FN’s chef for menneskerettigheder, Navi Pillay, udtrykte torsdag dyb bekymring over de pludselige henrettelser af 14 fanger i Afghanistan efter mere end et år uden henrettelser i landet.
GENEVA, 22 November 2012: “Under international law and Afghanistan’s own treaty obligations, the death penalty must be reserved for the most serious crimes and only applied after the most rigorous judicial process,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, adding:
“In the past, shortcomings in the Afghan judicial procedure have raised serious questions about such cases.”
The executions were reportedly approved by President Hâmid Karzai following a review of 250 cases of prisoners sentenced to death by a presidential committee.
The 14 prisoners executed at Pul-e-Charkhi prison on the outskirts of Kabul on 20 and 21 November had been convicted of serious crimes, including murder, rape and national security crimes.
The last such executions in Afghanistan were carried out in June 2011.
Afghanistan’s justice system relies primarily on confessions, including some obtained through the use of torture, which raises serious concerns about the trials of those who were sentenced to death, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said.
In addition, the UN has repeatedly flagged the country’s failure to meet international fair trial standards and due process guarantees under Afghan law.
The resumption of executions in Afghanistan comes in sharp contrast to the general trend worldwide towards ending the use of capital punishment.
Just two days ago, a record 110 countries voted in favour of the latest General Assembly resolution calling for the abolition (afskaffelse) of the death penalty.
“More and more countries are recognizing that the death penalty does harm to society. I urge President Karzai to show that the rule of law can also be built on clemency and humanity, and that Afghanistan too will join the worldwide trend against the death penalty,” Navi Pillay stated.
Kilde: FNs Nyhedstjeneste
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