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| Death penalty is not the norm in the Middle East | Brian Whitaker Despite the grotesque cases that occur in Saudi Arabia and Iran, use of the death penalty is not the regional normExecutions in the US, Iran and China were the main focus of demonstrations on Sunday to mark the World Day Against the Death Penalty.Last year, the US executed 52 people and handed out 106 death sentences; in Iran 388 executions were reported and in China the total is believed to run to thousands. Taking population into account, though, Iran probably has the world's highest execution rate.This is counter to the worldwide trend over several decades that has seen a growing number of countries abandon the death penalty. A clear majority of them, Amnesty International says, "have concluded either that it is unnecessary, or that it is incompatible with modern standards of justice, or both."While today 139 countries have abolished capital punishment in law or practice, a handful of countries account for a majority of the world's executions."Many of the countries that still retain the death penalty are in the Middle East. Besides Iran, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen and the Palestinian territories have all executed people this year – and not always for murder. Several of them, but most notably Iran and Saudi Arabia, apply the death penalty for a range of offences such as drug trafficking and sexual misconduct plus, sometimes, religious "crimes" such as apostasy and witchcraft.A further problem with Iran, Saudi Arabia and Sudan is the continuing execution of juveniles – those who were under 18 when they committed the crime. They justify this on the grounds that they have a different view about the age of majority – basically, that puberty is what distinguishes children from adults – and Iran waits until juvenile offenders are 18 before executing them, but it's still a breach of international law. All three countries are parties to the convention on the rights of the child, which prohibits capital punishment for individuals who were under 18 at the time of the crime.As in the US, the urge to execute is driven mainly by fundamentalist versions of religion, and the grotesque cases that occur in the Middle East – especially in Saudi Arabia and Iran – can easily give the impression that this is the regional norm. Perhaps surprisingly, though, it is not the norm.Apart from Israel, which hasn't carried out any judicial executions since Adolf Eichmann in 1962, most Arab states apply the death penalty sparingly, if at all. Djibouti, a tiny Arab state in the Horn of Africa, has not executed anyone since becoming independent and it formally abolished the death penalty in 1995. Mauritania, a backward country in many other respects, has had no executions since 1987.In Tunisia, the most recent execution was in 1991; in Algeria and Morocco it was 1993. Oman and Qatar have not executed anyone since 2001, Lebanon since 2004, Jordan since 2005, Kuwait since 2007. Somalia, Syria and the UAE have had no executions since 2008.What this demonstrates is that Arab/Muslim countries – just like others – can get by perfectly well without the need to chop people's heads off or string them up from cranes.But imposing a moratorium on executions (as several of the Arab countries seem to have done) is not the same as formally abolishing the death penalty – a move that is liable to stir up opposition from religious elements. Morocco considered abolition a few years ago but eventually dropped the idea.In Algeria, even though executions have been suspended for the last 17 years, the courts have continued to hand out death sentences – with the result, according to Amnesty International, that Algeria ranks fourth in the world in terms of the number of death sentences passed.Debate about the future of the death penalty surfaced in Algeria earlier this year when Farouk Ksentini, head of the National Advisory Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, announced that he was intending to lobby for full abolition.This brought a predictable response from religious elements, with the Movement for Society and Peace saying: "We must preserve the death penalty as a precept set forth by the Qur'an." Similarly, Sheikh Bouamrane, head of the High Islamic Council, said he "could never endorse the abolition of the death penalty", because doing so would "jeopardise several verses of the holy Qur'an".Capital punishmentMiddle EastHuman rightsIranSaudi ArabiaBrian Whitakerguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Safety concerns dog French uranium mines in Niger Still no sign of medical provisions Areva promised in 2009For years uranium mining in Niger proceeded without giving rise to any major problems for companies, but things changed at the turn of the century. Since then the population of the mining town Arlit has become increasingly concerned that radioactivity may be exceeding regulatory limits.Local residents contacted Criirad (Committee for independent research and information on radioactivity), a private laboratory in France, which carried out a series of measurements in 2003. Their report, published the following December, started a controversy that continues to plague Areva.Criirad, assisted by the Sherpa group of lawyers, drew attention to several issues: it concluded that inadequate precautions were being taken to contain radioactive dust from the mines; there was a risk of groundwater contamination; radioactive scrap metal from machinery and trucks, which had been in contact with the ore, was being sold on local markets.In addition there had been shortcomings in the protection of workers against radiation, and increasing numbers of people living at Arlit or Akokan, a nearby town, cited this as the cause of their ill health.This groundswell, which coalesced around the Aghir In'Man organisation in Arlit, led Cogema (as Areva was called until 2001) to acknowledge failings in its management, accepting that many improvements could be made to the radiation monitoring system.The controversy rumbled on, with several minor crises, in particular in 2005 when evidence was obtained of excess radiation at two springs.Areva took various corrective measures but also started negotiations with Sherpa. An agreement was finalised in 2009 providing for the setting up of a health and safety observatory: medical staff, appointed by a joint committee representing the company and civil society, would examine any former miners who requested a check-up. If an occupational complaint linked to radiation was diagnosed, Areva would pay for treatment.A year later there is still no sign of the observatory. Furthermore in February Greenpeace and Criirad published another report alleging that there were serious hotspots in the town itself. "Little progress has been made since 2003," says Bruno Chareyron at Criirad. "Monitoring of mine tailings has improved, but no solution has been found to the problems with groundwater and radioactive waste."Areva disputes this analysis. "In a few weeks' time we shall be publishing a document responding to these serious, unfounded accusations," says Didier Fohlen at Areva. The company has also started taking regular measurements of radiation in the streets of Arlit and Akokan, assisted by Aghir In'Man.A representative of the organisation, Almoustapha Alhacen, says: "Monitoring started as a result of the Greenpeace report, but it is a pity no progress has been made with the search for scrap metal inside homes."As for the water supply, local people seem to think contamination is less of an issue than availability.Overall public opinion here favours cooperation rather than conflict, but Areva has yet to convinced everyone its mining activities are harmless.Also: uranium mining continues despite kidnappingsThis article first appeared in Le MondeNigerMiningguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
U.S. Advances Saudi F-15 Deal The Obama administration notified Congress it plans to sell Saudi Arabia up to $60 billion in advanced military aircraft that Washington sees as part of an effort to contain Iran. online.wsj.com |
England call up quartet as cover Harlequins prop Joe Marler is among four players called up by England as injury cover ahead of the autumn Tests. news.bbc.co.uk |
Forbes Lists Children International a Top Charity - Video Forbes magazine recognizes Children International, a U.S.-based humanitarian organization, as a top charity. feedproxy.google.com |