International Death Penalty News 2024, Issue 31: Belarus, India, Iran, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, United States of America

Belarus

Earlier this month, the German Foreign Ministry confirmed that 30-year-old Rico Krieger, a German national, was sentenced to death in Belarus.  Krieger has since released a video asking Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for clemency.  In the video, Krieger expressed his remorse for his crimes and thankfulness that there were no victims.  Krieger’s trial was held in secret and he was convicted under six articles of the criminal code, including terrorism.  On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, President Lukashenko issued a pardon for Krieger, after “taking into account all the circumstances.”  It is uncertain when or if Krieger will be allowed to return to Germany.  Belarus is the only European nation to continue to employ the death penalty, although it is rare for them to execute foreign nationals.  Germany, like other European nations, opposes the use of capital punishment in all circumstances.  

India

On Monday, July 29, 2024, 32-year-old Somabhai Solanki has been convicted and sentenced to death for raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl in June 2022.  The case was determined to be the “rarest of the rare” and therefore, eligible for the death penalty.  Executions are carried out by hanging.  Solanki has also been ordered to pay a fine.  

On Thursday, August 1, 2024, Sanjit Das was sentenced to death after being convicted of murdering his wife on June 9, 2022.  He stabbed his wife at least 33 times after they got into a fight.  To conceal evidence, he also cut the throat of his six-year-old daughter, who survived her injuries.

Iran

On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, 40-year-old Motiollah Barkezi was executed in Ghaen Prison.  Motiollah, a father of two, was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.  His execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Thursday, July 25, 2024, Ghader Jamshidi was executed in Torbat Jam Prison.  Ghader, a father of three, was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.  State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Thursday, July 25, 2024, Hassan Yousefi Azar was executed in Urmia 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 taken into consideration. After conviction, the family of the victim chooses between granting forgiveness, demanding diya (blood money), or qisas.  Hassan’s execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Thursday, July 25, 2024, 32-year-old Hamed Naderi and 37-year-old Ali Moharamkhani were executed in Qazvin Central Prison.  Both men were arrested about two years ago and convicted in the same drug-related case.  State officials and the media have not yet reported their executions.

On Saturday, July 27, 2024, three men and a woman were executed in Khorramabad Central Prison.  Two of the men have been identified as 40-year-old Ardeshir Maleki and 33-year-old Azim Amrayi.  The other man and the woman have not been identified by name.  All four were convicted on separate drug-related charges.  None of the executions have yet been reported by state officials or the media. 

On Monday, July 29, 2024, 61-year-old Nabi Bakhsh Molazehi was executed in Minab Prison.  Executions are traditionally carried out by hanging in Iran.  Nabi was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.  State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Monday, July 29, 2024, Mahim Jangizehi was executed in Minab Prison.  Mahim, a Baluch ethnic minority, 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 taken into consideration. After conviction, the family of the victim chooses between granting forgiveness, demanding diya (blood money), or qisas.  Mahim’s execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media. 

On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, 40-year-old Heshmat Moradian was executed in Yasuj Central Prison.  He was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind.  Heshmat was convicted of murdering his friend after they got into a fight over a financial issue.  Under Iranian law, all killings are considered intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely taken into consideration. After conviction, the family of the victim chooses between granting forgiveness, demanding diya (blood money), or qisas.   State officials and the media have not yet reported the execution.

Malaysia

Sixty-six-year-old Sabturiah Lakidau asked the court that the man convicted of killing her husband during a robbery remain sentenced to death.  Darmadi Sulaiman, now 42 years of age, was convicted of murdering Sabturiah’s husband, 60-year-old Abdul Rahman Pileh, during a robbery on July 14, 2017.  Sabturiah says that the brutal nature of the crime severely traumatized her, resulting in her losing her job and being hospitalized.  The court eventually reduced Sulaiman’s sentence to 35 years in prison for murder and 10 years in prison for robbery, in addition to being caned for each crime. 

On Thursday, August 1, 2024, married couple, 45-year-old Abu Bakar Mahamad and 31-year-old Siti Syariza Ibrahim, pleaded guilty to lesser charges that spared them from a possible death sentence.  The couple is accused of beating and murdering their friend, Md Az’ari Saim on November 30, 2016.  Allegedly, Siti had been having an affair with Md.  If convicted they could have been sentenced to death, however, by pleading guilty, Abu received a sentence of 18 years in prison while Siti received a sentence of 15 years in prison.

Saudi Arabia

On Monday, July 29, 2024, Zubair Khan Hazrat Jamal was executed in Mecca, likely by beheading.  Jamal, a Pakistani national, was convicted and sentenced to death for attempting to smuggle heroin into the kingdom.  He allegedly confessed to the crime during his trial.  

United States of America

The alleged mastermind behind the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and two others, will not be sentenced to death.  Prosecutors have agreed to a plea deal with Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi, who are being held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  While the exact details of the plea deal have not been made public, it has been confirmed that capital punishment will not be an option.  It is thought that the plea deal will have the inmates pleading guilty in exchange for a life sentence and no jury trial.  Some families of those who died during the terrorist attacks are outraged at the plea deal.  The families want to know how the attack was carried out and who exactly was responsible. (Updated: Saturday, August 3, 2024. Shortly after posting, it was announced that the federal government withdrew the plea deal, which received national outrage. The official who approved the plea deal has been removed from the case. Congress has announced it plans to investigate.)

Federal prisoner Zacarias Moussaoui is arguing that he should be permitted to return to France and serve out the remainder of his sentence.  Moussaoui, the so-called “20th highjacker” claims he was supposed to hijack a plane and fly it into the White House on September 11, 2001.  He was eventually arrested and sentenced to life in prison after agreeing to help US authorities.  He is the only individual to be charged and convicted in the 9/11 attacks.  Moussaoui argues that his life could be in danger if Donald Trump is re-elected president.  He fears that Trump would use a presidential executive order to sentence him to death and have him executed.  In the last months of his presidency, Trump carried out several federal executions.

The Supreme Court of South Carolina has ruled that execution, lethal injection, and the firing squad are all acceptable methods of execution in the state.  Inmates are permitted to choose their execution method.  It has been over 10 years since South Carolina last carried out an execution and at least eight of the 32 death row inmates have completed all their appeals, making them eligible to receive execution dates.  In 2023, South Carolina also passed a shield law that protects the identity of execution drug suppliers.

A father and his girlfriend are facing murder charges in Pennsylvania that could result in a death sentence.  First-degree murder charges, among numerous other charges, have been filed against Rendell Hoagland and Cindy Warren in connection with the death of Rendell’s 12-year-old daughter Malinda Hoagland.  Malinda was tortured, abused, starved, forced to strenuously exercise, and chained to the furniture for months before her death.  If convicted, Rendell and Cindy could be sentenced to death. Cindy had previously pled guilty to child endangerment charges in 2007, for abusing her three-year-old son.

The Utah Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of 66-year-old Douglas Lovell.  Lovell was convicted and sentenced to death for murdering Joyce Yost in 1985.  He murdered Joyce to prevent her from testifying against him in a rape trial.  Lovell’s death sentence has been overturned because he had ineffective attorneys at his sentencing hearing.  His conviction has not been overturned, instead, the Utah Supreme Court sent the case back to a lower court for resentencing.

Twenty-three-year-old Lance Broncho has withdrawn his guilty plea, prompting prosecutors in Idaho to refile charges against him that could result in him being sentenced to death.  Broncho is accused of murdering 51-year-old Eric Leask during a robbery.  He initially agreed to a plea deal in which he would plead guilty and receive a sentence of life in prison.  Now, he has withdrawn his plea deal and waived his right to a speedy trial.  

Prosecutors in Indiana are seeking the death penalty for Dalonny Rodgers, who is accused of making racial comments before murdering two Hispanic men in September 2022.  The two men who were killed were identified as Jose Rolando Castaneda Varela and Alfredo Garcia.  Two others were injured in the shooting.  Rodgers was arrested one year later in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  Indiana has not carried out an execution in 15 years, however, Governor Eric Holcomb is seeking to resume executions by asking for an execution date to be scheduled for a death row inmate who has completed his appeals.