International Death Penalty News 2024, Issue 51: Australia, China, Indonesia, Iran, Morocco, Philippines, United States of America, Vietnam

Australia

On Sunday, December 15, 2024, the five remaining members of the “Bali Nine” returned home to Australia. In 2005, nine Australians were convicted of attempting to smuggle 18 pounds of heroin off the island of Bali in Indonesia in a case that received international attention. Two of the members were sentenced to death and were eventually executed by a firing squad. The remaining seven members received lengthy prison sentences. One died from cancer while in prison, while another was released after her sentence was commuted. The remaining five, Matthew Norman, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, and Michael Czugaj have returned to Australia after an agreement was reached between the two nations. While the details of the agreement have not been made public, officials have revealed that the men are free and will not be serving any prison time in Australia.

China

On Tuesday, December 17, 2024, Li Jianping was executed. Li was the former secretary of the Communist Party working committee of the Hohhot Economic and Technological Development Zone. He was sentenced to death in 2022 after it was discovered that he had embezzled funds and sought benefits for criminal gangs. In recent years, President Xi Jinping has cracked down on corruption in China, especially among officials in power, however, some argue that it has been a way for him to eliminate political opponents and rivals.

A court in China has upheld the death sentence from 60-year-old Yu Huaying who is convicted of stealing at least 17 children and selling them to other families during the 1990s. Following her conviction, Yu appealed her sentence. The appeal was rejected and she is unable to make additional appeals. However, her case must be reviewed by the Supreme People’s Court before her execution can be carried out.

Indonesia

It has been announced by the Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas that President Prabowo Subianto plans to grant amnesty to select prisoners. The amnesty is an attempt to help overcrowding in the prisons. Among those who are scheduled to receive amnesty are drug users and prisoners with long-term illnesses, including HIV/AIDS and mental disorders. The amnesty still needs to be approved by the House of Representatives.

Iran

On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, Mohsen Barzegar was executed in Khorramabad Central Prison. He was convicted and executed on drug-related charges. His execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, Ahmad Jahankhani, Sirous Ahmadi, Meisam Kargar, Hassan (Nasrollah) Yousefi, Iman Khanabdoli, and Soleiman Koushaki were executed in Ghezelhesar Prison. All six men were convicted in separate murder cases and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are considered intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the victim chooses between granting forgiveness, demanding qisas, or demanding diya (blood money). There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded. If it cannot be paid, the inmate is often executed. State officials and the media have not yet reported the executions.

On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, Sajad Azizi and Ebrahim Valizadeh were executed in Miandoab Prison. They were convicted in the same murder case and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are considered intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the victim chooses between granting forgiveness, demanding qisas, or demanding diya (blood money). There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded. If it cannot be paid, the inmate is often executed.

On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, Rahman Sarlak, Naser Shahouzehi, Iman Moghadam, and Abdollah Tajik were executed in Ghezelhesar Prison. Naser was a Baluch ethnic minority and Abdullah was an Afghan national. All four men were convicted and sentenced to death on separate drug-related charges. Their executions have not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Thursday, December 12, 2024,  30-year-old Majid Esmali was executed in Isfahan Central Prison. He was convicted of committing a murder during a street fight and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are considered intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the victim chooses between granting forgiveness, demanding qisas, or demanding diya (blood money). There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded. If it cannot be paid, the inmate is often executed.

On Thursday, December 12, 2024, two Afghan nationals, 22-year-old Mohammadshah Achakzehi and 24-year-old Rahim Achakzehi were executed in Mashhad Central Prison. They were convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. State officials and the media have not yet reported their executions.

On Thursday, December 12, 2024, 35-year-old Abdolkarim Shokati Teimuri was executed in Mashhad Central Prison. The father of two was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. He has repeatedly denied the accusations against him. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Thursday, December 12, 2024, 23-year-old Shahrokh Fahimi was executed in Neishabur Prison. He worked in a perfume shop at the time of his arrest three years ago. He was accused of keeping drugs in the perfume shop and sentenced to death. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Saturday, December 14, 2024, Hassan Ebrahimi Geravand was executed in Malayer Prison. He was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. State officials and the media have not yet reported the execution.

On Saturday, December 14, 2024, Hossein Koulivand was executed in Arak Central Prison. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are considered intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the victim chooses between granting forgiveness, demanding qisas, or demanding diya (blood money). There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded. If it cannot be paid, the inmate is often executed. State officials and the media have not yet reported the execution.

On Sunday, December 15, 2024, 45-year-old Mohammad Vazir Roudini, Yaghoub Braahouyi Moghaddam, 22-year-old Elias Tardast, and 37-year-old Alireza Galebacheh were executed in Zahedan Central Prison. They were convicted and sentenced to death on separate drug-related charges. State officials and the media have not yet reported the executions.

On Sunday, December 15, 2024, 29-year-old Ghorban Razi and 38-year-old Mohammad Kasrani were executed in Tabriz Central Prison. Mohammad was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. Ghorban was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Their executions have not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Sunday, December 15, 2024, 42-year-old Had Molakazemi was executed in Semnan Central Prison. He was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. His arrest came four days after being married. Molakazemi insisted upon his innocence. State officials and the media have not yet reported the executions.

On Sunday, December 15, 2024, a woman identified only as Mahboobebh and 32-year-old Karim Eslami, were executed in Yazd Central Prison. The woman was arrested about five years ago and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind for murder. The man, Karim, was a shepherd when he was arrested three years ago for the murder of his fiancé. He was convicted and sentenced to qisas. State officials and the media have not yet reported the executions.

On Sunday, December 15, 2024, 35-year-old Mohammad Ali Barahouyi Kharkouhi, his 45-year-old brother Reza Barahouyi Kharkouhi, 35-year-old Abdolbaset Totazehi, 38-year-old Abdolnaser Totazehi, 35-year-old Nematollah Totazehi, 40-year-old Salah Rahimi, and 30-year-old Najaf Rahmani were executed in Yazd Central Prison. All were convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. Their executions have not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Sunday, December 15, 2024, 37-year-old Hamzeh Mirzapour was executed in Gorgan Central Prison. Before his arrest, he worked as a glass cutter. He was arrested about three years ago on drug-related charges, for which he was sentenced to death. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Sunday, December 15, 2024,  Ali Morad Dehghani was executed in Nahavand Prison. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are considered intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the victim chooses between granting forgiveness, demanding qisas, or demanding diya (blood money). There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded. If it cannot be paid, the inmate is often executed. State officials and the media have not yet reported the execution.

On Monday, December 16, 2024, Behzad Seyedi Bukani was executed in Miandoab Prison. Behzad was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are considered intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the victim chooses between granting forgiveness, demanding qisas, or demanding diya (blood money). There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded. If it cannot be paid, the inmate is often executed. State officials and the media have not yet reported the execution.

Morocco

On Tuesday, December 17, 2024, Morocco voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for a global moratorium on executions. For the last 17 years, Morocco has refused to vote on the issue and capital punishment is still law in the nation. With this vote, however, Morocco is facing increased pressure to abolish capital punishment. There are currently 88 inmates on death row, including one woman. No executions have occurred since 1993.

Philippines

In 2010, Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipino national was arrested at an airport in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Officials had discovered that she had 5.7 pounds of heroin in her luggage. For the last 14 years, Mary Jane has resided on death row in Indonesia, once coming within minutes of being executed. She has also continued to insist upon her innocence, claiming she was an unwitting accomplice and duped into smuggling drugs. For years the Philippine government has been working to secure her release. Now, they have been successful. Mary Jane was escorted home and reunited with her family at the airport. She was then taken to a women’s correctional facility, as she is still technically serving a life sentence. It is unclear at this time if Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr will grant her a pardon or clemency.

United States of America

On Tuesday, December 17, 2024, Warren Henness was scheduled to be executed in Ohio. Ohio rescheduled his execution to December 15, 2027, due to ongoing problems obtaining execution drugs in the state. Warren is convicted and sentenced to death for the robbery and murder of 51-year-old Richard Myers in Columbus, Ohio, on March 20, 1992.

On Wednesday, December 18, 2024, Indiana executed Joseph Corcoran. The execution was carried out inside the execution chamber at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, Indiana. Forty-nine-year-old Joseph was executed for murdering his 30-year-old brother James Corcoran, 32-year-old Robert Scott Turner, 30-year-old Douglas Stillwell, and 30-year-old Timothy Bricker, in Fort Wayne, Indiana on July 26, 1997.

On Thursday, December 19, 2024, Oklahoma executed Kevin Underwood. December 19 is also Kevin’s birthday, making him 45 at the time of his death. Kevin was executed for the rape and murder of 10-year-old Jamie Rose Bolin in Purcell, Oklahoma on April 12, 2006.

On Friday, December 13, 2024, it was announced that Margaret Allen died while on death row in Florida. She was 58 years of age. Her cause of death has not yet been identified and an autopsy is likely to be conducted. Margaret was sentenced to death by a jury after she was convicted of torturing and murdering her housekeeper, 39-year-old Wenda Wright in 2005. Margaret poured a cleaner down her throat, duct-taped her mouth shut, and strangled her before dumping the body in a wooded area. The murder occurred following a dispute where Margaret accused Wenda of stealing from her.

Prosecutors in Texas have announced they plan to seek the death penalty against two Venezuelan men who entered the country and the state illegally. The two men, 22-year-old Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, and 26-year-old Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, are accused of sexually assaulting and murdering 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray on June 16, 2024. The two illegal immigrants were arrested after entering Texas, however, they were released with orders to appear in court at a later date.

A judge in Florida has sentenced 27-year-old Zephen Xaver to death. Xaver was sentenced to death for murdering five women inside a bank in Florida. According to text messages sent earlier in the day, Xaver admitted that he planned to die that day and wanted to take a few people with him because he had always wanted to kill someone. Inside the bank, he forced five women to lie face down and shot them in the head while they all begged him for mercy. The five women he killed were 65-year-old customer Cynthia Watson, 55-year-old bank teller coordinator Marisol Lopez, 38-year-old banker trainee Ana Pinon-Williams, 54-year-old teller Debra Cook, and 31-year-old banker Jessica Montague. Xaver was known to have fantasies about hurting people. He had joined the Army in 2016 as a way to kill people. He was discharged after three months and spent some time in a mental hospital. Shortly before his murders, he worked as a prison guard trainee. He quit that job two weeks before the murders.

Prosecutors in Alabama are seeking the death penalty against eight people charged with the kidnapping, assault, and murder of 20-year-old Mahogany Jackson. On February 25, 2024, Mahogany sent a text to her family of her location, saying she had been kidnapped. Police found her body the next day. She had been shot and sexually assaulted. Several of the crimes against her were videotaped by the perpetrators. One lawyer is attempting to argue that their client cannot be sentenced to death if the jury verdict is not unanimous. Another of the accused is pleading not guilty.

Officials for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced that death row inmate Richard J. Hirschfield has died at a medical facility in Vacaville. He was 75 years of age and appears to have died of natural causes. In December 1980, 18-year-old freshmen at UC Davis John Riggins and Sabrina Gonsalves were kidnapped and killed, with their bodies being discovered in a ravine near Lake Natoma in Folsom. Their murders remained unsolved for dozens of years. Eventually, DNA linked Hirschfield to the crime, and in 2012, Hirschfield was convicted and sentenced to death. However, no executions have occurred in California since 2006, due to a moratorium. There are 610 inmates on death row in California.

A judge in Palm Beach County, Florida, has ruled that the death penalty is not an option for Semmie Williams Jr., a homeless drifter accused of murdering 14-year-old Ryan Rogers in 2001. The death penalty was removed as a potential sentence after the defendant was found to be intellectually disabled. The prosecution has announced its plans to appeal the ruling, which is supported by the father of the victim. The murder occurred while Ryan was out riding his bike and is thought to have been a random act.

Twenty-six-year-old Luigi Mangione has been federally charged with stalking and murdering Brian Thomspon, CEO of UnitedHealthcare in New York. If convicted Mangione could be sentenced to death. He has also been charged at the state level, however, New York has abolished capital punishment. The murder occurred on December 4, 2024, and Mangione was arrested a few days later.

Vietnam

On Monday, December 16, 2024, 40-year-old Chu Ba Chung, Truong Ngoc Mai, Tran Kim Loan, and Nguyen Vu Khai Hoang were sentenced to death on drug-related charges in the same case. Two others connected to the case were sentenced to life in prison. Chung was born in Vietnam but lived in Canada during his youth before moving back to Vietnam recently. All were part of a drug trafficking group and several others in the case have not yet been identified or charged.