Friday, July 25, 2014

Did Malaysia execute Alaggandiran a/l Vellu in March 2014?

Perusing the Hands Off Cain website, I came across this news --- is it true?

Malaysia is very 'secretive' - they do not openly report executions - really odd as one of the reasons for maintaining the death penalty is deterrence - How will it deter people if we are not made aware of executions...

The last AI Report said that Malaysia executed 2 in 2013 - but unfortunately when I checked with AI, there seems to be no source of that information, and as such I would take it as there have been no executions..

Malaysia has indeed stopped carrying out executions ...and there has been an ongoing review possibly towards abolition being undertaken - naturally during such a review process, executions would be put on hold - and rightly the numbers on death row will swell - now about 930 are on death row... In 2012, it was also reported that 'based on the appeals between 2001 and Aug 31 this year, 41 death row prisoners were pardoned, with six having their death sentence commuted to life imprisonment, 33 to set terms of imprisonment, one released earlier and another released immediately.'

So, Malaysia is serious about the review and death penalty hopefully would soon be no more in Malaysia...

Hence, the alleged execution of Alaggandiran a/l Vellu is odd - I will investigate further and revert later... with the truth.. 

May 28, 2014: In March 2014, Alaggandiran a/l Vellu was executed after being convicted of murder, said the Malaysian Bar. Allaggandiran, also known as Chellah, was charged with the offence of murder for causing the death of a 16-year-old boy, Vikneswaran a/l Nagapan, on 5 May 1999. He was found guilty and sentenced to death by learned High Court judge Shah Alam, and his sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeal on 12 October 2009. (Sources: email from Malaysian Bar, 28/05/2014) - Hands Off Cain 

 930 on death row as of Aug 31, says Abu Seman

KUALA LUMPUR: A total 930 death row prisoners were in jails in the country as of Aug 31, their cases pending appeal in the courts and a decision of the Pardons Board, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Abu Seman Yusop said these prisoners had been convicted of various offences, among them drug trafficking, murder, kidnap and offences related to firearms and national security. 
He was replying to a question from Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor) on the latest statistics of death row prisoners in the country.   
Abu Seman said the appeals of 725 of the prisoners were at the appeal process in the courts while the rest were awaiting a decision of the Pardons Board.  
He said that based on the appeals between 2001 and Aug 31 this year, 41 death row prisoners were pardoned, with six having their death sentence commuted to life imprisonment, 33 to set terms of imprisonment, one released earlier and another released immediately. 
Replying to a supplementary question from Karpal Singh, Abu Seman said the government had no plan to dispose of the mandatory death sentence. 
To another supplementary question, from Mohd Nor Othman (BN-Hulu Terengganu), he said the government had no plan to bill costs to repeat offenders as the number of such offenders was small. -- BERNAMA - New Straits Times, 10/10/2012, 930 on death row as of Aug 31, says Abu Seman

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