Iraq’s execution of 34 people in one day ‘shocking’ – UN human rights chief

[SocalDinar]

Iraq’s execution of 34 people in one day ‘shocking’ – UN human rights chief

High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay

24 January 2012 –

The United Nations human rights chief said today she was shocked at reports that 34 people were executed in Iraq in a single day last week and called on the country to institute an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

“Even if the most scrupulous fair trial standards were observed, this would be a terrifying number of executions to take place in a single day,” High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay stated in a news release.

“Given the lack of transparency in court proceedings, major concerns about due process and fairness of trials, and the very wide range of offences for which the death penalty can be imposed in Iraq, it is a truly shocking figure,” she added.

Most disturbingly, we do not have a single report of anyone on death row being pardoned, despite the fact there are well documented cases of confessions being extracted under duress.

The 34 individuals, including two women, were executed on 19 January following their conviction for various crimes, according to the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

The total number of individuals sentenced to death in Iraq since 2004 is believed to stand at more than 1,200. The total number actually executed since then is not known, although at least 63 individuals are thought to have been executed in the past two months alone.

The death penalty can be imposed in Iraq for around 48 crimes, including a number of non-fatal crimes such as – under certain circumstances – damage to public property.

“Most disturbingly,” said Ms. Pillay, “we do not have a single report of anyone on death row being pardoned, despite the fact there are well documented cases of confessions being extracted under duress.”

She called on the Government to implement an immediate moratorium on the institution of death penalty, noting that around 150 countries have now either abolished the death penalty in law or in practice, or introduced a moratorium.

The High Commissioner also urged the Government “to halt all executions and, as a matter of urgency, review the cases of those individuals currently on death row.”

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41019&Cr=Iraq&Cr1=

[tcjams]

Good luck with that one....

[wpsmit]

Perhaps we could learn something here. It really shouldn't take 20 years of our tax dollars to clean out the death rows in prisons throughout the U.S. And I dare say our court system is infinetly fairer than most in the world.

[Mick373]

We in our country execute innocent people, it just takes a little longer to reach 34. We try and do it two at a time each month. But don't worry we will make it. If people take money(property), we make them pay the money back. Wait a minute, no they cannot make any money in prison, and wait they cannot get a job on the outside, but you can still get the money they owe, one nickel at a time. Why kill people over property(money) damage, when you can make them members of the living dead. Guess what we are all under a death penalty in this life. My mother is 95 years old and can only spend her days in the bed. She cannot talk or walk. But my mind keeps going back several years ago when she said, "there are somthings worse than diying and that's living".

[Realdinar]

We in our country execute innocent people, it just takes a little longer to reach 34. We try and do it two at a time each month. But don't worry we will make it. If people take money(property), we make them pay the money back. Wait a minute, no they cannot make any money in prison, and wait they cannot get a job on the outside, but you can still get the money they owe, one nickel at a time. Why kill people over property(money) damage, when you can make them members of the living dead. Guess what we are all under a death penalty in this life. My mother is 95 years old and can only spend her days in the bed. She cannot talk or walk. But my mind keeps going back several years ago when she said, "there are somthings worse than diying and that's living".

Im sorry to hear about your mom, I had similar situations in my life. It can be tough. The best things in life are what is free, Im convinced. Im grateful for all the good things on God's earth that we havent messed up. It all starts with a mind set. I wish you well.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Realdinar

[Mick373]

Im sorry to hear about your mom, I had similar situations in my life. It can be tough. The best things in life are what is free, Im convinced. Im grateful for all the good things on God's earth that we havent messed up. It all starts with a mind set. I wish you well.

Thanks brother for your words. I agree with you, to have liberty, freedom, and a common sense government and laws. As you know, there is nothing God has created that man cannot destory.

[TrinityeXchange]

Wait a minute, no they cannot make any money in prison,

don't speak in such absolutes my friend. prison is one of THE biggest money makers. do yourself a favor and research prison bonds (bid, performance, payment bonds). you will be surprised of the billions circulating in the market from bonds holding men as the surety. it is the dirty little secret not many know about but millionaires are being made off of. the entire court system is now one big commercial transaction. it is entirely not what you think.

[Mick373]

don't speak in such absolutes my friend. prison is one of THE biggest money makers. do yourself a favor and research prison bonds (bid, performance, payment bonds). you will be surprised of the billions circulating in the market from bonds holding men as the surety. it is the dirty little secret not many know about but millionaires are being made off of. the entire court system is now one big commercial transaction. it is entirely not what you think.

Thanks brother, is it the prison system making the money or the inmate?

[fnbplanet]

So, it seems they saved them up in order to make it a party.

I really don't understand the outrage that they were just done in one day. Have they been watching what's going on in Syria?

[lomeygoat]

In the middle east they veiw life as cheap. They will never change. Been like that for years and years.

Our friend Saddam Insain didnt start the torture and death, he just took advantage of it to make it even worse. He's gone now but the violence stills remains. The execution of 34 people in one days proves that.

[1risktaker]

don't speak in such absolutes my friend. prison is one of THE biggest money makers. do yourself a favor and research prison bonds (bid, performance, payment bonds). you will be surprised of the billions circulating in the market from bonds holding men as the surety. it is the dirty little secret not many know about but millionaires are being made off of. the entire court system is now one big commercial transaction. it is entirely not what you think.

Then we all are prisoners.

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

Yuh, and one of our Marines takes out potential bombers/murders/killers/terrorists and the scum they're keeping company with and who are providing them asylum and using crippled people as a cover ( can you say human shield?!) and they want him to get decapitaded whilst they're executing their own people by the horde.

And if you're in prison here, chances are pretty high you ran afoul of the law in what we believe is a nation of rule and law for the benefit of decent, law-abiding citizens.

You can't make money in prison?.... you are, and it doesn't even cover the cost of your room and board and medical expenses ( which some free americans don't even get - including dental, no less!).

And you can't ***** about not being able to make money whilst locked up.... you knew you were denying yourself the privilege of a decent job/life when you knowingly committed a crime!

You knew the difference betwixt right and wrong, you did it anyway - you get the consequences. I've had to work long and hard to pay the big bucks it takes to keep your hide whilst it's behind those bars, which sucks, because YOU're the one that screwed up.... yet I have to pay for YOU! SUX!

Can you even wrap your head around the amount of money we spend on prisons in this country and imagine if everybody behaved themselves how much GOOD that money could do for people like your Mother who need it and should have it instead? Or for education? Or for Mentoring programs to help those brought into this world without the benefit of proper parenting (which leads to most crime)...?!

You know the difference between right and wrong - don't do the crime if you can't do the time!

And if you don't know the difference between right and wrong because you fail to posses the mental capacity to discern same, then you belong in some kind of facility BEFORE you wreak and unleash your sickness and disease on our society.

[ChrisGo]

We in our country execute innocent people, it just takes a little longer to reach 34. We try and do it two at a time each month. But don't worry we will make it. If people take money(property), we make them pay the money back. Wait a minute, no they cannot make any money in prison, and wait they cannot get a job on the outside, but you can still get the money they owe, one nickel at a time. Why kill people over property(money) damage, when you can make them members of the living dead. Guess what we are all under a death penalty in this life. My mother is 95 years old and can only spend her days in the bed. She cannot talk or walk. But my mind keeps going back several years ago when she said, "there are somthings worse than diying and that's living".

In the spring of 1991 a man was released on his 3rd felony from prison due to over crowding. While he was out he stabbed my father (70 yrs. old) 26 times and cut his throat while robbing him in his own home. They held him on two charges of rape of his own daughters while waiting for the DNA to come back from the lab. He was convicted of capital murder and given the death penalty. June will be 20 years on death row. Found to be not mentally retarded, undeniable DNA evidence and over 40k a year to keep him on death row. I have lost 1 aunt and 1 uncle with another uncle in a assisted living home. He'll probably die before the dose is given. Give me one good reason why this subhuman is still breathing the same air as you and I. They say we have an express lane here in Texas for death row, but we really don't!

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

ChrisGo:

Exactly! I'm so fed-up-to-here w/ all this liberal crapo about how these jerks in prison are 'victims' of our rotten society!

They've had the advantage of being in one of the greatest Countries ever known to mankind,

they screw it up and blame the rest of us. Excuses, excuses.

Every single one of 'em ought to be shipped overseas for a reality check... let's make sure the ticket is to some country where they believe in a sabre-to-the-throat. Let 'em act like baggypants tough guys over there and see how long before somebody meaner than them calls them out!

It would be cheaper and faster and the victims wouldn't have to keep being victimized repeatedly by a system that provides more rights to the perpe'traitor's than to the victims and their loved ones!!

[Firedawg]

Even though 34 is alot of people in one day, it's not that uncommon in the ME. When I was in Saudi back in the early 90's they would execute people every friday, we called it chop chop square. One time after Ramadan (they didn't chop anyone that whole month) they chopped 9 heads off in one day. Justice is swift over there, and it made me be on my best behavior when I was downtown! The Saudi police pushed all of the Americans who were there to the front of the Mosque so we could see it it up close and personal, that was the first and last time I went to chop chop square!!!

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

We need a 'chop-chop' square over here!

And we can give the prison contracts to some Muslims.

At least they'd enjoy their work!

Bet the crime rate would drop considerably.

Excellent crime deterent when we had public executions, stocks in the square, and held folks accountable for their actions.

[TrinityeXchange]

Thanks brother, is it the prison system making the money or the inmate?

everybody (prison system + investors) except for the inmate. the inmate is "most of the time" held as surety voluntarily but just don't know it. one of the biggest games known to man.

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

everybody (prison system + investors) except for the inmate. the inmate is "most of the time" held as surety voluntarily but just don't know it. one of the biggest games known to man.

***???

WTF...?!

[OregonHopeful]

Well, well, well, I really have a lot of mixed feelings about this topic. ... I had a mom that spent 29 years as "vegetable" because my father tried to kil her (failed attempt) but was never charged or spent a day in prison. I have another relative that went through hxxx because a bitter ex-\girlfirend accused him of "violence" because he stopped her from going for a weapon in an argument, and a son that was charged with an assault because of one wacked out person making an accusation. Basically, we have been told "who ever calls the police first is the one deemed to be telling the truth". (not a good legal reference) One person can point a finger at any other person and accuse them of anything.... then it is up to the accused to defend themselves at great expense and loss of job, family, expenses, etc.

Think about it................ any day of your life, anyone..... a store clerk, a delivery person, a coworker, can accuse you of something that would turn your life upside down and ruin you financially and legally for the rest of your life.

I know there are alot of guilty people that go free, but there are countless of innocent people that are rail-roaded becuase of ex-spouses, ex-relationships, ex-whatever, or greedy people that want some kind of payoff..... our system is broken.... one person making an accusation can bring down careers, companies, etc.... that is just not right.

With DNA evidence, it should be better, but it seems to be too slow.. the system is much too fast incarcerating and arresting people without good evidence, but not fast enough in releasing innocent people. AND YES, innocent people do go to jail.. sometimes for many years.

When there is overwhelming evidence of a total evil person, (DNA = murder, expecially brutal and//or multiple murders) I bellieve in the dealth penalty and it should not take 20 years to accomplish. But, if the evidence is based on "eye" witnesses and/or testimony of one person, I do not belive in it. The whole concept of telling the truth on the witness stand is a joke. When is the last itme you ever heard of someone getting prosecuted for lying on the stand. People do it every day.

I completely feel for the families of those victims of brutal crimes. As I said, I lost my own mother (in my teens) because of my own father... and he never had to pay for it, however, two wrongs don't make a right. Think about the families of those who are innocent and spend decades in prison.

What is the answer? I don't have one, but I know firsthand that our current system hasn't kept up with society or technolocy and it is broken.

i thiink our whole government (USA) hasn't kept up with the world... it is too big and moves too slow for efficiency, cost effectiveness, or human rights.

[Mick373]

In the spring of 1991 a man was released on his 3rd felony from prison due to over crowding. While he was out he stabbed my father (70 yrs. old) 26 times and cut his throat while robbing him in his own home. They held him on two charges of rape of his own daughters while waiting for the DNA to come back from the lab. He was convicted of capital murder and given the death penalty. June will be 20 years on death row. Found to be not mentally retarded, undeniable DNA evidence and over 40k a year to keep him on death row. I have lost 1 aunt and 1 uncle with another uncle in a assisted living home. He'll probably die before the dose is given. Give me one good reason why this subhuman is still breathing the same air as you and I. They say we have an express lane here in Texas for death row, but we really don't!

Brother, i will help you pull the leaver. As long as there is absolute proof, DNA, physical evidence, etc. Also, why was this man even walking around after three felonys, the judge should have found room. There is no question that evil exists and those that commit those crimes should be punished even with their life. But the evidence should be to a higher standard than circumstantial or sometimes even eye witnesses because of innocent people being put to death that have maintained their innocence. But what we have in the country is a business of crime, police and FBI get paid to catch, prosecutors get paid to prosecute, attorneys get paid to defend, the judge gets paid to listen to the trial, then the prisons are owned by those same people that make money from the state or federal govenment. We need to focus on the crimes like you are talking about, that happen to your family, not locking up Martha Stewart for 6 months for lying to liers. We do not need to bag and tag every one as a felony, that they cannot vote, rent a home, borrow money, get a job, etc. result no life but back to crime. They get to go through the system again, everyone gets paid again. I am so sorry for the loss of your father. My father passed in 2004 that was bad enough the natural way, let alone how your dad passed and what you had to indure.

PS. on a side note, did you know if you prove that you are actually innocence of the crime, that the courts do not considered that a constitutional reason to have your case over turned. The actually innocence person has to show a constitutional violation of effective assistance of counsel 6th amendment or due process 5th amendment. Further, actual innocence is not even a reason in some districts to allow one to even file an appeal to have the unjust conviction overturned. Did you know that prosecutors are immune from liability and even prosecution for anything they do in court, putting on perjured testimony, false evidence, and other deals for known criminals to testify against another. I guess what I am saying is we all have experiences that cause us to feel or believe a certain way. But our judicial system is not a good system the way it is set up right now. That is why they question the jury to make sure they get people that still think justice and the truth is pursued by the government, not so. And as long as the laws and court procedures are the way they are wrongful conviction of innocent people are occuring all across this country, a study at the University of Texas estimates over 14,000 per year. Many giving their life for something they did not do. As it relates to the earthly man, I am glad not to have been called upon to take a life. Brother, I believe we do not die, but we are released from this clay pot to assend back to heaven, not because of anything that we have done but what Jesus has done for us. I have released all judgment for evil in my heart to God as it relates to the spirit. My earthly father died in Jesus, I will see him again. I of course did not know your father, but I pray you shall see him again in Heaven, I look forward to seeing you there.

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

A 5-time multiple offender drunk driver hit my car and caused me more harm than my entire military career.

What was he doin' out and driving?

He was, of course, underinsured, my insurance maxed out, the med bills cost me thousands.

and, yup, he's driving again... because, hey, his liberal lawyer says he has to drive in order to make a living...

yet I can't get a judgment against him because he doesn't make enough money and also gets public assistance.

[Mick373]

***///

A 5-time multiple offender drunk driver hit my car and caused me more harm than my entire military career.

What was he doin' out and driving?

He was, of course, underinsured, my insurance maxed out, the med bills cost me thousands.

and, yup, he's driving again... because, hey, his liberal lawyer says he has to drive in order to make a living...

yet I can't get a judgment against him because he doesn't make enough money and also gets public assistance.

Your case is exactly why the state or federal government or both need to have a fund established. Instead of sending money to foreign countrys in the trillions, A fund established for people like yourself that was injured by persons they have let out on DUI or driving without a license or do not have insurance or assets to cover your injury and disability.

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

Your case is exactly why the state or federal government or both need to have a fund established. Instead of sending money to foreign countrys in the trillions, A fund established for people like yourself that was injured by persons they have let out on DUI or driving without a license or do not have insurance or assets to cover your injury and disability.

***///

Wishful thinking, makes sense so it'll probably never happen.

Besides, every time something like that is established, the States and/or the Gov always raid it and re-direct it and it gets tapped out anyway...

Or it's abused by people who think they are 'entitled' and grab at it until it's depleted and no longer available for those who truly need it.

States n' Gov like to think they are immune to being held responsible for their shortcomings.

Would be different if "We, The People" were in charge like originally planned, but, alas,

that concept is dead and buried by those like Pres, who walks all over our Laws and does what he wants anyway regardless of the damage to our Country

Sad.