The Supreme Court in Iran accepted the appeal of a protester against his death sentence after he was held guilty for allegedly destroying public property during anti-government protests, sending his case for another review, said the judiciary on Saturday.&nbsp;The police had arrested Noor Mohammadzadeh, aged 25, on October 4 and two months later, he was sentenced to death after being charged with “waging war against God”. He had allegedly set a garbage bin on fire and attempted to break a highway guardrail in Tehran.

The accusations were rejected by him, as he claimed that the authorities had forced him to confess to the&nbsp;crime. Protesting against his trial, he sat on a hunger strike two weeks ago.&nbsp;

ALSO READ| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/as-irans-anti-hijab-protests-cross-the-100-days-mark-lets-take-a-look-at-some-of-the-key-moments-546653">As Iran's anti-hijab protests cross the 100 days mark, let's take a look at some of the key moments</a>

Two protesters have been already executed by Iran after they were held for demonstrations that swept the nation against the death of Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in police custody in September after she was detained by the morality police for failing to follow the Islamic dress code for women.&nbsp;

Amnesty International has stated that the authorities in Iran have announced the death penalty for at least 26 other protesters.

“The Supreme Court has accepted the appeal of Sahand Noor Mohammadzadeh, one of the accused in the recent riots. His case has been sent to the same branch of the Revolutionary Court for review,” announced the judiciary’s Mizan news agency on Twitter.

WATCH| Iran: Mahsa Amini protests rage on, government cornered in range of issues

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Last week, rapper Saman Seydi Yasin's death sentence appeal was accepted by the Supreme Court, however, the same sentence was confirmed for another protester Mohammad Qobadloo.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The Supreme Court in Iran accepted the appeal of a protester against his death sentence after he was held guilty for allegedly destroying public property during anti-government protests, sending his case for another review, said the judiciary on Saturday.

The Supreme Court in Iran accepted the appeal of a protester against his death sentence after he was held guilty for allegedly destroying public property during anti-government protests, sending his case for another review, said the judiciary on Saturday. The police had arrested Noor Mohammadzadeh, aged 25, on October 4 and two months later, he was sentenced to death after being charged with “waging war against God”. He had allegedly set a garbage bin on fire and attempted to break a highway guardrail in Tehran. The accusations were rejected by him, as he claimed that the authorities had forced him to confess to the crime. Protesting against his trial, he sat on a hunger strike two weeks ago. ALSO READ| As Iran's anti-hijab protests cross the 100 days mark, let's take a look at some of the key moments Two protesters have been already executed by Iran after they were held for demonstrations that swept the nation against the death of Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in police custody in September after she was detained by the morality police for failing to follow the Islamic dress code for women. Amnesty International has stated that the authorities in Iran have announced the death penalty for at least 26 other protesters. “The Supreme Court has accepted the appeal of Sahand Noor Mohammadzadeh, one of the accused in the recent riots. His case has been sent to the same branch of the Revolutionary Court for review,” announced the judiciary’s Mizan news agency on Twitter. WATCH| Iran: Mahsa Amini protests rage on, government cornered in range of issues Last week, rapper Saman Seydi Yasin's death sentence appeal was accepted by the Supreme Court, however, the same sentence was confirmed for another protester Mohammad Qobadloo. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran court takes a u-turn after protester goes on hunger strike against death sentence

Death sentences for murder and theft were confirmed for eight soldiers and one civilian in the war-torn northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to court records released on Tuesday. Two colonels, three additional soldiers, and a citizen were all given&nbsp;the death penalty on Monday in a case at Bunia High Military Court for the murder of two Chinese gold miners.

Colonels Mukalenga Tsendeko and Kayumba Sumahili were among those who had all been adjudicated guilty of murder and criminal ties.

Three further soldiers who had been found guilty and given a 10-year prison term were exonerated.

The two top commanders were charged with planning an assault on a convoy travelling through Irumu region in Ituri province carrying four gold bars, $6,000 in cash, and Chinese labourers.

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On March 17, 2022, an attack on the caravan that was leaving a goldmine occurred in the hamlet of Nderemi. Their driver, a civilian, was injured, and two Chinese guys perished.

For "embezzling war armaments intended for military operations," the highest military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo condemned Lieutenant Colonel Marcel Kaligamire and two soldiers to death.

In the same case, the sentencing of four further soldiers and three civilians was lowered from death to 10 years in prison, while two additional civilians received a five-year term.

Also watch |&nbsp;WION Climate Tracker: Counting the cost of climate change in 2022

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The Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO), which has since 2017 sown unrest throughout the gold fields of Ituri province, is accused by the prosecution of selling the explosives.

Ituri, along with its neighbour North Kivu, has been under a "state of siege" since May 2021 and has been the scene of numerous civilian deaths in recent years, according to the political-religious organisation.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo often imposes death sentences, although these are usually reduced to life in prison.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Death sentences for murder and theft were confirmed for eight soldiers and one civilian in the war-torn northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to court records released on Tuesday.

Death sentences for murder and theft were confirmed for eight soldiers and one civilian in the war-torn northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to court records released on Tuesday. Two colonels, three additional soldiers, and a citizen were all given the death penalty on Monday in a case at Bunia High Military Court for the murder of two Chinese gold miners. Colonels Mukalenga Tsendeko and Kayumba Sumahili were among those who had all been adjudicated guilty of murder and criminal ties. Three further soldiers who had been found guilty and given a 10-year prison term were exonerated. The two top commanders were charged with planning an assault on a convoy travelling through Irumu region in Ituri province carrying four gold bars, $6,000 in cash, and Chinese labourers. Also read | Bus hits landmine in Burkina Faso, 10 dead, several missing On March 17, 2022, an attack on the caravan that was leaving a goldmine occurred in the hamlet of Nderemi. Their driver, a civilian, was injured, and two Chinese guys perished. For "embezzling war armaments intended for military operations," the highest military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo condemned Lieutenant Colonel Marcel Kaligamire and two soldiers to death. In the same case, the sentencing of four further soldiers and three civilians was lowered from death to 10 years in prison, while two additional civilians received a five-year term. Also watch | WION Climate Tracker: Counting the cost of climate change in 2022 The Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO), which has since 2017 sown unrest throughout the gold fields of Ituri province, is accused by the prosecution of selling the explosives. Ituri, along with its neighbour North Kivu, has been under a "state of siege" since May 2021 and has been the scene of numerous civilian deaths in recent years, according to the political-religious organisation. The Democratic Republic of the Congo often imposes death sentences, although these are usually reduced to life in prison. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

DR Congo military court upholds nine execution orders in connection with the murder of two Chinese gold miners

The death sentence appeal of one protester&nbsp;was accepted by the Iran's Supreme Court while&nbsp;it declined&nbsp;the appeal of another, the judiciary stated on Saturday.&nbsp;Initially, the court had stated that appeals by both the protesters have been accepted, however, later the judiciary's Mizan news agency, in a statement, said, "The public relations of the Supreme Court of Iran has corrected its news: 'The appeal of Mohammad Qabadloo has not been accepted/the ruling has been confirmed. Saman Seydi's appeal has been accepted by the Supreme Court."

Saman Seydi Yasin who raps about inequality, oppression and unemployment, had been accused of attempting to kill security forces, setting a rubbish bin on fire and shooting into the air thrice during anti-government protests.

Iran witnessed nationwide protests from mid-September after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody after the morality police arrested her for failing to follow the mandatory dress code laws of the Islamic Republic.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iranians-fearful-executions-will-increase-as-west-remains-preoccupied-with-the-holiday-season-546253">Iranians fearful executions will increase as West remains preoccupied with the holiday season</a>

Earlier this month, two protesters were hanged by Iran. One of them, 23-year-old Mohsen Shekari was held guilty of obstructing the main road in September and hurting the paramilitary Basij force member with a knife.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, 23-year-old Majid Reza Rahnavard, who was held guilty of killing two Basij members, was hanged publicly from a construction crane.

According to Amnesty International, the death penalty is being sought for around 26 people by the Iranian authorities in what it said were "sham trials designed to intimidate those participating in the popular uprising that has rocked Iran". 
 
WATCH| WION Fineprint | Iran to execute footballer

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Qobadloo is facing charges of killing police personnel and hurting five others in the protests. Meanwhile, Yasin, a rapper who raps about unemployment, inequality and oppression, is charged with singing revolutionary songs and attempting to kill security forces and will now be retried.

Speaking about the situation in Iran, the rights group HRANA stated that the authorities have killed 506 protesters till Friday, which includes 69 minors.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The death sentence appeal of one protester was accepted by the Iran's Supreme Court while it declined the appeal of another, the judiciary stated on Saturday. Initially, the court had stated that appeals by both the protesters have been accepted, however, later the judiciary's Mizan news agency, in a statement, said, "The public relations of the Supreme Court of Iran has corrected its news: 'The appeal of Mohammad Qabadloo has not been accepted/the ruling has been confirmed.

The death sentence appeal of one protester was accepted by the Iran's Supreme Court while it declined the appeal of another, the judiciary stated on Saturday. Initially, the court had stated that appeals by both the protesters have been accepted, however, later the judiciary's Mizan news agency, in a statement, said, "The public relations of the Supreme Court of Iran has corrected its news: 'The appeal of Mohammad Qabadloo has not been accepted/the ruling has been confirmed. Saman Seydi's appeal has been accepted by the Supreme Court." Saman Seydi Yasin who raps about inequality, oppression and unemployment, had been accused of attempting to kill security forces, setting a rubbish bin on fire and shooting into the air thrice during anti-government protests. Iran witnessed nationwide protests from mid-September after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody after the morality police arrested her for failing to follow the mandatory dress code laws of the Islamic Republic. ALSO READ | Iranians fearful executions will increase as West remains preoccupied with the holiday season Earlier this month, two protesters were hanged by Iran. One of them, 23-year-old Mohsen Shekari was held guilty of obstructing the main road in September and hurting the paramilitary Basij force member with a knife. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Majid Reza Rahnavard, who was held guilty of killing two Basij members, was hanged publicly from a construction crane. According to Amnesty International, the death penalty is being sought for around 26 people by the Iranian authorities in what it said were "sham trials designed to intimidate those participating in the popular uprising that has rocked Iran". WATCH| WION Fineprint | Iran to execute footballer Qobadloo is facing charges of killing police personnel and hurting five others in the protests. Meanwhile, Yasin, a rapper who raps about unemployment, inequality and oppression, is charged with singing revolutionary songs and attempting to kill security forces and will now be retried. Speaking about the situation in Iran, the rights group HRANA stated that the authorities have killed 506 protesters till Friday, which includes 69 minors. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran's Supreme Court upholds death sentence of one protester, accepts rapper Yasin’s appeal

A US jury has recommended&nbsp;life imprisonment to Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz, who massacred 14&nbsp;students and three staff members at his former high school in 2018.&nbsp;

Last October, Cruz, who is now 24,&nbsp;pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder for the shooting at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. &nbsp;

His trial, which began in April, was focused on whether he should receive the death penalty&nbsp;or life in prison without the possibility of parole.&nbsp;

Cruz’s lawyers argued that his life should be spared, citing his mental and developmental conditions.&nbsp;

But the prosecution continued to press for capital punishment describing Cruz's premeditated crime as heinous and cruel. &nbsp;

On Thursday, the 12-person jury in Florida&nbsp;reached a decision recommending prison for life for Cruz&nbsp;after hearing weeks of gut-wrenching testimonies.&nbsp;

Under Florida law, the decision to recommend a death should be unanimous or else Cruz will receive a sentence of life in prison.&nbsp;

Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer, who is presiding the case,&nbsp;will formally issue the life sentence&nbsp;on November&nbsp;1.

The Parkland shooting was one of the most gruesome gun attacks in US history. Following the incident, there were renewed calls for tighter gun control across the country.

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A US jury has recommended life imprisonment to Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz, who massacred 14 students and three staff members at his former high school in 2018.

A US jury has recommended life imprisonment to Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz, who massacred 14 students and three staff members at his former high school in 2018. Last October, Cruz, who is now 24, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder for the shooting at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. His trial, which began in April, was focused on whether he should receive the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Cruz’s lawyers argued that his life should be spared, citing his mental and developmental conditions. But the prosecution continued to press for capital punishment describing Cruz's premeditated crime as heinous and cruel. On Thursday, the 12-person jury in Florida reached a decision recommending prison for life for Cruz after hearing weeks of gut-wrenching testimonies. Under Florida law, the decision to recommend a death should be unanimous or else Cruz will receive a sentence of life in prison. Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer, who is presiding the case, will formally issue the life sentence on November 1. The Parkland shooting was one of the most gruesome gun attacks in US history. Following the incident, there were renewed calls for tighter gun control across the country. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US jury spares death penalty to Parkland high school shooter, recommends life imprisonment

Myanmar's junta lashed out Tuesday against international condemnation of the country's first use of capital punishment in decades, saying the four executed prisoners—two of them prominent democracy fighters—"deserved many death sentences." The executions announced Monday sparked condemnation from around the globe, heightened fears that more will follow and prompted calls for sterner international measures against the already-isolated junta.

But the military authorities were defiant, with spokesman Zaw Min Tun insisting the men "were given the right to defend themselves according to court procedure".

"If we compare their sentences with other death penalty cases, they have committed crimes for which they should have been given death sentences many times," he said at a regular press briefing in the capital, Naypyidaw.

"They harmed many innocent people. There were many big losses which could not be replaced."

The prisoners, who included a former lawmaker from ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party, had been allowed to meet family members through video conferencing, he said, without providing details.

The junta had previously rejected criticism from the UN and western countries over the death sentences.

'Extremely troubled'

Phyo Zeya Thaw, a former lawmaker from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), was sentenced to death in January for offences under anti-terrorism laws.

Democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu — better known as "Jimmy" — received the same sentence from the military tribunal.

The two other men were sentenced to death for killing a woman they alleged was an informer for the junta in Yangon.

The junta has sentenced dozens of anti-coup activists to death as part of its crackdown on dissent after seizing power last year, but Myanmar had not carried out an execution in decades.

After a chorus of international condemnation on Monday, including from the UN, the United States and European countries, there was fresh criticism of the junta on Tuesday.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc, which has led diplomatic efforts to end the crisis, said it was "extremely troubled and deeply saddened" by the executions.

In a statement issued by current chair Cambodia, it accused the junta of a "gross lack of will" to engage with ASEAN's efforts to facilitate dialogue between the military and its opponents.

In Bangkok, hundreds of people staged a noisy protest outside the Myanmar embassy.

Some held photos of Ko Jimmy and Phyo Zeya Thaw alongside Aung San Suu Kyi as they chanted, "We want democracy."

And Malaysia’s foreign minister, Saifuddin Abdullah, slammed the executions, calling them a "crime against humanity."

He called for a review of the so-called five-point consensus agreed by Southeast Asian leaders last year aimed at defusing the political crisis in Myanmar following a coup.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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Myanmar's junta lashed out Tuesday against international condemnation of the country's first use of capital punishment in decades, saying the four executed prisoners—two of them prominent democracy fighters—"deserved many death sentences.

Myanmar's junta lashed out Tuesday against international condemnation of the country's first use of capital punishment in decades, saying the four executed prisoners—two of them prominent democracy fighters—"deserved many death sentences." The executions announced Monday sparked condemnation from around the globe, heightened fears that more will follow and prompted calls for sterner international measures against the already-isolated junta. But the military authorities were defiant, with spokesman Zaw Min Tun insisting the men "were given the right to defend themselves according to court procedure". "If we compare their sentences with other death penalty cases, they have committed crimes for which they should have been given death sentences many times," he said at a regular press briefing in the capital, Naypyidaw. "They harmed many innocent people. There were many big losses which could not be replaced." The prisoners, who included a former lawmaker from ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party, had been allowed to meet family members through video conferencing, he said, without providing details. The junta had previously rejected criticism from the UN and western countries over the death sentences. 'Extremely troubled' Phyo Zeya Thaw, a former lawmaker from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), was sentenced to death in January for offences under anti-terrorism laws. Democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu — better known as "Jimmy" — received the same sentence from the military tribunal. The two other men were sentenced to death for killing a woman they alleged was an informer for the junta in Yangon. The junta has sentenced dozens of anti-coup activists to death as part of its crackdown on dissent after seizing power last year, but Myanmar had not carried out an execution in decades. After a chorus of international condemnation on Monday, including from the UN, the United States and European countries, there was fresh criticism of the junta on Tuesday. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc, which has led diplomatic efforts to end the crisis, said it was "extremely troubled and deeply saddened" by the executions. In a statement issued by current chair Cambodia, it accused the junta of a "gross lack of will" to engage with ASEAN's efforts to facilitate dialogue between the military and its opponents. In Bangkok, hundreds of people staged a noisy protest outside the Myanmar embassy. Some held photos of Ko Jimmy and Phyo Zeya Thaw alongside Aung San Suu Kyi as they chanted, "We want democracy." And Malaysia’s foreign minister, Saifuddin Abdullah, slammed the executions, calling them a "crime against humanity." He called for a review of the so-called five-point consensus agreed by Southeast Asian leaders last year aimed at defusing the political crisis in Myanmar following a coup. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Executed Myanmar prisoners deserved 'many death sentences', claims junta spokesman

Malaysia has agreed to abolish mandatory death penalty. Death penalty is mandatory for offences including murder & drug trafficking. In 2018, the government said it would abolish capital punishment. Due to uproar by opposition, the plan was put on hold. Malaysia’s law minister said Cabinet has agreed to abolish mandatory capital punishment.

Malaysia agrees to abolish mandatory death sentence

A Chinese court sentenced a US citizen to death on Thursday over the intentional&nbsp;homicide&nbsp;of his girlfriend, an official notice said.

The court found that Shadeed Abdulmateen had stabbed the 21-year-old woman in her face and neck multiple times last year when they met to talk after disagreements over their relationship.

Shadeed and the woman surnamed Chen started dating after they met in 2019 but she subsequently wanted to break up, according to the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/morning-news-brief-koreas-making-efforts-to-improve-relations-ex-honduran-prez-extradited-to-us-and-more-472836">Morning news brief: Koreas making efforts to improve relations, ex-Honduran prez extradited to US and more</a>

"From mid to late May 2021, Chen proposed breaking up many times, but Shadeed did not agree and made verbal threats to her," the court said on Thursday.

The two met in June 2021 near a bus stop in Ningbo, where Shadeed turned up with a folding knife and stabbed her, the notice said, adding that he was found guilty of intentional&nbsp;homicide.

"Shadeed premediated a revenge killing, stabbing and cutting Chen's face and neck multiple times, causing Chen's death," the court said.

Watch |&nbsp;US President Joe Biden announces $800 million military aid to Ukraine

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The US Embassy did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Human rights advocates say China executes more prisoners every year than any other country, but executions of Westerners are rare.

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The most recent case involving the holder of a passport from a Western country is believed to be that of Akmal Shaikh, a British citizen who was executed in 2009 for heroin trafficking, according to state news agency Xinhua.

A Chinese court sentenced a US citizen to death on Thursday over the intentional homicide of his girlfriend, an official notice said. The court found that Shadeed Abdulmateen had stabbed the 21-year-old woman in her face and neck multiple times last year when they met to talk after disagreements over their relationship.

A Chinese court sentenced a US citizen to death on Thursday over the intentional homicide of his girlfriend, an official notice said. The court found that Shadeed Abdulmateen had stabbed the 21-year-old woman in her face and neck multiple times last year when they met to talk after disagreements over their relationship. Shadeed and the woman surnamed Chen started dating after they met in 2019 but she subsequently wanted to break up, according to the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court. Also read | Morning news brief: Koreas making efforts to improve relations, ex-Honduran prez extradited to US and more "From mid to late May 2021, Chen proposed breaking up many times, but Shadeed did not agree and made verbal threats to her," the court said on Thursday. The two met in June 2021 near a bus stop in Ningbo, where Shadeed turned up with a folding knife and stabbed her, the notice said, adding that he was found guilty of intentional homicide. "Shadeed premediated a revenge killing, stabbing and cutting Chen's face and neck multiple times, causing Chen's death," the court said. Watch | US President Joe Biden announces $800 million military aid to Ukraine The US Embassy did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Human rights advocates say China executes more prisoners every year than any other country, but executions of Westerners are rare. Also read | Top 10 world news: IS claims Mazar-e-Sharif blast, Elon Musk latest, more news The most recent case involving the holder of a passport from a Western country is believed to be that of Akmal Shaikh, a British citizen who was executed in 2009 for heroin trafficking, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Chinese court hands US citizen death sentence for murder

Egypt's highest civilian court on Monday upheld death sentences for 12 senior Muslim Brotherhood figures over a 2013 sit-in which ended with security forces killing hundreds of protesters, judicial sources said. 
 
The ruling, which cannot be appealed, means the 12 men could face execution pending approval by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. They include Abdul Rahman Al-Bar, commonly described as the group's mufti or top religious scholar, Mohamed El-Beltagi, a former member of parliament, and Osama Yassin, a former minister. 
 
Many Muslim Brotherhood figures have been sentenced to death in other cases related to the unrest that followed the military's ousting of Brotherhood president Mohamed Mursi in 2013, but the Court of Cassation ordered retrials. 
 
Rights groups have documented a sharp rise in the number of executions in Egypt, with at least 51 carried out so far this year according to Amnesty International. 
 
"Instead of continuing to escalate their use of the death penalty by upholding death sentences following convictions in grossly unfair mass trials Egyptian authorities must immediately establish an official moratorium on executions," Amnesty said in a statement. 
 
Monday's ruling relates to a mass trial of hundreds of suspects accused of murder and incitement of violence during pro-Brotherhood protests at Rabaa al-Adawiya square in Cairo in the weeks after Mursi's overthrow. 
 
In September 2018, an Egyptian criminal court sentenced 75 people to death and issued varying jail terms for more than 600 others. Many defendants were tried in absentia. 
 
Forty-four of those sentenced to death appealed to the Court of Cassation. Thirty-one had their sentences changed to life in prison, while death sentences were upheld for 12 others. 
 
A final defendant, the senior Muslim Brotherhood leader Essam el-Erian, died in prison in Cairo in August 2020. Mursi, Egypt's first democratically elected president, died in prison in 2019. 
 
The court also upheld jail terms for many other defendants including a life sentence for Mohamed Badie, leader of the outlawed Brotherhood, and a 10-year jail term for Mursi's son Osama, the judicial sources said. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Egypt's highest civilian court on Monday upheld death sentences for 12 senior Muslim Brotherhood figures over a 2013 sit-in which ended with security forces killing hundreds of protesters, judicial sources said.

Egypt's highest civilian court on Monday upheld death sentences for 12 senior Muslim Brotherhood figures over a 2013 sit-in which ended with security forces killing hundreds of protesters, judicial sources said. The ruling, which cannot be appealed, means the 12 men could face execution pending approval by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. They include Abdul Rahman Al-Bar, commonly described as the group's mufti or top religious scholar, Mohamed El-Beltagi, a former member of parliament, and Osama Yassin, a former minister. Many Muslim Brotherhood figures have been sentenced to death in other cases related to the unrest that followed the military's ousting of Brotherhood president Mohamed Mursi in 2013, but the Court of Cassation ordered retrials. Rights groups have documented a sharp rise in the number of executions in Egypt, with at least 51 carried out so far this year according to Amnesty International. "Instead of continuing to escalate their use of the death penalty by upholding death sentences following convictions in grossly unfair mass trials Egyptian authorities must immediately establish an official moratorium on executions," Amnesty said in a statement. Monday's ruling relates to a mass trial of hundreds of suspects accused of murder and incitement of violence during pro-Brotherhood protests at Rabaa al-Adawiya square in Cairo in the weeks after Mursi's overthrow. In September 2018, an Egyptian criminal court sentenced 75 people to death and issued varying jail terms for more than 600 others. Many defendants were tried in absentia. Forty-four of those sentenced to death appealed to the Court of Cassation. Thirty-one had their sentences changed to life in prison, while death sentences were upheld for 12 others. A final defendant, the senior Muslim Brotherhood leader Essam el-Erian, died in prison in Cairo in August 2020. Mursi, Egypt's first democratically elected president, died in prison in 2019. The court also upheld jail terms for many other defendants including a life sentence for Mohamed Badie, leader of the outlawed Brotherhood, and a 10-year jail term for Mursi's son Osama, the judicial sources said. (With inputs from agencies)

Egypt upholds death sentence for 12 senior Muslim Brotherhood figures

A Pakistani court on Thursday ordered the release of a Christian married couple sentenced to death for blasphemy, lawyers said, weeks after the European Parliament blasted the country over the case.

Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar were jailed in 2014 after being convicted of sending a text message insulting the Prophet Mohammed, despite both being illiterate.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-obsession-with-blasphemy-laws-leads-to-extrajudicial-killings-mob-violence-379868">Pakistan's obsession with blasphemy laws leads to extrajudicial killings, mob violence</a>

The couple's lawyer, Saif ul Malook, and prosecutor Chaudhry Ghulam Mustafa, told AFP the pair had been acquitted on appeal.

"I am very happy that we were able to get the release of this couple who are some of the most helpless people in our society," said&nbsp;Malook, who expects them to be freed next week after the court orders are published.

Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in&nbsp;Pakistan, where anyone deemed to have insulted Islam can face the death penalty and the whiff of even unproven allegations can lead to mob lynchings and vigilante murders.

Rights campaigners say accusations are often made to settle personal disputes.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-govt-decides-to-uphold-blasphemy-law-despite-european-parliaments-calls-for-review-382752">Pakistan govt decides to uphold blasphemy law despite European Parliament's calls for review</a>

Kausar and Emmanuel were convicted following a complaint by a shopkeeper who claimed to have seen the text message.

In April, the European Parliament voted through a motion condemning&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;for failing to protect religious minorities, including Ahmadis, Shiites, Hindus, Christians and Sikhs.

It said several dozen people are currently in prison on blasphemy charges.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/eu-expresses-concern-over-rising-blasphemy-cases-in-pakistan-381733">EU expresses concern over rising blasphemy cases in Pakistan</a>

"The situation in&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;continued to deteriorate in 2020 as the government systematically enforced blasphemy laws and failed to protect religious minorities from abuses," the resolution said.

Kausar and Emmanuel's case was of particular concern, it added, and urged the authorities to "immediately and unconditionally" overturn the death sentence.

The parliament also called for a review of&nbsp;Pakistan's GSP+ status, which removes import duties from products coming into the EU from developing countries in return for agreements on issues such as human rights and labour rights.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/europe-india-business-chamber-demands-suspension-of-gsp-status-to-pakistan-for-persecution-of-sikhs-hindus-and-christians-249695">Europe India Business Chamber demands suspension of GSP status to Pakistan for persecution of Sikhs, Hindus and Christians</a>

The couple comes from the town of Gojra, west of Lahore, which has a history of violence against the minority.&nbsp;

In 2009, a mob attacked a Christian neighbourhood there, burning 77 houses and killing at least seven people after rumours that a Koran had been desecrated.

Defence lawyer Malook also helped overturn the case against Asia Bibi, who drew international attention for being the first woman in&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;to be sentenced to death by hanging for blasphemy.

The acquittal triggered violent protests by religious hardliners in 2018 and she later moved to Canada fearing for her life.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/has-islamophobia-become-a-political-tool-382813">Has Islamophobia become a political tool?</a>

Rights group Amnesty International said the verdict "highlights the urgent need to repeal the law".

"The authorities must now immediately provide Shafqat, Shagufta, their family and their lawyer Saiful Malook with adequate security," it said in a statement.

A Pakistani court on Thursday ordered the release of a Christian married couple sentenced to death for blasphemy, lawyers said, weeks after the European Parliament blasted the country over the case.

A Pakistani court on Thursday ordered the release of a Christian married couple sentenced to death for blasphemy, lawyers said, weeks after the European Parliament blasted the country over the case. Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar were jailed in 2014 after being convicted of sending a text message insulting the Prophet Mohammed, despite both being illiterate. Also Read | Pakistan's obsession with blasphemy laws leads to extrajudicial killings, mob violence The couple's lawyer, Saif ul Malook, and prosecutor Chaudhry Ghulam Mustafa, told AFP the pair had been acquitted on appeal. "I am very happy that we were able to get the release of this couple who are some of the most helpless people in our society," said Malook, who expects them to be freed next week after the court orders are published. Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, where anyone deemed to have insulted Islam can face the death penalty and the whiff of even unproven allegations can lead to mob lynchings and vigilante murders. Rights campaigners say accusations are often made to settle personal disputes. Also Read | Pakistan govt decides to uphold blasphemy law despite European Parliament's calls for review Kausar and Emmanuel were convicted following a complaint by a shopkeeper who claimed to have seen the text message. In April, the European Parliament voted through a motion condemning Pakistan for failing to protect religious minorities, including Ahmadis, Shiites, Hindus, Christians and Sikhs. It said several dozen people are currently in prison on blasphemy charges. Also Read | EU expresses concern over rising blasphemy cases in Pakistan "The situation in Pakistan continued to deteriorate in 2020 as the government systematically enforced blasphemy laws and failed to protect religious minorities from abuses," the resolution said. Kausar and Emmanuel's case was of particular concern, it added, and urged the authorities to "immediately and unconditionally" overturn the death sentence. The parliament also called for a review of Pakistan's GSP+ status, which removes import duties from products coming into the EU from developing countries in return for agreements on issues such as human rights and labour rights. Also Read | Europe India Business Chamber demands suspension of GSP status to Pakistan for persecution of Sikhs, Hindus and Christians The couple comes from the town of Gojra, west of Lahore, which has a history of violence against the minority. In 2009, a mob attacked a Christian neighbourhood there, burning 77 houses and killing at least seven people after rumours that a Koran had been desecrated. Defence lawyer Malook also helped overturn the case against Asia Bibi, who drew international attention for being the first woman in Pakistan to be sentenced to death by hanging for blasphemy. The acquittal triggered violent protests by religious hardliners in 2018 and she later moved to Canada fearing for her life. Also Read | Has Islamophobia become a political tool? Rights group Amnesty International said the verdict "highlights the urgent need to repeal the law". "The authorities must now immediately provide Shafqat, Shagufta, their family and their lawyer Saiful Malook with adequate security," it said in a statement.

Death sentence for Pakistani Christian pair dropped after EU criticism

Several prisoners in Indonesia have been sentenced to death over Zoom and other video apps during the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus pandemic</a>.&nbsp;

The country resorted to virtual court hearings amid COVID-19 restrictions that closed most in-person trials, including murder and drug trafficking cases, in which the death penalty can be given.&nbsp;

Nearly 100 inmates since early last year have been condemned to death in Indonesia, according to Amnesty International.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/indian-navy-pitches-in-to-find-missing-indonesian-submarine-379237">Indian Navy pitches in to find missing Indonesian submarine</a>

Indonesia has some of the world's strictest laws on drugs in which both Indonesian and foreign traffickers have been executed, reports news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Three Iranians and a Pakistani were amongst the 13 people who through video hearing were told that they would be shot to death for smuggling 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of methamphetamine into Indonesia.&nbsp;

A Jakarta court on Wednesday gave a death sentence to six Islamist militants via a video app for their involvement in a prison riot in 2018 that killed five personnel of Indonesia's counter-terror squad.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/world/indonesian-president-orders-all-out-effort-to-find-submarine-as-oxygen-runs-low-379368">Indonesian president orders all-out effort to find submarine as oxygen runs low</a>

Indonesia went ahead with the virtual hearings despite the number of death sentences reduced last year globally due to the pandemic, Amnesty, in its annual capital punishment report, said this week.&nbsp;

Critics argue that virtual hearings do not give the accused a fair chance to defend themselves due to poor internet connections, a problem that even Indonesia faces.&nbsp;

"Virtual platforms... can expose the defendant to significant violations of their fair trial rights and impinge on the quality of the defence," NGO Harm Reduction International in a recent report on the death penalty for drug crimes said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Several prisoners in Indonesia have been sentenced to death over Zoom and other video apps during the coronavirus pandemic. The country resorted to virtual court hearings amid COVID-19 restrictions that closed most in-person trials, including murder and drug trafficking cases, in which the death penalty can be given.

Several prisoners in Indonesia have been sentenced to death over Zoom and other video apps during the coronavirus pandemic. The country resorted to virtual court hearings amid COVID-19 restrictions that closed most in-person trials, including murder and drug trafficking cases, in which the death penalty can be given. Nearly 100 inmates since early last year have been condemned to death in Indonesia, according to Amnesty International. Also read | Indian Navy pitches in to find missing Indonesian submarine Indonesia has some of the world's strictest laws on drugs in which both Indonesian and foreign traffickers have been executed, reports news agency AFP. Three Iranians and a Pakistani were amongst the 13 people who through video hearing were told that they would be shot to death for smuggling 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of methamphetamine into Indonesia. A Jakarta court on Wednesday gave a death sentence to six Islamist militants via a video app for their involvement in a prison riot in 2018 that killed five personnel of Indonesia's counter-terror squad. Also read | Indonesian president orders all-out effort to find submarine as oxygen runs low Indonesia went ahead with the virtual hearings despite the number of death sentences reduced last year globally due to the pandemic, Amnesty, in its annual capital punishment report, said this week. Critics argue that virtual hearings do not give the accused a fair chance to defend themselves due to poor internet connections, a problem that even Indonesia faces. "Virtual platforms... can expose the defendant to significant violations of their fair trial rights and impinge on the quality of the defence," NGO Harm Reduction International in a recent report on the death penalty for drug crimes said.

Death via Zoom: Several in Indonesia given capital punishment via virtual hearings

When Virginia abolished the death penalty this week, much of the response focused on what was new: the first Southern state to take this step, the state that has executed more people than any other in American history.

But it’s also worth noting what was not new: the reasoning behind the decision. In a statement on Wednesday, Virginia’s governor, Ralph Northam, said: “Ending the death penalty comes down to one fundamental question, one question: Is it fair? For the state to apply this ultimate, final punishment, the answer needs to be yes. Fair means that it is applied equally to anyone, no matter who they are.”

Because he could not answer that question in the affirmative, Northam said, he could not support the death penalty’s continued use.

This is the same rationale that justices of the Supreme Court relied on almost 50 years ago, when the court barred the use of the death penalty as it was applied at the time. The ruling in Furman v. Georgia involved death sentences in three separate cases with very different facts.

“These death sentences are cruel and unusual in the same way that being struck by lightning is cruel and unusual,” Justice Potter Stewart wrote in a concurring opinion. “The Eighth and 14th Amendments cannot tolerate the infliction of a sentence of death under legal systems that permit this unique penalty to be so wantonly and so freakishly imposed.”

Four years later, in 1976, the court allowed the practice to resume after states updated their sentencing procedures to address the constitutional concerns. But those fixes did not actually solve the problems that continue to plague capital punishment.

For one thing, race has always been a central factor in the imposition of death, no matter how often officials deny it. In a 1987 case, the court considered evidence that those convicted of murdering a white person were more than four times as likely to be sentenced to death than if their victim were Black. The court declined to find that this was sufficient to strike down the practice. More recent research confirms the pattern: Counties with more Black residents, and more white victims, still have more death sentences — what researchers have called a “white lives matter” effect.

Over the past few decades, the court has restricted or barred the use of the death penalty in cases involving juveniles and those with intellectual disabilities. But some states have found creative ways to avoid these rulings and keep on killing.

Then there are the wrongful convictions and even cases of innocence. Since 1973, 185 people have been exonerated of the charges that landed them on death row, most often because of official misconduct. Not everyone is so lucky; at least 18 people have been executed despite serious doubts about their guilt, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, which opposes the practice.

The death penalty has not been shown to deter crime, despite the repeated claim to the contrary by its supporters. “It’s going to make Virginia less safe, less secure,” Jason Miyares, a Republican lawmaker, said of abolition. In fact, states that execute people have consistently higher murder rates than those that do not.

Despite this compelling evidence of the death penalty’s futility, the federal and state governments have put to death more than 1,450 people since the reinstatement of capital punishment in 1976.

The good news is that its overall use has dropped sharply in recent years. New death sentences are down from a high of 315 in 1996 to 18 in 2020. Annual executions have plummeted, too, from 98 in 1999 to 17 in 2020.

More than half of last year’s executions were for federal crimes, the first time in history that the federal government put more people to death than all the states combined. Credit for this dubious achievement goes to former President Donald Trump, who authorized a spate of executions as the election neared, and then three more after he lost to Joe Biden.

Politicians once calculated that backing the death penalty was an effective electoral strategy to show their tough-on-crime bona fides. But that’s less and less true. Americans’ support for the death penalty, which in the past reached as high as 80%, has now fallen to 55%, its lowest mark in half a century — part of Americans’ growing awareness of the profound failures and inequities of their criminal justice system.

With Virginia’s ban this week, 23 states now prohibit the death penalty, and 11 more haven’t used it in at least a decade. It’s not a simple partisan issue, either. In several states, Republican lawmakers have joined Democrats in voting to ban capital punishment. In Virginia, some Democrats still supported the practice as recently as last year.

What remains for the defenders of state-sponsored killing? Nothing but cruelty. It’s a tried and true tactic, even among certain Supreme Court justices, to linger on the grisliness of the crimes, as if those who oppose capital punishment are somehow unaware of those facts, or are untroubled by them. Horror stories miss the point. No one disputes that the crimes for which people are sentenced to death are abhorrent and demand justice. But a society that sinks to the level of its worst offenders is not only hypocritical, it also poisons itself with an endless cycle of vengeance.

Biden, who like most Democratic presidential candidates campaigned on ending the death penalty, can help break that cycle by imposing an immediate moratorium on federal executions, and commuting the sentences of the 50 or so inmates on federal death row in Terre Haute, Indiana. These inmates account for a small fraction of the more than 2,500 condemned people around the country, but a moratorium would still be an important step toward admitting what the country’s highest court began to acknowledge decades ago: The death penalty is cruel, ineffective and morally repugnant. America needs to join most of the rest of the world and eliminate it.

When Virginia abolished the death penalty this week, much of the response focused on what was new: the first Southern state to take this step, the state that has executed more people than any other in American history.

When Virginia abolished the death penalty this week, much of the response focused on what was new: the first Southern state to take this step, the state that has executed more people than any other in American history. But it’s also worth noting what was not new: the reasoning behind the decision. In a statement on Wednesday, Virginia’s governor, Ralph Northam, said: “Ending the death penalty comes down to one fundamental question, one question: Is it fair? For the state to apply this ultimate, final punishment, the answer needs to be yes. Fair means that it is applied equally to anyone, no matter who they are.” Because he could not answer that question in the affirmative, Northam said, he could not support the death penalty’s continued use. This is the same rationale that justices of the Supreme Court relied on almost 50 years ago, when the court barred the use of the death penalty as it was applied at the time. The ruling in Furman v. Georgia involved death sentences in three separate cases with very different facts. “These death sentences are cruel and unusual in the same way that being struck by lightning is cruel and unusual,” Justice Potter Stewart wrote in a concurring opinion. “The Eighth and 14th Amendments cannot tolerate the infliction of a sentence of death under legal systems that permit this unique penalty to be so wantonly and so freakishly imposed.” Four years later, in 1976, the court allowed the practice to resume after states updated their sentencing procedures to address the constitutional concerns. But those fixes did not actually solve the problems that continue to plague capital punishment. For one thing, race has always been a central factor in the imposition of death, no matter how often officials deny it. In a 1987 case, the court considered evidence that those convicted of murdering a white person were more than four times as likely to be sentenced to death than if their victim were Black. The court declined to find that this was sufficient to strike down the practice. More recent research confirms the pattern: Counties with more Black residents, and more white victims, still have more death sentences — what researchers have called a “white lives matter” effect. Over the past few decades, the court has restricted or barred the use of the death penalty in cases involving juveniles and those with intellectual disabilities. But some states have found creative ways to avoid these rulings and keep on killing. Then there are the wrongful convictions and even cases of innocence. Since 1973, 185 people have been exonerated of the charges that landed them on death row, most often because of official misconduct. Not everyone is so lucky; at least 18 people have been executed despite serious doubts about their guilt, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, which opposes the practice. The death penalty has not been shown to deter crime, despite the repeated claim to the contrary by its supporters. “It’s going to make Virginia less safe, less secure,” Jason Miyares, a Republican lawmaker, said of abolition. In fact, states that execute people have consistently higher murder rates than those that do not. Despite this compelling evidence of the death penalty’s futility, the federal and state governments have put to death more than 1,450 people since the reinstatement of capital punishment in 1976. The good news is that its overall use has dropped sharply in recent years. New death sentences are down from a high of 315 in 1996 to 18 in 2020. Annual executions have plummeted, too, from 98 in 1999 to 17 in 2020. More than half of last year’s executions were for federal crimes, the first time in history that the federal government put more people to death than all the states combined. Credit for this dubious achievement goes to former President Donald Trump, who authorized a spate of executions as the election neared, and then three more after he lost to Joe Biden. Politicians once calculated that backing the death penalty was an effective electoral strategy to show their tough-on-crime bona fides. But that’s less and less true. Americans’ support for the death penalty, which in the past reached as high as 80%, has now fallen to 55%, its lowest mark in half a century — part of Americans’ growing awareness of the profound failures and inequities of their criminal justice system. With Virginia’s ban this week, 23 states now prohibit the death penalty, and 11 more haven’t used it in at least a decade. It’s not a simple partisan issue, either. In several states, Republican lawmakers have joined Democrats in voting to ban capital punishment. In Virginia, some Democrats still supported the practice as recently as last year. What remains for the defenders of state-sponsored killing? Nothing but cruelty. It’s a tried and true tactic, even among certain Supreme Court justices, to linger on the grisliness of the crimes, as if those who oppose capital punishment are somehow unaware of those facts, or are untroubled by them. Horror stories miss the point. No one disputes that the crimes for which people are sentenced to death are abhorrent and demand justice. But a society that sinks to the level of its worst offenders is not only hypocritical, it also poisons itself with an endless cycle of vengeance. Biden, who like most Democratic presidential candidates campaigned on ending the death penalty, can help break that cycle by imposing an immediate moratorium on federal executions, and commuting the sentences of the 50 or so inmates on federal death row in Terre Haute, Indiana. These inmates account for a small fraction of the more than 2,500 condemned people around the country, but a moratorium would still be an important step toward admitting what the country’s highest court began to acknowledge decades ago: The death penalty is cruel, ineffective and morally repugnant. America needs to join most of the rest of the world and eliminate it.

Stop the executions, President Biden

Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld a death sentence against France-based dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam for fuelling anti-government unrest in 2017 on social media

Iran top court upholds France-based dissident journalist's death sentence

Iraq on Monday executed 21 people who were convicted on terrorism charges at the notorious Nasiriyah prison, medical and police sources said.

The people who were executed were convicted under a 2005 Counter-Terrorism Law, but details were not provided on the specific crimes they committed.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gunmen-kill-at-least-11-in-attack-on-iraqi-army-post-in-baghdad-341803">Gunmen kill at least 11 in attack on Iraqi army post in Baghdad</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

The execution was carried out in Nasiriyah prison in Dhi Qar province, the only one in the country that conducts capital punishment.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hundreds-demand-us-ouster-from-iraq-in-baghdad-341459">Hundreds demand US ouster from Iraq in Baghdad</a>

The prison was earlier used to hang ex-officials of the Saddam Hussein regime.&nbsp;

However, Saddam himself was executed at this prison in December 2006 after the US and its allies toppled his government in 2003.&nbsp;

Following the victory over terror group Islamic State in late 2017, Iraq has handed death sentence to hundreds of its own citizens for their allegiance to the jihadist group.

However, only a handful of people among these were executed as the death sentence must be approved by the country's president.&nbsp;

Police sources confirmed to news agency AFP that President Barham Saleh had approved Monday's executions.

Iraq ranks fifth among nations that carry out death punishment, according to Amnesty International, which said the country conducted 100 executions in 2019.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Iraq on Monday executed 21 people who were convicted on terrorism charges at the notorious Nasiriyah prison, medical and police sources said. The people who were executed were convicted under a 2005 Counter-Terrorism Law, but details were not provided on the specific crimes they committed.

Iraq on Monday executed 21 people who were convicted on terrorism charges at the notorious Nasiriyah prison, medical and police sources said. The people who were executed were convicted under a 2005 Counter-Terrorism Law, but details were not provided on the specific crimes they committed. Also read | Gunmen kill at least 11 in attack on Iraqi army post in Baghdad The execution was carried out in Nasiriyah prison in Dhi Qar province, the only one in the country that conducts capital punishment. Also read | Hundreds demand US ouster from Iraq in Baghdad The prison was earlier used to hang ex-officials of the Saddam Hussein regime. However, Saddam himself was executed at this prison in December 2006 after the US and its allies toppled his government in 2003. Following the victory over terror group Islamic State in late 2017, Iraq has handed death sentence to hundreds of its own citizens for their allegiance to the jihadist group. However, only a handful of people among these were executed as the death sentence must be approved by the country's president. Police sources confirmed to news agency AFP that President Barham Saleh had approved Monday's executions. Iraq ranks fifth among nations that carry out death punishment, according to Amnesty International, which said the country conducted 100 executions in 2019.

Iraq carries out 21 death sentences in one day: Report

Two Myanmar migrant workers on death row for the brutal murder of a pair of British backpackers in Thailand have had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment following a mass royal pardon.

The men's lawyer Nadthasiri Bergman said the pardon decree -- which was published Friday and applies to all inmates on death row -- was "effective immediately".

Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were found guilty of the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and of killing David Miller, 24, after their battered bodies were found on a beach on the southern resort island of Koh Tao in September 2014.

But defence lawyers have said the evidence used to convict the two men -- who are both from Myanmar's impoverished Rakhine state -- was unreliable and alleged that confessions by the pair were obtained under duress.

"I can't find words to express how thankful we are," Ye Zaw Tun, a brother of Win Zaw Tun, told AFP on Saturday following the decree.

"We knew this case was totally unfair, and we sometimes feel bitterness, but we want to say thanks for the royal pardon."

A commutation of their sentence had been the pair's only remaining hope after their final appeal failed last year, with Thailand's top court ruling the evidence against them was clear.

The case triggered a strong reaction from Myanmar, where many felt the two men had been given an unfair trial as low-paid migrant workers -- an integral part of Thailand's workforce -- are often regarded with contempt by its public.

The police were accused of buckling under pressure to solve a crime that attracted worldwide attention.

Defence lawyers claimed authorities mishandled DNA related to the case and did not allow independent analysis of the samples.

Win Zaw Tun's brother said the men were in good health in prison but called for them to be "immediately released".

The royal pardon comes as Thailand is rocked by near-daily anti-government demonstrations by student-led groups

Two Myanmar migrant workers on death row for the brutal murder of a pair of British backpackers in Thailand have had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment following a mass royal pardon.

Two Myanmar migrant workers on death row for the brutal murder of a pair of British backpackers in Thailand have had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment following a mass royal pardon. The men's lawyer Nadthasiri Bergman said the pardon decree -- which was published Friday and applies to all inmates on death row -- was "effective immediately". Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were found guilty of the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and of killing David Miller, 24, after their battered bodies were found on a beach on the southern resort island of Koh Tao in September 2014. But defence lawyers have said the evidence used to convict the two men -- who are both from Myanmar's impoverished Rakhine state -- was unreliable and alleged that confessions by the pair were obtained under duress. "I can't find words to express how thankful we are," Ye Zaw Tun, a brother of Win Zaw Tun, told AFP on Saturday following the decree. "We knew this case was totally unfair, and we sometimes feel bitterness, but we want to say thanks for the royal pardon." A commutation of their sentence had been the pair's only remaining hope after their final appeal failed last year, with Thailand's top court ruling the evidence against them was clear. The case triggered a strong reaction from Myanmar, where many felt the two men had been given an unfair trial as low-paid migrant workers -- an integral part of Thailand's workforce -- are often regarded with contempt by its public. The police were accused of buckling under pressure to solve a crime that attracted worldwide attention. Defence lawyers claimed authorities mishandled DNA related to the case and did not allow independent analysis of the samples. Win Zaw Tun's brother said the men were in good health in prison but called for them to be "immediately released". The royal pardon comes as Thailand is rocked by near-daily anti-government demonstrations by student-led groups

Death sentence of Myanmar men commuted in Brit murder case

The US President Donald Trump has called for a re-sentencing of Boston Marathon bomber&nbsp;Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on Sunday.

"Rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev," Trump tweeted.

"So many lives lost and ruined. The Federal Government must again seek the Death Penalty in a do-over of the original trial. Our Country cannot let the appellate decision stand," he added.

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Rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. The court agreed that this “was one of the worst domestic terrorist attacks since the 9/11 atrocities”. Yet the appellate court tossed out the death sentence. So many lives lost....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1290011569657610240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The statement came after&nbsp;an appeals court overturned the death penalty of the 27-year-old.&nbsp;

Tsarnaev was sentenced to death in 2015 for planting two homemade bombs near the finish line of the race in 2013, killing three people and injuring 264 others. The sentence was overturned this week by a US appeals court.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boston-marathon-bomber-wins-death-penalty-appeal-317391">Also read:&nbsp;Boston Marathon bomber wins death penalty appeal</a>

He had admitted carrying out the attack at the age of 19 with his older brother,&nbsp;Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who reportedly died four days after the attack in a gunfight with police.

Tsarnaev's lawyers argued that he was less responsible one and had no prior history of violence. They tried to convince the court that the plan was made and executed mainly by his older brother. However, the three-judge bench assured that Tsarnaev, who came to the US from Soviet Union as a child, will be serving his rest of the life in the jail even with the new sentence.

The US President Donald Trump, however, feels that the process of re-sentencing needs to start as soon as possible.&nbsp;Trump has regularly called for increased use of the death penalty, which is rare in the United States. However,&nbsp;in the last 30 days, three of such sentences have been carried out and the fourth one is scheduled soon.

No comment has bee given by the bomber's team of attorneys.

The US President Donald Trump has called for a re-sentencing of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on Sunday. "Rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev," Trump tweeted.

The US President Donald Trump has called for a re-sentencing of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on Sunday. "Rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev," Trump tweeted. "So many lives lost and ruined. The Federal Government must again seek the Death Penalty in a do-over of the original trial. Our Country cannot let the appellate decision stand," he added. Rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. The court agreed that this “was one of the worst domestic terrorist attacks since the 9/11 atrocities”. Yet the appellate court tossed out the death sentence. So many lives lost.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2020 × The statement came after an appeals court overturned the death penalty of the 27-year-old. Tsarnaev was sentenced to death in 2015 for planting two homemade bombs near the finish line of the race in 2013, killing three people and injuring 264 others. The sentence was overturned this week by a US appeals court. Also read: Boston Marathon bomber wins death penalty appeal He had admitted carrying out the attack at the age of 19 with his older brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who reportedly died four days after the attack in a gunfight with police. Tsarnaev's lawyers argued that he was less responsible one and had no prior history of violence. They tried to convince the court that the plan was made and executed mainly by his older brother. However, the three-judge bench assured that Tsarnaev, who came to the US from Soviet Union as a child, will be serving his rest of the life in the jail even with the new sentence. The US President Donald Trump, however, feels that the process of re-sentencing needs to start as soon as possible. Trump has regularly called for increased use of the death penalty, which is rare in the United States. However, in the last 30 days, three of such sentences have been carried out and the fourth one is scheduled soon. No comment has bee given by the bomber's team of attorneys.

Donald Trump calls for death sentence of Boston marathon bomber

Three out of four death-row convicts in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nirbhaya-case-delhi-hc-reserves-order-on-plea-seeking-fir-against-sole-witness-269306">Nirbhaya</a> rape case on Tuesday stated they want to use their remaining legal remedies and file for both curative and mercy petition.

Their reply came after the court directed the Tihar Jail authorities to issue a fresh notice to them on whether or not they want to file the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/very-important-to-teach-such-people-a-lesson-nirbhayas-mother-welcomes-delhi-hcs-dismissal-of-convicts-plea-269236">mercy</a> petition.

Based on the directions, the jail authorities had issued a notice to all four convicts stating that they have seven days' time to file a mercy petition.

The case pertains to rape and murder of a 23-year-old paramedical student by six men on a moving bus on the night of December 16, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-rejects-review-petition-of-akshay-kumar-singh-in-2012-delhi-gang-rape-case-268900">2012</a>. Pawan, Akshay, Vinay, and Mukesh are facing the gallows in the case.

The main accused, Ram Singh, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail during the trial.

Another accused was a minor at the time of the commission of the crime and was sent to a reform facility and released after three years.

One of the convicts Akshay's review petition was rejected by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nirbhaya-s-mother-breaks-down-after-court-postpones-death-warrants-of-convicts-268942">Supreme Court</a> last week. Besides him, other convicts Mukesh, Pawan and Vinay had filed the review petition last year but it was rejected by the apex court.

A curative petition is the last legal recourse available to a person following which mercy for computation of death penalty to life imprisonment could be sought from the President of India.

Three out of four death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya rape case on Tuesday stated they want to use their remaining legal remedies and file for both curative and mercy petition.

Three out of four death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya rape case on Tuesday stated they want to use their remaining legal remedies and file for both curative and mercy petition. Their reply came after the court directed the Tihar Jail authorities to issue a fresh notice to them on whether or not they want to file the mercy petition. Based on the directions, the jail authorities had issued a notice to all four convicts stating that they have seven days' time to file a mercy petition. The case pertains to rape and murder of a 23-year-old paramedical student by six men on a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012. Pawan, Akshay, Vinay, and Mukesh are facing the gallows in the case. The main accused, Ram Singh, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail during the trial. Another accused was a minor at the time of the commission of the crime and was sent to a reform facility and released after three years. One of the convicts Akshay's review petition was rejected by the Supreme Court last week. Besides him, other convicts Mukesh, Pawan and Vinay had filed the review petition last year but it was rejected by the apex court. A curative petition is the last legal recourse available to a person following which mercy for computation of death penalty to life imprisonment could be sought from the President of India.

Three Nirbhaya convicts want to use their remaining legal remedies

A Jaipur court on Friday announced the quantum of sentence for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/special-court-convicts-4-in-2008-jaipur-bomb-blast-case-268908">four convicts in the 2008 Jaipur bomb blast case</a>.&nbsp;

All the convicts have been given a death sentence in the case, news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;

The convicts - Sarvar Aazmi, Mohammad Saif, Saifur Rahman and Salman - will be hanged till death, the court announced today.

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The judgement comes after a special court on Wednesday convicted four people in connection with the 2008 Jaipur bomb blasts case.

The four were convicted under different sections of the law, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Close to eighty persons were killed and more than 183 were injured in the Jaipur bomb blasts when eight explosions took place on May 13, 2008.&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

A Jaipur court on Friday announced the quantum of sentence for the four convicts in the 2008 Jaipur bomb blast case. All the convicts have been given a death sentence in the case, news agency ANI reported.

A Jaipur court on Friday announced the quantum of sentence for the four convicts in the 2008 Jaipur bomb blast case. All the convicts have been given a death sentence in the case, news agency ANI reported. The convicts - Sarvar Aazmi, Mohammad Saif, Saifur Rahman and Salman - will be hanged till death, the court announced today. 2008 Jaipur bomb blasts case: Jaipur court announces quantum of sentence in the matter, all the four convicts - Sarvar Aazmi, Mohammad Saif, Saifur Rahman, and Salman, to be hanged till death. pic.twitter.com/zsqcOeSGiC — ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2019 × The judgement comes after a special court on Wednesday convicted four people in connection with the 2008 Jaipur bomb blasts case. The four were convicted under different sections of the law, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Close to eighty persons were killed and more than 183 were injured in the Jaipur bomb blasts when eight explosions took place on May 13, 2008. (With inputs from ANI)

2008 Jaipur bomb blast case: Court sentences 4 convicts to death 

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nirbhaya-case-delhi-high-court-adjourns-convicts-plea-claiming-he-was-juvenile-269075">Delhi court</a> on Thursday reserved till January 6 the order on an application filed by the father of one of the death-row convicts in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nirbhaya-s-mother-breaks-down-after-court-postpones-death-warrants-of-convicts-268942">Nirbhaya rape case</a> which questioned the credibility of the sole witness and claimed that he was "tutored".

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/very-important-to-teach-such-people-a-lesson-nirbhayas-mother-welcomes-delhi-hcs-dismissal-of-convicts-plea-269236">petition</a> which was filed by convict Pawan Kumar Gupta`s father sought registration of FIR against the girl's friend for perjury for giving false testimony in the court.

The sole eye-witness was accompanying the 23-year-old girl when she was raped and murdered by six men on a moving bus on December 16, 2012.

It claimed that the boy accompanying Nirbhaya in the bus turned the case into a "media trial" by charging money from news channels to give interviews.

"This calls for an independent investigation into the perjury committed by him, being the sole witness, his testimony has strongly influenced the outcome of the case," the complaint stated. Perjury relates to willfully making a misrepresentation under oath.

In the last proceedings, Metropolitan Magistrate Sudhir Kumar Sirohi had said that the witnesses record statements "under oath and what they say outside the courtroom cannot raise a question on their credibility as a witness".Besides Pawan Kumar Gupta, three others - Akshay, Vinay, and Mukesh are facing the gallows in the case.

The main accused, Ram Singh, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail during the trial. Another accused was a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nirbhaya-case-delhi-high-court-dismisses-plea-of-convict-who-claims-he-was-juvenile-in-2012-269183">minor</a> at the time of the commission of the crime and was sent to a reform facility and released after three years.

A Delhi court on Thursday reserved till January 6 the order on an application filed by the father of one of the death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya rape case which questioned the credibility of the sole witness and claimed that he was "tutored".

A Delhi court on Thursday reserved till January 6 the order on an application filed by the father of one of the death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya rape case which questioned the credibility of the sole witness and claimed that he was "tutored". The petition which was filed by convict Pawan Kumar Gupta`s father sought registration of FIR against the girl's friend for perjury for giving false testimony in the court. The sole eye-witness was accompanying the 23-year-old girl when she was raped and murdered by six men on a moving bus on December 16, 2012. It claimed that the boy accompanying Nirbhaya in the bus turned the case into a "media trial" by charging money from news channels to give interviews. "This calls for an independent investigation into the perjury committed by him, being the sole witness, his testimony has strongly influenced the outcome of the case," the complaint stated. Perjury relates to willfully making a misrepresentation under oath. In the last proceedings, Metropolitan Magistrate Sudhir Kumar Sirohi had said that the witnesses record statements "under oath and what they say outside the courtroom cannot raise a question on their credibility as a witness".Besides Pawan Kumar Gupta, three others - Akshay, Vinay, and Mukesh are facing the gallows in the case. The main accused, Ram Singh, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail during the trial. Another accused was a minor at the time of the commission of the crime and was sent to a reform facility and released after three years.

Nirbhaya case: Delhi High Court reserves order on plea seeking FIR against sole witness

Facing intense criticism over the implementation of strict Sharia law in the country, Brunei's foreign ministry said recently that the law came into force as prevention and not punishment.

Brunei, a Muslim-majority former British protectorate with a population of around 400,000 implemented the Sharia law on April 3 punishing sodomy, adultery and rape with the death penalty, including by stoning, and theft with amputation.&nbsp;

The ministry&nbsp;further added that the chances for punishment would be very low as the death sentence would be awarded only on the basis of serious evidence.

The clarification from the country came after the United Nations termed the punishments as "cruel and inhuman".

The expected implementation of strict Islamic laws has drawn widespread criticism. Politicians in Europe and the United States have attacked the plans and raised concerns with Brunei.

Brunei has already banned the sale of alcohol and evangelism by other religions.

The country does not hold elections, but any discontent is assuaged with generous government policies including zero taxes, subsidised housing, and free healthcare and education.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Facing intense criticism over the implementation of strict Sharia law in the country, Brunei's foreign ministry said recently that the law came into force as prevention and not punishment.

Facing intense criticism over the implementation of strict Sharia law in the country, Brunei's foreign ministry said recently that the law came into force as prevention and not punishment. Brunei, a Muslim-majority former British protectorate with a population of around 400,000 implemented the Sharia law on April 3 punishing sodomy, adultery and rape with the death penalty, including by stoning, and theft with amputation. The ministry further added that the chances for punishment would be very low as the death sentence would be awarded only on the basis of serious evidence. The clarification from the country came after the United Nations termed the punishments as "cruel and inhuman". The expected implementation of strict Islamic laws has drawn widespread criticism. Politicians in Europe and the United States have attacked the plans and raised concerns with Brunei. Brunei has already banned the sale of alcohol and evangelism by other religions. The country does not hold elections, but any discontent is assuaged with generous government policies including zero taxes, subsidised housing, and free healthcare and education. (With inputs from agencies)

Brunei defends Sharia law, says law is for prevention and not punishment

Riff Raff the South African elephant dodges death sentence

A Bangladesh court sentenced five men to death in absentia for atrocities perpetrated during the country's war of independence in 1971, prosecutors said Thursday.

A special court said the fugitives were found guilty of serial abuses during the war, which saw Bangladesh gain independence from Pakistan. Critics say the so-called International Crimes Tribunal, which has no international oversight, is politically motivated and used to target the opposition.

"They were charged with murder, abduction, looting, arson and rape in Netrokona in 1971," prosecutor M.R. Badol told AFP, referring to a northern district some 170 kilometres (106 miles) from Dhaka.

Prosecutors said the four accused were connected to Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamist party in Bangladesh and one allied to the country's main opposition party.

The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accuses Jamaat of collaborating with Pakistani forces during the war and has banned it as a political outfit.

Bangladesh says Pakistani troops, aided by local militias, killed three million people and raped 200,000 women during the nine-month war. Independent researchers put the figures much lowers.

Hasina, whose father was Bangladesh's first post-independence prime minister, created the war crimes tribunal in 2010.&nbsp;

So far, six key opposition leaders have been executed by the tribunal

The government insists the trials have been fair and meet international standards, despite strident criticism from rights groups.

Hasina won a fourth term in office in December in a landslide victory for her ruling Awami League party. The poll was marred by widespread allegations of graft, and most of Hasina's opponents were jailed and unable to contest.

A Bangladesh court sentenced five men to death in absentia for atrocities perpetrated during the country's war of independence in 1971, prosecutors said Thursday.

A Bangladesh court sentenced five men to death in absentia for atrocities perpetrated during the country's war of independence in 1971, prosecutors said Thursday. A special court said the fugitives were found guilty of serial abuses during the war, which saw Bangladesh gain independence from Pakistan. Critics say the so-called International Crimes Tribunal, which has no international oversight, is politically motivated and used to target the opposition. "They were charged with murder, abduction, looting, arson and rape in Netrokona in 1971," prosecutor M.R. Badol told AFP, referring to a northern district some 170 kilometres (106 miles) from Dhaka. Prosecutors said the four accused were connected to Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamist party in Bangladesh and one allied to the country's main opposition party. The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accuses Jamaat of collaborating with Pakistani forces during the war and has banned it as a political outfit. Bangladesh says Pakistani troops, aided by local militias, killed three million people and raped 200,000 women during the nine-month war. Independent researchers put the figures much lowers. Hasina, whose father was Bangladesh's first post-independence prime minister, created the war crimes tribunal in 2010. So far, six key opposition leaders have been executed by the tribunal The government insists the trials have been fair and meet international standards, despite strident criticism from rights groups. Hasina won a fourth term in office in December in a landslide victory for her ruling Awami League party. The poll was marred by widespread allegations of graft, and most of Hasina's opponents were jailed and unable to contest.

Bangladesh court sentences five accused war criminals to death

Convicts of 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case may file a curative petition challenging capital punishment.

The counsel for the convicts, Advocate Dr. AP Singh on Saturday told the Patiala House Court that a curative petition might be filed by the convicts challenging the capital punishment given to them by the Apex court.

Tihar jail authorities have also communicated to the court that the convicts might file a curative petition soon challenging the capital punishment.&nbsp;

The jail authorities have to file a status report in the case on next date of hearing, April 6.

This comes a month after; Nirbhaya`s parents moved a plea in the court seeking to expedite the execution of the four convicts in the case.

On July 9, 2018, the Supreme Court had rejected review petitions filed by three of the four convicts in the horrific 2012 gangrape and murder of a young paramedic in Delhi.

The Supreme Court had on May 5, 2017, upheld death sentences awarded by a trial court and confirmed by the Delhi High Court to the four convicts - Mukesh, 29, Pawan Gupta, 22, Vinay Sharma, 23, and Akshay Kumar Singh, 31.In 2012, &nbsp;the 23-year-old paramedic student was gang-raped on December 16 inside a running bus in South Delhi by six persons.

The victim, who was severely assaulted, was thrown out on the road along with her male friend.&nbsp;

She succumbed to injuries at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on December 29, where she had been airlifted for medical treatment. &nbsp;

Convicts of 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case may file a curative petition challenging capital punishment. The counsel for the convicts, Advocate Dr. AP Singh on Saturday told the Patiala House Court that a curative petition might be filed by the convicts challenging the capital punishment given to them by the Apex court.

Convicts of 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case may file a curative petition challenging capital punishment. The counsel for the convicts, Advocate Dr. AP Singh on Saturday told the Patiala House Court that a curative petition might be filed by the convicts challenging the capital punishment given to them by the Apex court. Tihar jail authorities have also communicated to the court that the convicts might file a curative petition soon challenging the capital punishment. The jail authorities have to file a status report in the case on next date of hearing, April 6. This comes a month after; Nirbhaya`s parents moved a plea in the court seeking to expedite the execution of the four convicts in the case. On July 9, 2018, the Supreme Court had rejected review petitions filed by three of the four convicts in the horrific 2012 gangrape and murder of a young paramedic in Delhi. The Supreme Court had on May 5, 2017, upheld death sentences awarded by a trial court and confirmed by the Delhi High Court to the four convicts - Mukesh, 29, Pawan Gupta, 22, Vinay Sharma, 23, and Akshay Kumar Singh, 31.In 2012, the 23-year-old paramedic student was gang-raped on December 16 inside a running bus in South Delhi by six persons. The victim, who was severely assaulted, was thrown out on the road along with her male friend. She succumbed to injuries at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on December 29, where she had been airlifted for medical treatment.

Nirbhaya case: Convicts may file curative petition in court

Yogesh Kumar wheezes after life-saving surgery to remove a diseased lung, but his doctors wonder how long he can last outside hospital breathing some of the world's dirtiest air.

Smog is blamed for the deaths of more than one million Indians every year and Delhi -- which on Monday had emergency pollution levels more than 35 times the World Health Organisation safe limit -- has the worst air of any global capital.

Every November, hospital wards fill with gasping patients as the tell-tale thick grey haze which hit on Monday shrouds the city of 20 million.&nbsp;

"Delhi air is like a death sentence for him," said Srinivas K. Gopinath, a thoracic surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram hospital in the Indian capital where 29-year-old Kumar was treated.

Gopinath fears for his patient, who survived tuberculosis but is now at the mercy of another invisible killer.

As cooler air traps pollutants close to the ground, Delhi's levels of PM2.5 -- particles so tiny they can enter the lungs and bloodstream -- soar dangerously.

One of the worst times is around the Hindu festival of Diwali as smoke from millions of crackers set off by festive revellers mingles with car exhaust, factory emissions, construction dust and smoke from crop fires in nearby states.

Pollution readings can reach so high they do not register on scientific instruments.

In the Anand Vihar suburb, the PM2.5 level rocketed to 908 on Monday. The WHO sets 25 as its recommended average safe level.&nbsp;

Kumar is due to be discharged from hospital around the time of the festival on Wednesday.

"Inside (the hospital) the air quality is maintained, but once he steps out the bad air will start affecting him," Gopinath told AFP.

"His resistance is weak. He has only one lung which is now really precious. Imagine having to cope up with such bad air with only one lung."

'Black lungs'

But Kumar is far from alone.

Children, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments like asthma suffer the most from Delhi's smog, which lingers until late February.

Exposure to toxic air kills hundreds of thousands of children every year, the WHO said in an October report.

Children breathe more rapidly than adults, taking twice as much polluted air into their tiny bodies.

It has devastating effects on children in Delhi, say doctors.

"A child who is born in Delhi is taking in gulps of bad air which is equivalent to smoking 20 to 25 cigarettes on the first day of his life," said Arvind Kumar, a prominent Delhi lung surgeon.

For years the surgeon has tirelessly campaigned to raise awareness about the dangers of air pollution, which the WHO last month likened to the tobacco epidemic.

On hospital grounds this weekend Arvind Kumar ordered the installation of giant, artificial lungs fitted with filters to demonstrate the damaging effects of smog.

Many of the patients he sees already bear physical scars from breathing a lifetime of Delhi air.

"These are non-smokers, but even they have black lungs," he told AFP.

"Even teenagers have black spots on their lungs. This is frightening."

Despite Delhi's smog reappearing every winter, official efforts to combat it have been ineffectual.

Emergency measures such as banning construction, cutting down traffic and prohibiting the use of diesel generators have had little effect.

More long-term solutions remain elusive. State governments have refused to cooperate on root causes of the crisis, such as farmers using fire to clear their land on the outskirts of Delhi.

Surgeon Kumar said pollution needed to be tackled at its source.

"Everything else is just eyewash," he said.

Yogesh Kumar wheezes after life-saving surgery to remove a diseased lung, but his doctors wonder how long he can last outside hospital breathing some of the world's dirtiest air.

Yogesh Kumar wheezes after life-saving surgery to remove a diseased lung, but his doctors wonder how long he can last outside hospital breathing some of the world's dirtiest air. Smog is blamed for the deaths of more than one million Indians every year and Delhi -- which on Monday had emergency pollution levels more than 35 times the World Health Organisation safe limit -- has the worst air of any global capital. Every November, hospital wards fill with gasping patients as the tell-tale thick grey haze which hit on Monday shrouds the city of 20 million. "Delhi air is like a death sentence for him," said Srinivas K. Gopinath, a thoracic surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram hospital in the Indian capital where 29-year-old Kumar was treated. Gopinath fears for his patient, who survived tuberculosis but is now at the mercy of another invisible killer. As cooler air traps pollutants close to the ground, Delhi's levels of PM2.5 -- particles so tiny they can enter the lungs and bloodstream -- soar dangerously. One of the worst times is around the Hindu festival of Diwali as smoke from millions of crackers set off by festive revellers mingles with car exhaust, factory emissions, construction dust and smoke from crop fires in nearby states. Pollution readings can reach so high they do not register on scientific instruments. In the Anand Vihar suburb, the PM2.5 level rocketed to 908 on Monday. The WHO sets 25 as its recommended average safe level. Kumar is due to be discharged from hospital around the time of the festival on Wednesday. "Inside (the hospital) the air quality is maintained, but once he steps out the bad air will start affecting him," Gopinath told AFP. "His resistance is weak. He has only one lung which is now really precious. Imagine having to cope up with such bad air with only one lung." 'Black lungs' But Kumar is far from alone. Children, the elderly and those with respiratory ailments like asthma suffer the most from Delhi's smog, which lingers until late February. Exposure to toxic air kills hundreds of thousands of children every year, the WHO said in an October report. Children breathe more rapidly than adults, taking twice as much polluted air into their tiny bodies. It has devastating effects on children in Delhi, say doctors. "A child who is born in Delhi is taking in gulps of bad air which is equivalent to smoking 20 to 25 cigarettes on the first day of his life," said Arvind Kumar, a prominent Delhi lung surgeon. For years the surgeon has tirelessly campaigned to raise awareness about the dangers of air pollution, which the WHO last month likened to the tobacco epidemic. On hospital grounds this weekend Arvind Kumar ordered the installation of giant, artificial lungs fitted with filters to demonstrate the damaging effects of smog. Many of the patients he sees already bear physical scars from breathing a lifetime of Delhi air. "These are non-smokers, but even they have black lungs," he told AFP. "Even teenagers have black spots on their lungs. This is frightening." Despite Delhi's smog reappearing every winter, official efforts to combat it have been ineffectual. Emergency measures such as banning construction, cutting down traffic and prohibiting the use of diesel generators have had little effect. More long-term solutions remain elusive. State governments have refused to cooperate on root causes of the crisis, such as farmers using fire to clear their land on the outskirts of Delhi. Surgeon Kumar said pollution needed to be tackled at its source. "Everything else is just eyewash," he said.

Polluted Delhi air akin to 'death sentence', say doctors

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday confirmed the death sentence of 11 hardcore terrorists, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Three other convicts were also awarded imprisonment.

The terrorists had been a part of heinous offences related to terrorism, including attacks on law enforcement agencies and armed forces of Pakistan, Malakand University, and killing of innocent civilians including Imran Khan Mohmind, a member of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly, the ISPR said.

Out of them, three terrorists identified as Burhanuddin, Shaheer Khan and Gul Faraz Khan were convicted of attacking a funeral ceremony in Zargrano Killi, Sher Ghar, Mardan, which resulted in the death of 30 civilians including Imran Khan Mohmind, member of KP Assembly, and injuries to 100 others These convicts admitted their offences before the magistrate and the trial court. All convicts were awarded death sentences, reports said.

The killed 60 included, "36 civilians, 24 Armed Forces/Frontier Constabulary/ Police Officials and injuring 142 others," according to a statement issued by Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

All 14 convicts, who were members of banned organisations, admitted their offences were awarded death sentences.

The trials are closed to the public but defendants are allowed to hire lawyers, according to the reports.

Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession. 
&nbsp;

All 14 convicts, who were members of banned organisations, admitted their offences were awarded death sentences

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday confirmed the death sentence of 11 hardcore terrorists, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Three other convicts were also awarded imprisonment. The terrorists had been a part of heinous offences related to terrorism, including attacks on law enforcement agencies and armed forces of Pakistan, Malakand University, and killing of innocent civilians including Imran Khan Mohmind, a member of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly, the ISPR said. Out of them, three terrorists identified as Burhanuddin, Shaheer Khan and Gul Faraz Khan were convicted of attacking a funeral ceremony in Zargrano Killi, Sher Ghar, Mardan, which resulted in the death of 30 civilians including Imran Khan Mohmind, member of KP Assembly, and injuries to 100 others These convicts admitted their offences before the magistrate and the trial court. All convicts were awarded death sentences, reports said. The killed 60 included, "36 civilians, 24 Armed Forces/Frontier Constabulary/ Police Officials and injuring 142 others," according to a statement issued by Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). All 14 convicts, who were members of banned organisations, admitted their offences were awarded death sentences. The trials are closed to the public but defendants are allowed to hire lawyers, according to the reports. Arms and explosives were also recovered from their possession.

Pakistan Army Chief confirms death sentences for 11 'hardcore terrorists'

A Bangladesh court Tuesday sentenced dozens of men to death for the brazen daylight murder of a ruling party official in 2014, officials said.

Ekramul Haque, the then Awami League leader in eastern Feni district, was dragged from his vehicle by a mob and hacked with machetes before being shot at point-blank range.

The 47-year-old was then placed back inside his vehicle, which was torched. A number of those travelling with the local party leader were injured in the brutal assault.

Court inspector Nojibul Islam told that a judge in Feni district Tuesday sentenced 39 men to death by hanging for the crime. Sixteen others were acquitted.

&quot;We will go to appeal in the higher court against the order,&quot; said defence lawyer Rana Das Gupta.

Bangladesh has a history of delivering death sentences in mass trials.

In November, a court upheld death sentences against 139 soldiers for the grisly murders of dozens of senior army officers in a 2009 mutiny.

Last August, 10 Islamist militants were sentenced to death over a failed plot to assassinate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by detonating a bomb at one of her rallies.

Ekramul Haque, the then Awami League leader in eastern Feni district, was dragged from his vehicle by a mob and hacked with machetes before being shot at point-blank range

A Bangladesh court Tuesday sentenced dozens of men to death for the brazen daylight murder of a ruling party official in 2014, officials said. Ekramul Haque, the then Awami League leader in eastern Feni district, was dragged from his vehicle by a mob and hacked with machetes before being shot at point-blank range. The 47-year-old was then placed back inside his vehicle, which was torched. A number of those travelling with the local party leader were injured in the brutal assault. Court inspector Nojibul Islam told that a judge in Feni district Tuesday sentenced 39 men to death by hanging for the crime. Sixteen others were acquitted. "We will go to appeal in the higher court against the order," said defence lawyer Rana Das Gupta. Bangladesh has a history of delivering death sentences in mass trials. In November, a court upheld death sentences against 139 soldiers for the grisly murders of dozens of senior army officers in a 2009 mutiny. Last August, 10 Islamist militants were sentenced to death over a failed plot to assassinate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by detonating a bomb at one of her rallies.

Bangladesh court sentences 39 to death for murdering official

An Iraqi criminal court on Sunday sentenced to death 15 Turkish women after finding them guilty of belonging to the Islamic State group, a judicial official said. 
 
Another Turkish woman accused of membership of the jihadist group was given a life sentence, the official said, adding they had all acknowledged the charges against them. 
 
Iraq, which has detained at least 560 women, as well as 600 children, identified as jihadist or relatives of suspected IS fighters, is wasting no time in putting them on trial. 
 
In January, a court sentenced a German woman to death on charges of providing logistical support to IS, and a Turkish woman was earlier this month also handed the death penalty. 
 
Human Rights Watch denounced the rulings as &quot;unfair&quot;. 
 
Earlier this week, a Baghdad court sentenced a French woman, Melina Boughedir, to seven months in jail for entering Iraq illegally but ordered her release on time already served. 
 
Baghdad declared military victory over IS in December, after having expelled the jihadists from all urban centres they had held in northern and western Iraq since 2014. 
 
According to experts, an estimated 20,000 people are being held in jail in Iraq for alleged membership of IS. There is no official figure. 
 
Separately, authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan said in early February they had detained some 4,000 suspected IS members, including foreigners. 
 
Iraq&#39;s anti-terrorism law empowers courts to convict people who are believed to have helped IS even if they are not accused of carrying out attacks. 
 
It also allows for the death penalty to be issued against anyone -- including non-combatants -- found guilty of belonging to IS.

The women were guilty of belonging to the Islamic State group

An Iraqi criminal court on Sunday sentenced to death 15 Turkish women after finding them guilty of belonging to the Islamic State group, a judicial official said. Another Turkish woman accused of membership of the jihadist group was given a life sentence, the official said, adding they had all acknowledged the charges against them. Iraq, which has detained at least 560 women, as well as 600 children, identified as jihadist or relatives of suspected IS fighters, is wasting no time in putting them on trial. In January, a court sentenced a German woman to death on charges of providing logistical support to IS, and a Turkish woman was earlier this month also handed the death penalty. Human Rights Watch denounced the rulings as "unfair". Earlier this week, a Baghdad court sentenced a French woman, Melina Boughedir, to seven months in jail for entering Iraq illegally but ordered her release on time already served. Baghdad declared military victory over IS in December, after having expelled the jihadists from all urban centres they had held in northern and western Iraq since 2014. According to experts, an estimated 20,000 people are being held in jail in Iraq for alleged membership of IS. There is no official figure. Separately, authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan said in early February they had detained some 4,000 suspected IS members, including foreigners. Iraq's anti-terrorism law empowers courts to convict people who are believed to have helped IS even if they are not accused of carrying out attacks. It also allows for the death penalty to be issued against anyone -- including non-combatants -- found guilty of belonging to IS.

Iraq condemns 15 Turkish women to death for belonging to IS

Father of 23-year-old Ankit Saxena has now demanded death sentence for the culprit of his son&#39;s death.&nbsp;

Ankit&#39;s father, Yashpal Saxena, said that he will be &quot;thankful&quot; if the Delhi government will help his family in fighting the case.

&quot;We want justice. Murderers of my son should get a death sentence. I am an ordinary man and I have no resources to fight the case. If Delhi government helps us in getting best advocates and making a strong case, I will be thankful,&quot; said Ankit&#39;s father.

Ankit was stabbed to death in west Delhi&#39;s Khyala area on February 1 by his girlfriend&#39;s family members - who were against their relationship.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ankit-saxena-murder-delhis-khyala-area-remains-tense-31708">Ankit Saxena murder: Delhi&#39;s Khyala area remains tense</a>

Police arrested woman&#39;s father Akbar Ali, mother Shahnaaz, a juvenile younger brother and uncle Mohd. Salim on February 2. They were produced before a court which sent them to judicial custody.

The woman claimed a threat to her life and was sent to Nari Niketan. The family of the deceased has been given security, police said.&nbsp;

Delhi Chief Minister <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-get-best-lawyer-to-get-ankit-justice-arvind-kejriwalon-ankit-saxenas-murder-31740">Arvind Kejriwal </a>expressed his regret over Ankit Saxena&#39;s murder and met with his kin.&nbsp;

He condemned the incident and noted that the government of Delhi will try its utmost to get the best lawyer to defend Saxena&#39;s case and ensure that the culprits are punished.&nbsp;

Ankit Saxena's father Yashpal said he will be 'thankful' if the Delhi government helps his family fight the case

Father of 23-year-old Ankit Saxena has now demanded death sentence for the culprit of his son's death. Ankit's father, Yashpal Saxena, said that he will be "thankful" if the Delhi government will help his family in fighting the case. "We want justice. Murderers of my son should get a death sentence. I am an ordinary man and I have no resources to fight the case. If Delhi government helps us in getting best advocates and making a strong case, I will be thankful," said Ankit's father. Ankit was stabbed to death in west Delhi's Khyala area on February 1 by his girlfriend's family members - who were against their relationship. Also read: Ankit Saxena murder: Delhi's Khyala area remains tense Police arrested woman's father Akbar Ali, mother Shahnaaz, a juvenile younger brother and uncle Mohd. Salim on February 2. They were produced before a court which sent them to judicial custody. The woman claimed a threat to her life and was sent to Nari Niketan. The family of the deceased has been given security, police said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed his regret over Ankit Saxena's murder and met with his kin. He condemned the incident and noted that the government of Delhi will try its utmost to get the best lawyer to defend Saxena's case and ensure that the culprits are punished.

Father of Delhi photographer killed by lover's family demands death sentence

A sessions court here today awarded death sentence to three men convicted for the brutal rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Maharashtra&#39;s Kopardi village in 2016.

Additional Special Judge Suvarna Kevale awarded the death sentence to Jitendra Babulal Shinde, Santosh Gorakh Bhawal and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume.

The judge had on November 18 convicted the three men on charges of rape, murder and criminal conspiracy.

The incident had triggered widespread protests from the Maratha community, who took out marches across the state over it.

The victim, who belonged to the Maratha community, was found murdered after being raped on July 13, 2016 at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district.

The accused also inflicted injuries all over her body and broke her limbs before throttling her, police said.

On&nbsp;October 7, the Ahmednagar Police had filed the charge sheet running into over 350 pages before the court in which the trio was charged under IPC sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

A sessions court awarded death sentence to Jitendra Babulal Shinde, Santosh Gorakh Bhawal and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume convicted for the brutal rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Kopardi village in 2016

A sessions court here today awarded death sentence to three men convicted for the brutal rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Kopardi village in 2016. Additional Special Judge Suvarna Kevale awarded the death sentence to Jitendra Babulal Shinde, Santosh Gorakh Bhawal and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume. The judge had on November 18 convicted the three men on charges of rape, murder and criminal conspiracy. The incident had triggered widespread protests from the Maratha community, who took out marches across the state over it. The victim, who belonged to the Maratha community, was found murdered after being raped on July 13, 2016 at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district. The accused also inflicted injuries all over her body and broke her limbs before throttling her, police said. On October 7, the Ahmednagar Police had filed the charge sheet running into over 350 pages before the court in which the trio was charged under IPC sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Kopardi rape and murder case: 3 convicts get death sentence

A Bangladesh court on Monday upheld death sentences for 139 soldiers over the massacre of 74 people including 57 senior army officers during a 2009 mutiny, the attorney general said.

&quot;The verdict has upheld the death sentence for 139 people,&quot; Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told reporters after the High Court handed down its judgment in Dhaka.

&quot;Nowhere in the world did anything happen like the way those 57 top army officers were killed,&quot; Alam said.

The sentences will be appealed again to the Supreme Court, which by law has the final say in all capital punishment cases.

In 2013 a court sentenced 152 soldiers to death for the grisly killings in which dozens of officers were shot, hacked to death or burnt alive before being dumped in sewers or shallow graves.

One of those handed the death penalty died in custody, eight others had sentences commuted to life imprisonment and four were acquitted, Alam said.

The sentences were condemned at the time by the UN rights chief, who expressed alarm at such a heavy punishment meted out in a mass trial.

The mutineers stole thousands of weapons in February 2009 before going on a two-day killing spree at a barracks.

Bangladesh has a history of military coups and the massacre threatened the newly-elected government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which responded by arresting thousands of suspects.

The sentences will be appealed again to the Supreme Court, which by law has the final say in all capital punishment cases

A Bangladesh court on Monday upheld death sentences for 139 soldiers over the massacre of 74 people including 57 senior army officers during a 2009 mutiny, the attorney general said. "The verdict has upheld the death sentence for 139 people," Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told reporters after the High Court handed down its judgment in Dhaka. "Nowhere in the world did anything happen like the way those 57 top army officers were killed," Alam said. The sentences will be appealed again to the Supreme Court, which by law has the final say in all capital punishment cases. In 2013 a court sentenced 152 soldiers to death for the grisly killings in which dozens of officers were shot, hacked to death or burnt alive before being dumped in sewers or shallow graves. One of those handed the death penalty died in custody, eight others had sentences commuted to life imprisonment and four were acquitted, Alam said. The sentences were condemned at the time by the UN rights chief, who expressed alarm at such a heavy punishment meted out in a mass trial. The mutineers stole thousands of weapons in February 2009 before going on a two-day killing spree at a barracks. Bangladesh has a history of military coups and the massacre threatened the newly-elected government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which responded by arresting thousands of suspects.

Bangladesh upholds death sentence for 139 soldiers for 2009 mutiny

Egypt&#39;s Court of Cassation on Tuesday overturned a death sentence against deposed President Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood and ordered a retrial.

Morsi was sentenced to death in June 2015 in connection with a mass jail break during the country&#39;s 2011 uprising.

The first president to be democratically elected after the 2011 revolt, Morsi was overthrown in mid-2013 by general-turned-president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi following mass protests against him.

Morsi was immediately arrested after he was overthrown. He then received lengthy jail sentences related to other charges, including two high-profile espionage cases. Tuesday&#39;s court ruling means he no longer faces execution.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Morsi was sentenced to death in June 2015 in connection with a mass jail break during the 2011 uprising

Egypt's Court of Cassation on Tuesday overturned a death sentence against deposed President Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood and ordered a retrial. Morsi was sentenced to death in June 2015 in connection with a mass jail break during the country's 2011 uprising. The first president to be democratically elected after the 2011 revolt, Morsi was overthrown in mid-2013 by general-turned-president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi following mass protests against him. Morsi was immediately arrested after he was overthrown. He then received lengthy jail sentences related to other charges, including two high-profile espionage cases. Tuesday's court ruling means he no longer faces execution. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Egypt court overturns death sentence against former president Mohammed Morsi

The International Crimes Tribunal awarded death sentence to three and life imprisonment to five others on Monday, as they were found guilty of war crimes during Bangladesh&#39;s war of independence in 1971. 
 
The suspects from Jamalpur region were accused of murder, abduction, torture, arson and loot.&nbsp;The court said in its verdict that charges against three of them have been proven beyond doubt. 
 
&quot;We have just received the verdict for the case concerning the crime committed in then Mahkuma (sub-division) of Jamalpur in 1971, we had eight accused persons in this case and we got 100 per cent conviction that is all eight of them are found guilty for the offences committed. However, as per as the sentencing is concerned, out of eight only three got death penalty and the rest of five got life imprisonment,&quot; said Tureen Afroz, a prosecutor, in Dhaka. 
 
The verdict comes as the Muslim-majority nation suffers a surge in militant violence in which atheist bloggers, academics, religious minorities and foreign aid workers have been killed. 
 
The government has blamed the increase in Islamist violence on Jamaat-e-Islami, but the group denies any link to the attacks. 
 
In May 2016, Bangladesh hanged an Islamist party leader, Motiur Rahman Nizami, for genocide and other crimes committed during the war, drawing an angry reaction and some scattered violence from supporters. 
 
Nizami, head of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was executed at Dhaka Central jail just after midnight after the Bangladesh Supreme Court rejected his final plea against a death sentence imposed by a special tribunal for genocide, rape and orchestrating the massacre of intellectuals during the war. 
 
About three million people were killed, official figures show, and thousands of women were raped, during the nine-month war, in which some factions, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, opposed the break from what was then called west Pakistan. 
 
(Reuters)

Five others were given life imprisonment. The suspects from Jamalpur region were accused of murder, abduction, torture and loot

The International Crimes Tribunal awarded death sentence to three and life imprisonment to five others on Monday, as they were found guilty of war crimes during Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971. The suspects from Jamalpur region were accused of murder, abduction, torture, arson and loot. The court said in its verdict that charges against three of them have been proven beyond doubt. "We have just received the verdict for the case concerning the crime committed in then Mahkuma (sub-division) of Jamalpur in 1971, we had eight accused persons in this case and we got 100 per cent conviction that is all eight of them are found guilty for the offences committed. However, as per as the sentencing is concerned, out of eight only three got death penalty and the rest of five got life imprisonment," said Tureen Afroz, a prosecutor, in Dhaka. The verdict comes as the Muslim-majority nation suffers a surge in militant violence in which atheist bloggers, academics, religious minorities and foreign aid workers have been killed. The government has blamed the increase in Islamist violence on Jamaat-e-Islami, but the group denies any link to the attacks. In May 2016, Bangladesh hanged an Islamist party leader, Motiur Rahman Nizami, for genocide and other crimes committed during the war, drawing an angry reaction and some scattered violence from supporters. Nizami, head of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was executed at Dhaka Central jail just after midnight after the Bangladesh Supreme Court rejected his final plea against a death sentence imposed by a special tribunal for genocide, rape and orchestrating the massacre of intellectuals during the war. About three million people were killed, official figures show, and thousands of women were raped, during the nine-month war, in which some factions, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, opposed the break from what was then called west Pakistan. (Reuters)

Bangladesh: Three awarded death penalty for 1971 war crimes

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