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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.

Four Prisoners Executed in Northern Iran

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Iran Human Rights, December 22: Four prisoners were hanged in the prison of Rasht (northern Iranian province of Gilan).

According to the official website of the Iranian Judiciary in the province of Gilan, two prisoners were hanged in the prison of Rasht early Thursday morning December 20. The prisoners were identified as Y.D. and M. H. and were convicted of kidnapping and rape. Age of the prisoners was not mentioned in the report.

Two other prisoners identified as H. Y. and A. Sh. were hanged in the same prison on Monday December 17, reported the Judiciary. These prisoners were convicted of murder said the report.

Source: Iran Human Rights, December 22, 2013


Proved Innocent 48 Hours Before Execution - Had Been Tortured to Confess

Iran Human Rights, 22 December 2013: A death row prisoner who had confessed to a murder was proved innocent 48 hours before his scheduled execution, according to the Iranian daily “Jam-e-Jam” today.

The man who was not identified by name, had been sentenced to death convicted of murdering one of his employees six years ago.

The report said that 48 hours before the scheduled execution another person was arrested and confessed to the same murder. According to the report the man who was proved innocent said: “Six years ago when I was charged for the murder I was beaten so much that I thought if I don’t confess to the murder I will die as a result of the beating”. The man continued: “During these six years my wife divorced me, my son became drug addict and my father sold all he had to pay my lawyer”.

Iran Human Rights (IHR) has repeatedly pointed at the unfair judicial process and confession under torture which make the basis of many death sentences in Iran. With several hundred executions Iran is the country with the highest number of executions per capita.

Source: Iran Human Rights, December 22, 2013
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