International Death Penalty News 2022, Issue 42: Bangladesh, Gaza, Iran, Singapore, United States of America, Vietnam

Bangladesh

On May 13, 2003, several young men broke into the home of a widow and her 13-year-old daughter.  They gang raped the widow and held the daughter hostage at gunpoint.  Four men, Ali Nabi alias Latu Mia, Farooq, Alamgir, and Kashem were accused of the crime.  Three were sentenced to death, while Farooq was eveuatlly acquitted.  Latu Mia went into hiding after the crime, however, he has now been arrested.  Allegeldy, Latu used various disguises to hide his identity and avoid detection.

Gaza

A military court on the Gaza Strip has sentenced two unnamed individuals to death.  Both were convicted of collaborating with Israel.  One, a military officers, was sentenced to death by firing squad, while the other, a civilian, was sentenced in absentia to death by hanging.

Iran

On Wednesday, September 28, 2022, Morteza Barahouyi was executed in Zahedan Central Prison.  Morteza, a Baluch minority, was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind.  His execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media.  

On Thursday, October 13, 2022, 43-year-old Sadegh Afkandeh and Ali Mohammad Saeedi were executed in Zanjan Central Prison.  Afkandeh was convicted on drug-related charges.  Saeedi was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind.  Neither execution has yet been reported by state officials or the media. 

On Saturday, October 15, 2022, Hamed Dehghan Mangabadi was executed in Langroud Prison.  He was convicted on drug-related charges.  State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Saturday, October 15, 2022, Reza Gharehlu was executed in Neishabur Prison.  Reza was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas.  He murdered his friend about three years ago.  Iranian law does not distinguish between intentional and unintentional murder.  All killings are classified as intentional murder, and mitigating evidence is rarely taken into consideration.

On Saturday, October 15, 2022, 42-year-old Amir Jahangiri was executed in Qom Central Prison.  He was convicted on drug-related charges and had spent the last three years in prison.  State offiasl and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Sunday, October 16, 2022, Hossein Karimabadi was executed in Hamedan prison.  His crime was not reported, however, his family claimed it was the first time he was arrested.  Hossein had been in prison for about four years before his execution.

Since protests have broke out nationwide, the reporting of executions has greatly decreased in the nation.  Additionally, less leaked information is forthcoming.

Singapore

Earlier this year, Azlin Arujunah was convicted of murdering her son on October 23, 20216.  In the three months leading up to the young child’s death, he was subjected to repeated abuse, including four occasions where scalding hot water was poured on him.  At the time of his death, he had second and third degree burns over two-thirds of his body, as well as nasal bone fractures and extensive bruises.  Azlin’s husband, Ridzuan Mega Abdul Rahman, has also been sentenced to life in prison for the child’s death.  Following their sentences of life in prison, prosecutors appealed, asking that Azlin be sentenced to death.  The Court of Appeal has rejected this request, claiming the prosecution did not establish that Azlin knew her actions would result in the death of the boy.  She and her husband remain sentenced to life prison.

United States of America

 On Thursday, October 20, 2022, Benjamin Cole was executed in Oklahoma. He was convicted of murdering his nine-month-old daughter Brianna, on December 20, 2002, in Rogers County, Oklahoma. Cole bent Brianna in half, breaking her spine. 

Prosecutors in Texas have asked a jury to sentence Taylor Parker to death.  Parker is convicted of murdering a pregnant woman, Reagan Simmons-Hancock, and stealing Reagan’s unborn daughter from the womb.  Before murdering Reagan, Parker faked being pregnant.  Parker killed Reagan on October 9, 2020, in New Boston, Texas.  Reagan’s baby also died.  Parker’s attorneys are arguing that she should be spared from capital punishment due to mental illness. 

On September 22, 2022, the state of Alabama planned to executed Alan Miller.  However, appeals delayed the start of his execution by several hours, resulting in the execution not having sufficient time to locate a vein and establish an IV line, despite multiple attempts.  Now, Alabama is requesting that a second execution date be set.  Miller is asking the court to delay the setting of a second date.  Miller is convicted of murdering fellow coworkers 32-year-old Lee Holdbrooks, 28-year-old Christopher Scott Yancy, and 39-year-old Terry Jarvis on August 5, 1999, in Pelham, Alabama.

Vietnam

On Thursday, October 13, 2022, 30-year-old Nguyen Trung Huyen was sentenced to death for murdering his girlfriend’s three-year-old daughter.  Huyen lived with his 27-year-old girlfriend, Nguyen Thi Luyen, and her daughter.  Huyen claimed that he did not want to raise the girl, so he tortured her, and that she “affected his own life.”  For a few months, he forced her to drink pesticide, swallow nails, and broke her arms.  On January 17, 2022, he slapped her repeatedly after she failed to answer his questions and then tortured her with nails.  Her mother rushed her to the hospital, where she fell into a coma and died two months later.  Luyen claims she did not know her daughter was being tortured and prosecutors have not found enough evidence to charge her with any wrong doing.  Huyen was convicted and sentenced to death.  He was also sentenced to four years in prison.

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