14 hanged as Afghan government returns to executions < br />

2012-11-22 06:51:32 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- At least fourteen Afghans have been executed by hanging so far this week, and two more are due to be executed soon, officials said on Wednesday, ending a four-year virtual moratorium on the use of the death penalty which was common during the rule of the Taliban regime.

Eight men were executed on Tuesday and six more were hanged on Wednesday after Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed off on their death warrants. He has also signed the death warrants of two other prisoners who are expected to be hanged at an undisclosed location within the next few days.

It was not immediately clear what prompted the sudden surge of executions, which marks the end of a four year period during which only two people were executed. Executions in Afghanistan have been infrequent since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001, but some 200 prisoners are believed to be on death row.

"The Afghan government's near total moratorium on the death penalty in recent years was a major departure from Taliban rule," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The eight hangings in a single day are a terrible step backwards for Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai should stop future executions and commit to a formal moratorium."

Human Rights Watch said the Afghan legal system routinely fails to meet international fair trial standards, making Afghanistan's use of the death penalty especially troubling. The men who were executed this week were said to have been convicted of murder, rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, and robbery.

Prior to Tuesday, the last executions took place in June 2011 when two men were hanged after being convicted of participating in an attack on a bank in eastern Afghanistan that resulted in the deaths of 38 people. Several people were executed in 2008, fifteen people were executed by firing squad at a prison in Kabul in 2007, and one execution took place in 2004.

Other human rights organizations and governments also condemned the spate of executions, which is likely to please many Afghans who often complain that the death penalty is necessary to serve as a deterrent against serious crime. "The death penalty should never be used to achieve political gain or popularity," said Polly Truscott, Asia-Pacific Deputy Director at Amnesty International.

Truscott added: "President Karzai would earn much higher credibility if he made greater effort to ensure the rule of law in Afghanistan where detainees are frequently tortured, the judiciary has little independence and serious human rights violations and crimes often go unpunished."

The European Union Delegation to Afghanistan, in a statement also supported by the governments of Norway and Switzerland, expressed its "serious concern" over the executions. "The European Union is opposed to the use of capital punishment in all cases and under any circumstances," the delegation said in its statement.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-11-22

" Human Rights Watch said the Afghan legal system routinely fails to meet international fair trial standards, making Afghanistan's use of the death penalty especially troubling."

Is this crew serious ? Do they know what they are on about ? Nothing in Afghan meets "international fair standards ". Police, military, hotels, toilets and hamburgers all fail miserably. And the Afghan is one place that does indeed need the use of the death penalty. Tree huggers should stick to what they do best. Hug trees.

^^^^^^, cheers, saved me the bother of typing it.

Good to see a country not bound by European human rights BS.

Would also like to congratulate India for the hanging it carried out the other day.

Who the hell is this prick from the European Union, who is he speaking on behalf of?

Certainly not me, he should piss off back to Brussels and shuffle some paperwork around.

Well it seems they really have implemented a US style of government. It is laughable that groups and nations are expressing their horror over this yet say nothing when another guy in the States fries in the chair. Its true however what those that complain say, it is not the mark of a civilised society, far far too many innocent people have been executed in the name of justice.

Edited November 22, 201213 yr by GentlemanJim

I for one wonder if a repressive government could use the death penalty to further its dastardly deeds. Couldn,t happen in Afganistan as the Coalition of Western Nations would be supporting a bunch of Murderers.and that would look bad. Vengence and Political gain seemed to have not been considered by posts 2@3.

Well it seems they really have implemented a US style of government. It is laughable that groups and nations are expressing their horror over this yet say nothing when another guy in the States fries in the chair. Its true however what those that complain say, it is not the mark of a civilised society, far far too many innocent people have been executed in the name of justice.

Just can't help taking a dig at the US. So before the US got involved there was no death penalty in Afghanistan and for that matter prior to the US there was no death penalty? It was 'invented' by the US?

Perhaps you could ask your country to stay in Afghanistan and they can negotiate with the gov't about appropriate penalties.

Well it seems they really have implemented a US style of government. It is laughable that groups and nations are expressing their horror over this yet say nothing when another guy in the States fries in the chair. Its true however what those that complain say, it is not the mark of a civilised society, far far too many innocent people have been executed in the name of justice.

Just can't help taking a dig at the US. So before the US got involved there was no death penalty in Afghanistan and for that matter prior to the US there was no death penalty? It was 'invented' by the US?

Perhaps you could ask your country to stay in Afghanistan and they can negotiate with the gov't about appropriate penalties.

Oh no. That would require, "blood and treasure" The world is content to watch the USA pour billions of dollars in humanitarian aid into a country that is a good friend of EU hand wringers.

Lets keep it on Afghanistan shall we? That is the topic of discussion here. thanks