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Indonesia | 14 years on death row: Timeline of Mary Jane Veloso’s ordeal and fight for justice

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MANILA, Philippines — The case of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina on death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking, has spanned over a decade and remains one of the most high-profile legal battles involving an overseas Filipino worker. Veloso was arrested on April 25, 2010, at Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, after she was found in possession of more than 2.6 kilograms of heroin. She was sentenced to death in October – just six months after her arrest. Indonesia’s Supreme Court upheld the penalty in May 2011.

UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY CALLS FOR A UNIVERSAL MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY

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On 18 December, the General Assembly of the United Nations voted with an overwhelming majority a resolution calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty worldwide.

“This is a historic moment for all those fighting for abolition of the death penalty throughout the world” said Liévin N’gondji, President of the DRC Coalition Against the Death Penalty and a member of the WCADP. “With this resolution, we will be in a position to challenge our government and to request a further commitment towards the effective abolition of the death penalty”.

The UNGA resolution, which was supported by 104 member states, is a clear indication that the worldwide trend towards abolition of the death penalty is now becoming irreversible. At this time, 133 countries have abandoned the death penalty in law or in practice.

The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty calls on all member states of the United Nations to follow the recommendations of the resolution and apply a formal moratorium on executions, with a view to abolishing the death penalty.

Governments continuing to execute death row convicts will now be acting against the will of the majority of the world's countries.

Source: World Coalition Against the Death Penalty
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