IRAQ: 'HANGING WILL BE SADDAM'S DEATH PENALTY IF CONVICTED'

If the death penalty against Hussein was executed, it would be hanging until death and not by a shooting squad, said Jaafar Al-Mosawi, chief prosecutor of the trial of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. "It is a civil court not a military one," said Al-Mousawi, eliminating any legal exceptions due to the issue of age. He added that in case a final verdict, the execution can be activated within 30 days. Al-Mousawi said the next court session will be in mid-October to review the case's documents. He predicted that the last court session would be on October 26th, 2006. Saddam Hussein had asked the court judge in the previous hearing for an execution by a fire squad and not by hanging, based on claims that he was a "military man" and should die in a military way.
http://www.handsoffcain.info/news/index.php?iddocumento=8327926&srcday=0&srcmonth=0&srcyear=0&mover=

CHINA: BANKER SENTENCED TO DEATH

Wen Mengjie, an official from the Agricultural Bank of China, was sentenced to death for corruption involving 15 million yuan ($1.87-million). Wen, former head of technology at the bank's Beijing branch, was sentenced to death earlier in the month, Xinhua news agency reported without specifying the date. Wen was convicted of taking 10.7 million yuan in kickbacks from equipment and software providers and 4.3 million yuan in public funds, the report said.
http://www.handsoffcain.info/news/index.php?iddocumento=8327968

THAILAND: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF 4

July 29, 2006: Anuchai Noithai, a man convicted of shooting four people dead, wounding three others and damaging seven vehicles after an argument with his ex-wife in 2005, was sentenced to death by the Saraburi Court, Thailand. The court found Anuchai, 41, guilty as charged, after witness testimony and evidence showed he had prepared a shotgun, gasoline and a letter for his parents in case he died. Although Anuchai pleaded guilty to 15 counts of crimes including illegal possession of a firearm, destruction of property, and premeditated and attempted murder, the court saw his confession as resulting from his failure to rebuff evidence and declined to reduce his punishment.
http://www.handsoffcain.info/news/index.php?iddocumento=8328069&srcday=0&srcmonth=0&srcyear=0&mover=

MOLDOVA RATIFIES CONVENTIONS OUTLAWING DEATH PENALTY

Moldova assumed an international obligation not to apply the death penalty. The Moldovan parliament ratified the following international documents to this effect: the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on abolishing the death penalty and Protocol No 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights on abolishing the death penalty under any circumstances. A report drafted by the parliamentary commission for foreign policy and European integration said that the documents were ratified based on the Moldova-EC action plan.
http://www.handsoffcain.info/news/index.php?iddocumento=8327717

RUSSIA: SIX POINTS FOR THE G7

The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF), which represents 46 national Helsinki committees and Cooperating Organizations throughout Europe, Central Asia and North America, and the Moscow Helsinki Group are appealing to members of the G-7 to press the Russian Federation to address serious violations of international human rights standards that deprive inhabitants of Russia of human rights and freedoms enjoyed by members of other states taking part in the St. Petersburg G-8 meeting.
http://www.ihf-hr.org/documents/doc_summary.php?sec_id=3&d_id=4279

3 HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS RELEASED, MANY OTHERS STILL DETAINED

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, welcomes the decision to release Mr. Nidal Derwiche, member of the Committees for the Defence of Human Rights and Democratic Freedoms in Syria (CDF), Mr. Safouan Tayfour, human rights defender, and Mr. Ghaleb Amer, board member of the Arab Organisation for Human Rights. According to the information received, Mr. Nidal Derwiche, Mr. Safouan Tayfour and Mr. Ghaleb Amer were released on bail July on 17, 2006, reportedly after withdrawing their signatures from a petition, initiated by Syrian and Lebanese intellectuals and human rights defenders, calling for the normalisation of relations between Lebanon and Syria.
http://www.fidh.org/article.php3?id_article=3521