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After acquittal of ex-death row inmate, debate needed on Japan's death penalty

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Japan should be ensuring the safety of its citizens, but instead it is taking people's lives. Is it acceptable to maintain the ultimate penalty under such circumstances? This is a serious question for society. The acquittal of 88-year-old Iwao Hakamada, who had been handed the death penalty, has been finalized after prosecutors decided not to appeal the verdict issued by the Shizuoka District Court during his retrial.

Three get death penalty on terror charges in Saudi Arabia

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Riyadh, Oct 14: Three terror suspects have been sentenced to death and 19 others have been given varied jail terms in Saudi Arabia for their role in various terror acts, media reported Tuesday.

The Special Criminal Court in Riyadh Monday awarded the death penalty to a Saudi, a Chadian and an Egyptian, the Saudi Gazette reported.

The court has awarded prison terms ranging from nine to 33 years to 19 suspects.

Judges also slapped fines on some of the convicts and a travel ban or deportation on some others.

The convicts can appeal the verdict within 30 days.

The charges against the convicts, who were part of a 88-member terror cell, included firing at security officials during a security operation at an apartment in Khalidiyah Makkah, plotting to kidnap and assassinate prominent figures and receiving training in Al Qaeda camps on using weapons and explosives.

Source: IANS, October 14, 2014
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After acquittal of ex-death row inmate, debate needed on Japan's death penalty

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