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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.

No death penalty for 2 Italian marines as India drops anti-terror charge

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NEW DELHI, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Indian government Monday dropped the contentious anti-terror charge against two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen in 2012, thus exempting the duo from death penalty if convicted.

The government conveyed its decision to the Supreme Court which was approached by Italy last month amid apprehensions that the two marines -- Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone -- could be tried on the controversial anti-terror charge which carries death penalty.

Meanwhile, the apex court has also agreed to look into Italy's plea challenging the jurisdiction of the anti-terror National Investigation Agency to probe the case.

The case dates back to February 2012 when the two Italian marines were arrested by Indian police for killing two Indian fishermen off the coast of the southern state of Kerala. The two marines, then guarding an Italian merchant ship, claimed that they mistook the fishermen as pirates.

The incident sparked a diplomatic row between India and Italy. While India claims that the killing took place in its territorial waters, Italy says it happened in international waters and the duo should be tried under global law.

Italy last week recalled its Ambassador from India in protest against the delay in legal proceedings against the two marines.

Source:Xinhua, Feb. 24, 2014
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