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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.

Iran | Inmate Executed at Sanandaj Prison

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Iran execution
A prisoner on death row for qisas (retribution in-kind) on charges of "premeditated murder" was executed in Sanandaj Central Prison.

According to Iran Human Rights (IHR), the identity of the prisoner executed this morning has been established as Morteza Pirkhezri, 42. 

He had been sentenced to retribution in-kind for “premeditated murder”.

An informed source told IHR: "Morteza killed his friend over “honour” issues 5 years ago while he was using drugs. He fled to Iraqi Kurdistan after the incident and was a fugitive for 3 years. He later returned to Iran and surrendered himself to police at the request of his family."

At the time of publication, the execution of this prisoner has not been announced by local media or officials.

According to Iran Human Rights Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran, at least 225 of the 280 of those executed in 2019 were charged with "premeditated murder."

As there are no legal distinctions made between murder and manslaughter, whether voluntary or involuntary in Iran, those charged under the umbrella term of “premeditated murder” will receive the death penalty regardless of intent (mens rea) and the circumstances.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, July 31, 2020


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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Location: Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, Iran
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