International Death Penalty News 2023, Issue 31: Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, United States of America

Iran

On Sunday, July 30, 2023, Hamid Asgarinia was executed in Qom Central Prison. He was arrested on charges of rape, kidnapping, and robbery. He was eventually executed on the rape charge. In rape cases, the accused are often tortured into confessing to the crime. There are also questions if Hamid was granted access to proper legal representation. His execution has not been reported by state officials or the media.

On Sunday, July 30, 2023, 30-year-old Mohammad Arbab was executed in Zabol Prison. Arbab was an Afghan national and an ethnic Baluch minority. He was convicted and executed on drug-related charges. His execution was carried out in secret, preventing his family from having a final visit. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Sunday, July 30, 2023, 53-year-old Shahsavar Shahriari was executed in Zahedan Central Prison. Shahriari, a member of the Baluch ethnic minority was executed on drug-related charges. His execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Monday, July 31, 2023, 32-year-old Asadollah Amini was executed in Zabol Prison. Amini was an Afghan national and ethnic Baluch minority. He was arrested about two years ago on drug-related charges. His execution was previously announced, preventing his family from having a final visit. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Monday, July 31, 2023, Baluch ethnic minority Farhad Badrouzeh was executed in secret at Birjand Prison. He was arrested about six years ago on drug-related charges. His family was not informed of his pending execution, preventing them from having their final visit. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Monday, July 31, 2023, 38-year-old Saeed Barahouyi, 39-year-old Ali Barahouyi, and 55-year-old Khodarahm Mohammadani were executed in Zahedan Central Prison. All were convicted on drug-related charges. All are also members of the Baluch ethnic minority. Their executions have not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Tuesday, August 1, 2023, Afghan national Massoud Eshaghzehi was executed in Zabol Prison. Executions are traditionally carried out by hanging. Thirty-year-old Eshaghzehi was convicted on drug-related charges about two years ago. He was a father with two children.

On Tuesday, August 1, 2023, three men were executed in Zahedan Central Prison. Two of the men have been identified as 72-year-old Hossein Gomshadzehi and 30-year-old Yousef Kalbali. The third man has only been identified as a Baluch ethnic minority. All were executed on drug-related charges. State officials and the media have not yet announced any of the executions.

Japan

On Monday, July 31, 2023, 26-year-old Kyota Hattori was sentenced to life in prison. He was facing a death sentence. Hattori was convicted of stabbing a man and lighting a fire on a train in Tokyo, on October 31, 2021. He was dressed in a Joker costume during the attack. Twelve passengers were in the train car when he lit it on fire. During his trial, Hattori stated that he wanted to go on a killing spree and receive a death sentence as he felt his life had no worth.

Malaysia

On Monday, July 31, 2023, the High Court sentenced to death a husband and wife couple for murdering 38-year-old Heng Heow Lin. Forty-one-year-old Seow Pei Chie and her 41-year-old husband Cheung Chai Ming murdered Heng in early October 2020. They then stuffed her body in a suitcase and dumped it on the side of the road. Heng’s late husband owed the couple money and she was working to pay off the debt. Witnesses frequently saw the couple harassing Heng when they felt she was not making enough money.

Pakistan

On Tuesday, July 25, 2023, the parliament approved new anti-narcotics legislation that removed capital punishment as an option for those convicted of drug trafficking. The law is to go into effect immediately. According to the new legislation, the maximum punishment for drug trafficking will be life in prison, with a minimum sentence of six months in jail.

Singapore

On Thursday, August 3, 2023, 39-year-old Mohamed Shalleh Adul Latiff was executed by hanging. His is the 16th execution since executions resumed following a two-year halt due to the covid-19 pandemic. Latiff was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

United States of America

On Tuesday, August 1, 2023, Johnny Johnson was executed in Missouri. Forty-five-year-old Johnny was convicted of murdering six-year-old Casey Williamson on June 26, 2002, in St. Louis, Missouri. Johnny’s requests to halt his execution were rejected by the courts and the Missouri governor, despite being supported by the father of the victim.

On Wednesday, August 1, 2023, a jury in Pennsylvania decided that 50-year-old Robert Bowers will be sentenced to death. Bowers is convicted of murdering 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue by opening fire on the congregants after storming the facility in Pittsburgh. Two other worshippers and five responding police officers were injured in the attack.

On Thursday, August 3, 2023, Wade Lay was scheduled to be executed in Oklahoma. His execution is rescheduled for June 6, 2024.  Wade is convicted of murdering 36-year-old Kenneth Anderson on May 24, 2004, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond requested his execution date be rescheduled due to understaffing in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and the time considerations of preparing for an execution.

On Thursday, August 3, 2023, James Barnes was executed by the state of Florida. Barnes was convicted of murdering 41-year-old nurse, Patricia “Patsy” Miller on April 20, 1988, in Melbourne, Florida. He also confessed to the unsolved murders of Chester Ralph Wetmore and Brenda Joyce Fletcher, but has not been charged for either.

Earlier this year, after Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced his opposition to capital punishment, 56 of the 60 death row inmates in the state filed for clemency. All clemency petitions are reviewed by the Louisiana Board of Pardons and Committee on Parole. Now, the Board has ruled that none of the clemency petitions are eligible for review, a police requires the petitions to be submitted within one year of a judge ruling on the appeal. Exceptions for this rule are granted in cases of pending executions, however, no death row inmate has an execution date and the last execution occurred over 10 years ago.

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