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Communist Vietnam's secret death penalty conveyor belt: How country trails only China and Iran for 'astonishing' number of executions

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Prisoners are dragged from their cells at 4am without warning to be given a lethal injection Vietnam's use of the death penalty has been thrust into the spotlight after a real estate tycoon was on Thursday sentenced to be executed in one of the biggest corruption cases in the country's history. Truong My Lan, a businesswoman who chaired a sprawling company that developed luxury apartments, hotels, offices and shopping malls, was arrested in 2022.

Trinidad & Tobago: AG proposes categories for murder

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Government is considering introducing categories of murder as it seeks to strengthen laws which deal with such crimes, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said on Thursday last as he met with a delegation from Amnesty International (AI).

Also discussed at last Thursday's meeting were mutual concerns of protection and preservation of human rights, police brutality and the need for improved efficiency in the criminal justice system.

According to a statement from the Office of the Attorney General, the issue of the death penalty was discussed and while Ramlogan pointed out that the death penalty was part of the laws of Trinidad and Tobago he advised that significant attempts were being made by the Government to improve the current law by introducing categories of murder. He said the death penalty would be reserved for the most heinous of murders without any extenuating circumstances. According to Ramlogan, legislation on the categorisation of murder had been rejected when taken to Parliament due to a lack of support from the Opposition.

According to the statement, the AG agreed that there was a greater need for public awareness or a public education campaign on the very emotional and sensitive issue of the death penalty, which he said the majority of the population appeared to support.

He urged the delegation to consider the rights of the victims as part of their deliberations and discussions to ensure that it is properly factored into the agenda for the abolition of the death penalty.

The Attorney General told the visiting AI delegation while many positive studies have been made for the protection and preservation of human rights, he said there was room for improvement. The AI team was led by Chiara Sangiorgio and the meeting was held at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.

Also present at the meeting were newly appointed chairperson of the Greater Caribbean for Life, Leela Ramdeen and attorney Nicole Sylvester, Assistant Secretary of the Greater Caribbean for Life and president of the Human Rights Association in St Vincent.

The meeting was part of Amnesty's promotion of International Awareness for World Day against the death penalty, which will be commemorated this Thursday with special focus on the Caribbean region.

Source: Newsday, October 7, 2013
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