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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.

Belarus hands down first death penalty this year

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MINSK, April 30 (RAPSI) - A Belarusian court has handed down the first death penalty this year, the Mogilyov Prosecutor's Office said in a statement on Tuesday.

Belarus remains the only European country that still uses the death penalty and repeatedly comes under harsh criticism from international organizations.

The two men were convicted of murdering their cellmate in prison while serving their sentences for previous crimes. One of them was cumulatively sentenced to execution for all of his crimes, and the other was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

The prosecutors described the individual sentenced to death as an "extremely negative person" and highly dangerous as well. The cellmate who he recently murdered was his fourth victim. His previous crimes also qualified as grave.

"This individual is highly dangerous even when kept in isolation," the statement said. "It is impossible to rehabilitate him through a long or even life imprisonment. In this case, the death penalty is justified."

Source: RAPSI, April 30, 2013
Location: Belarus
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