran – 24.10.18 – The UN Independent Expert on Human Rights in Iran urged Tehran to abolish the death penalty for juveniles. Five individuals, convicted of having committed murder as minors, have been executed this year in Iran. The most recent was Zeinab Sekaanvand, executed three weeks ago. Iranian executions continue despite amendments in 2013 to the Islamic Penal Code allowing Judges give alternate sentences to juvenile offenders in certain circumstances. (Source: Voice of America.)Saudi Arabia – (25.10.18 – Israa Al-Ghomgham , who has been detained for almost three years over her participation in protests in the Qatif region, is due to appear in Court on Sunday 28th October, when her sentence to death will be confirmed or dropped. The Country’s Human Rights practices are under heavy scrutiny following the killing of the journalist Jamal Kashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2nd October. (Source: Middle East Eye.) 7.11.18 – The Hearing was postponed without explanation. (CBS News.)Singapore – 26.10.18 – Prabu N Pathmanathan, a Malaysian convicted of drug trafficking, was hanged in the latest of a series of executions. Amnesty International and the UN Human Rights Office have urged Singapore to halt executions, and to follow the example of neighbouring Malaysia, where a newly elected Government has vowed to end capital punishment by the end of the year. (See above.) (Source: Reuters.)Pakistan – 31.10.18 – The Supreme Court struck down the death sentence for blasphemy imposed on Asia Bibi. She had been on death row for 9 years, with 8 in solitary confinement. This decision has resulted in country-wide protests from Islamist groups and calls for the death penalty for the Judges. Paramilitary forces have subsequently been deployed across the capital. Ms Bibi has been released from jail and the authorities are trying to get her out of the country as soon as possible. (Source: The Guardian.)Germany – 2.11.18 – The State of Hesse has voted to finally scrap the death penalty from its Constitution, amending a 69-year-old anomaly in law. The Western State was the last in Germany to amend its local legal code, following the abolition of capital punishment by the National Constitution in 1949. In the referendum on this issue 83% were in favour. The vote was symbolic as Federal laws have always trumped those of individual States, but this step has removed a lingering embarrassment to Germany, an outspoken opponent of the death penalty. (Source: BBC News.)Israel – 5.11.18 – Despite advice to the contrary from the security establishment, Prime Minister Netanyahu has reportedly given the go-ahead for lawyers to advance a controversial bill calling for the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of killing Israeli civilians and soldiers. (Source: The Times of Israel).Urgent ActionsUSA – Tennessee – UA 183/18 – Edmund Zagorsky, who had been on death row for over 30 years after allegedly receiving ineffective council, was scheduled to be executed on 11th October. As Tennessee has a new three-drug lethal injection protocol, a temporary stay of execution was granted to allow for the necessary preparations to be carried out. From 21st October, Mr Zagorsky was at imminent risk of execution. (Circulated to DPLWG 15.10.18.) Information was received from AIUK that Mr Zagorski’s execution date had been set for 1st Nov. (Circulated to DPLWG 23.10.18)The execution took place on 1st November.Egypt – An email action was received from Reprieve with a petition calling on the Egyptian Government to stop sentencing children to death in mass trials. (Circulated to DPLWG 16.10.18.)Campaigning World Day Against the Death Penalty 2018 – INCLUDEPICTURE "C:\\var\\folders\\v9\\776scx8d4vd2lq_3q3fn9s_c0000gn\\T\\com.microsoft.Word\\WebArchiveCopyPasteTempFiles\\JE-02.jpg?size=600x0&w=Btda3OCKPpzend7oO3Bp0m7EbLw8" \* MERGEFORMAT The above photo and the message below were received from the Amnesty Anti-Death Penalty GroupThank you to everyone who took part in this actionOn World Day Against the Death Penalty, activists from the Anti-Death Penalty project delivered 2 spectacular, 6-foot tall bamboo plants to the embassy in Japan. The plants were covered in hundreds and hundreds of your wishes for an end to the death penalty, and the release of Matsumoto Kenji, who is on death row despite severe mental disabilities.?The embassy accepted delivery of thousands more of your messages,?as well as a letter calling for Matsumoto's release, the partner of which was delivered to embassies around the world by Amnesty sections.?A huge thank you to the thousands of you who acted for Matsumoto - and to urge Japan to bring the world a step closer to freedom from the death penalty.’ ................
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