Fewer numbers this week partly because the events in Washington dominating the news and a number of our regulars away or ill. This week we had three sets of people variously upset with our presence. It would be difficult to summarise their arguments some of which were around the boat people, which is not an issue with Gaza at present, and another claiming we were ‘wasting our time’. Strange to relate how a peaceful protest seems to generate animosity. The government has introduced legislation to limit noisy demonstrations in certain circumstances yet here was a peaceful protest – peaceful as in silent – which upset several people.
The situation is Gaza goes from bad to worse. Over 50,000 are now dead. The Israelis have widened the buffer zone around the strip and turned it into a killing zone. The ceasefire has ended. Netanyahu was welcomed in Washington. All aid has been cut off. A UN study (11 April) has shown that the last 36 Israeli air strikes killed 1,500 all of whom were women and children.
The apparent murder of Red Crescent medical staff has continued to make waves as the false story put out by the IDF has unwound with video and other evidence emerging. A shocking feature was the attempt at cover up and hastily digging a grave and burying the 15 people.
There seems no end in sight. The UK government continues to give support to Israel openly and covertly. The RAF is flying almost daily over the region ostensibly to try and track hostages. About 250 flights have happened in the last 6 months. The question is, if they are carrying out this surveillance (officially called Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, ISR) are they not witnessing war crimes? Clearly, to spot a hostage would require sophisticated kit and it is reasonable to assume it would be capable of witnessing other events. Is this being logged and reported? As the Canadian researcher who is tracking these flights has said:
“They’re [RAF] in a warzone apparently rife with atrocities, and I think it’s very reasonable to ask if they’ve been witness to any war crimes, if they’ve incidentally collected intelligence that could reasonably believed to involve a war crime, and if so, what is their process to deal with that? If they don’t yet want to talk about what they’ve been doing for the past six months for truly operational security reasons, they already told us they would be operating there 6 months ago, they should be able to assure us their process is sound vis-a-vis unintentional intelligence collection involving/witnessing atrocities.”
These are serious questions for the UK government to answer.
We are pleased to attach our minutes of the group’s meeting in April thanks to group member Lesley for preparing them and for various group members submitting reports for inclusion. They are a kind of ‘hybrid’ style of minutes as they contain narrative material which we hope readers will find of interest. At the end you will find a short list of upcoming events the group will be running or participating in.
The report highlights a sharp increase in numbers executed – the highest level since 2015 – but the number of countries holds steady. Amnesty has recorded 1,518 executions in 2024 a 32% increase over the previous year. A problem with producing statistics of this nature is that countries who are major users of the penalty, keep their figures a secret. China for example, believed to be the world’s largest executioner with thousands of its citizens executed each year – does not publish figures regarding them as a state secret. Another secretive nation is Vietnam where, similarly, the numbers are a state secret, and Belarus and Laos who release limited information. The figures are accordingly a minimum estimate of the actual numbers executed. The full report can be accessed here (pdf).
The penalty is not solely used to put to death people who have committed serious crime, but is used as a repressive tool. Saudi Arabia (image), and Iran, for example use the penalty to stifle dissent, targeting human rights defenders, protestors, dissidents and political opponents. There is also a disproportionate use of the penalty against minorities particularly religious minorities. Iran, which executed no less than 972 individuals last year, uses the penalty to execute those who challenge, or who are perceived to challenge, the Islamic Republic. It is also noted that these regimes have poor levels of justice. Defendants are often tortured to secure confessions and are denied access to lawyers. It is highly likely, not to say probable, that many wholly innocent people lose their lives.
Another trend is the use of the penalty as part of drugs programmes against dealers and users.
There is little sign, and very little evidence, that the penalty is some kind of deterrent, an argument frequently put forward for its retention or return. The leader of UK’s Reform party for example recently called for its reintroduction following the dreadful murder of three little girls which took place in Southport*. YouGov surveys show mixed views among Britons about the penalty. Generally, people are opposed but there is more support for its use among Conservative voters. The strongest support comes from the 65+ age group. Attitudes do change however, following a particularly unpleasant murder of a child, a policeman or as a result of terrorist activity. It was last used in 1964, suspended in 1965, abolished in 1969 and completely abolished in 1998 when treason was removed (different dates in Northern Ireland).
Terrible abuses take place in Somalia with little attention paid by the media
March 2025
The news is filled with the terrible events in Gaza and the resumption of bombing there, the war in Ukraine which, following President Trump’s activities and support for Russia, shows no sign of an equitable or fair resolution, and a possible resumption of hostilities in Lebanon means other conflicts receive little attention. This is true of Somalia on the horn of Africa where corruption and lawlessness are rife.
At South West conference in Exeter of Amnesty groups organised by the City’s Amnesty group, we heard first hand from a Somalian human rights defender Abdalle Mumin (pictured). Entitled Human Rights in Somalia: the Struggle of Defenders in a Dangerous Environment, he gave a detailed description of the severe problems being experienced in that country but which remain largely unreported. His descriptions of being held in an underground cell was chilling.
He explained the power set up in the country which provides valuable background to understanding the politics of repression. There are three centres of power: 1. Al-Shebaab a terrorist organisation with close links to Al-Qaeda 2. the government and 3. the clans of which there seem to be three. All are male dominated and the role of women in the political process is much reduced he said.
Corruption is rife and there is no independent judiciary. Women who are not wanted for some reason or complain too much can be murdered with impunity as there are no investigations carried out. Femicide is frequently practised. There is considerable sexual and gender based violence. The corruption starts with the business of getting into government for which a bribe of around $1m dollars is required. This has to be paid back of course which is done by purloining food aid and selling it off, accepting bribes for favours, money laundering and rewarding friends and family.
‘Terrorism and corruption are like brother and sister‘
This corrupt state of affairs can be kept going because attempts to publish stories is difficult. Many journalists are murdered: 85 in the period 1991 – 2024. There is also straightforward intimidation of news outlets by all the parties with many being closed. There are heavy restriction on human rights groups. This has now become the standard playbook for authoritarian and dictatorial regimes.
Foreign interventions he described as ‘confused’. Much aid in recent times is tied to resource extraction and there is an emphasis on security over human rights. Different agencies have different agendas making offering concerted help difficult.
There has been a huge displacement of population with around 2.9m affected. 80% of children do not receive an education and girls none at all in the rural areas because of the influence of Al-Shabaab.
Altogether a grim tale and finding hope is difficult. The problem in Somalia and in much of sub-Saharan Africa is the battle for resources. Countries desperate for minerals, oil and rare earth metals are concerned only to extract what they can and they show little regard for human rights. Their activities fuel the corruption since mining is impossible without the say so and bribes of one or all the various powers in the country. Abdalle Mumin himself was some kind of inspiration however. Despite the difficulties and the risks he faces – which include death from people unconstrained by law or justice – he was both inspiring and uplifting not to say humbling. Amnesty members present in Exeter were grateful for his talk.
One of the issues with the death penalty is that mistakes cannot be rectified. Once someone has been executed, they cannot be brought back to life. The case of Richard Glossip has shown that flaws in the legal process can deliver poor justice. The Supreme Court’s decision to vacate his death sentence is welcome news and the change of heart of some of the people involved is welcome.
Mr Glossip was convicted and sentenced to death in the 1997 killing in Oklahoma City of his former boss, motel owner Barry Van Treese, in what prosecutors have alleged was a murder-for-hire scheme.
The prosecution’s star witness was Glossip’s co-defendant, Justin Sneed, who admitted to robbing and killing Van Treese but testified he only did so after Glossip promised to pay him $10,000. Mr Sneed was given a life sentence in exchange for testifying against Mr Glossip. He had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and had been taking medication, but denied it during the trial. Mr Glossip’s prosecutors knew the truth but did not correct the false evidence in the course of the trial. Mr Sneed later recanted his claim, Mr Glossip has always maintained his innocence and there was no physical evidence.
The US Supreme Court Ruling
On 25th February, in a 5:3 decision, the US Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Mr Glossip because errors committed by prosecutors violated his constitutional rights, invoking the 14th Amendment’s right to due process.
Response of Attorney General Gentner Drummond to US Supreme Court’s overturning of Richard Glossip’s Conviction
In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to vacate Richard Glossip’s 2004 death sentence, public officials and advocates have expressed strong reactions. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond acknowledged the significance of the ruling, stating, “Our justice system is greatly diminished when an individual is convicted without a fair trial, but today we can celebrate that a great injustice has been swept away.”
While maintaining his belief that Mr. Glossip is not innocent, AG Drummond emphasized that “it is now an undeniable fact that he did not receive a fair trial.” He committed to reviewing the high court’s ruling and determining “the most appropriate course of action to ensure justice is secured for all involved” and that he would work with Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna to determine the next steps in Mr. Glossip’s case. “She and I will collaborate together with our staffs and will review the evidence with fresh eyes and interview those witnesses that would be available to us to make a determination whether we should proceed seeking again the death penalty, whether we should proceed seeking life without the opportunity for parole, or if we should proceed with a lesser charged crime.”
“Our justice system is greatly diminished when an individual is convicted without a fair trial, but today we can celebrate that a great injustice has been swept away.” (Source: Death Penalty Information Center)
Response of Don Knight, Mr Glossip’s Attorney
“We are thankful that a clear majority of the Court supports long-standing precedent that prosecutors cannot hide critical evidence from defense lawyers and cannot stand by while their witnesses knowingly lie to the jury. Today was a victory for justice and fairness in our judicial system. Rich Glossip, who has maintained his innocence for 27 years, will now be given the chance to have the fair trial that he has always been denied”.
Chair of Pardon & Parole Board speaking out against death penalty and the system in Oklahoma
Adam Luck, the former Chairman of Oklahoma’s Board of Pardons and Parole and former member of the Oklahoma Board of Corrections, is now speaking out against the death penalty in Oklahoma. Explaining his change of heart, Mr. Luck cites to his first-hand experience with flaws in Oklahoma’s capital punishment system, including botched executions, and his deep Christian faith. “Having the unique experience of voting on the life of another human being forced me to consider the implications of my faith in ways I never had before,” Mr. Luck said.
During his time as Chairman, Mr. Luck presided over clemency hearings for five death row prisoners, including Julius Jones and Bigler Stouffer, and supported clemency in each case. He also points to the alarming number of death row exonerations — at least 200 nationally, with 11 in Oklahoma alone — as evidence that the justice system condemns innocent people to death. “For a place that has more churches per capita than almost any other place in the world, to also have a greater percentage of its population behind prison walls than almost any place in the world inherently holds some contradictions.”
“I am convinced that the death penalty is deeply flawed, I am committed to working towards ending it wherever it is still practiced, and I believe conversations within the Christian faith practice will be critical in making progress towards that end.”
Action
Please write to Governor J Kevin Stitt expressing your delight at the good news that the US Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for Richard Glossip, and the hope that he will now receive justice.
Please also express concern at the miscarriage of justice which has resulted in his spending over 20 years on death row, highlighting in addition the recent statement by the former Chair of the Pardon & Parole Board regarding the death penalty itself and the serious problems with its use in Oklahoma.
You may like to include the hope that the investigations that will now be conducted might result in the conclusion that Richard Glossip is innocent and should be exonerated, with no further trial necessary.
Please send a copy of your letter to Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
The 27 January, was Holocaust Memorial Day. We remember the millions of Jews, Romanies, Sinti and others who were murdered in a variety of camps in Germany and occupied Poland. Around 6 million Jews were murdered by the Nazis.
Reform calls for return of death penalty for Southport murderer
January 2025
Following the horrific murder of three young girls in Southport last year and the attempted murder of others, the man who committed the murders, Axel Rudakubana, was sentenced this week to 52 years in custody before he can be considered for parole. He could not be sentenced to a whole life tariff because he was 17 at the time he committed the crime and such a sentence cannot be passed on someone below the age of 18.
As is normal in cases of crimes of this gravity which deeply shocked the nation, there are some who call
for the return of the death penalty. This was kicked off this week by the Reform party currently doing well in the polls. They have called for a debate on the issue although it is clear from the chief whip Lee Anderson MP, he is keen for the penalty to be restored. The Labour MP for Southport, Patrick Hurley, said the sentence ‘was not severe enough’.
“This animal has no right to breathe the same air as the rest of us” Lee Anderson MP [Daily Express]
This came up on today’s Any Questions (24 January) programme on BBC Radio 4 and Any Answers was substantially devoted to the topic. The answers were interesting and there did seem a majority in favour for its return. The presenter of the programme, Anita Anand asked several times about mistakes. If you have executed someone and discover a mistake some years later it is too late to undo it. Answers mostly seemed to base themselves on the availability now of DNA inferring that this provides some kind of guarantee of correctness. She also questioned the deterrent claims by pointing out that several North American states maintain the penalty but studies show no link to a reduction in violent crime as a result. One person tried to say that violent crime has increased since the death penalty was abolished in the ’60s. As Anand pointed out, it hasn’t and the murder rate has remained fairly consistent for many years. There did seem to be a touching faith in the justice system not making mistakes because we have DNA evidence now. Have they not heard of Andrew Malkinson, released after 17 years for a crime he did not commit?
One feature which came up was cost. Several people phoned in to say keeping him incarcerated for 52 years or more will be very expensive (someone had done a calculation). Whereas they argued, an execution would be over and done with. A few argued he would have time in prison to reflect on his crime.
A high degree of emotion and disgust at crimes as serious and heinous as this is to be expected. The moral argument did not make an appearance however and whether it is right for the state to take someone’s life. One thought it might make him a martyr.
A lot of the debate focused on how do you stop this kind of thing happening in the first place. Young men (it mostly is) sat in their rooms downloading violent material including the al Qaeda training manual. He bought his knife just days before from Amazon. It is reported today that he deleted his search history and if Google, Facebook, X et al decline to release details from their servers, it could take years through the American courts to retrieve the information. Finding out the source of his rage may take years.
Death penalty sentence against Pakhshan Aziz has been upheld
January 2025
Iran is a country which executes a large number of its citizens and possibly as many as 1000 have been put to death last year, some in secret [WARNING: the link has distressing details]. This followed an estimated 853 executed in 2023. This makes Ian one of the world’s leading executioners. We attach details of one recent case which is an urgent action. It concerns Pakhshan Aziz (pictured) who’s appeal has been turned down and is at risk of execution. She was tried for peaceful humanitarian and human rights activities. She is from the oppressed Kurdish minority and received a grossly unfair trial. She only met her lawyers at the trial itself. There are allegations of torture which have not been investigated. Full information and a suggested letter are attached.
Following the Women, Life, Freedom uprising, the authorities have increased the number of executions. It includes executions of ethnic minorities including Baluchis and Kurds. You can write to Embassy in Brussels remembering to add your address on the back of the envelop. Ignore the September date on the Action. We hope you find time to write using the sample letter or your own words.
Humanist sentenced to 24 years for blasphemy is released
January 2025
We are delighted to report that Mubarak Bala has been released from prison in Nigeria having been sentenced to 24 years for the ‘crime’ of blasphemy. Two members of the Salisbury Amnesty group attended a demonstration outside the Nigerian Embassy in London organised by the Humanists.
Mubarak, President of the Nigerian Humanist Association, was arrested under Sharia law in Kano state for peacefully expressing humanist beliefs on Facebook. He was denied access to his legal team and his family and at times feared for his life.
Humanists International and Humanists UK campaigned for his release and meetings were held with Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ministers, they staged a protest outside the Nigerian Embassy (pictured) and raised his case at the UN Human Rights Council. His case was raised on many occasions in parliament. The Nigerian Court of Appeal reduced his sentence to 5 years but the Humanists argued for his immediate and unconditional release. After four and a half years, he has now been released. He still fears for his life.
Twelve countries still have the death penalty for the so-called crime of blasphemy. Other countries will imprison such people. It encourages mobs to act violently against those who allegedly cause ‘religious offence’. The Humanists will continue to act for the repeal of all blasphemy laws.
Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 