Imminent Execution

URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA

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For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa02509.pdf

Note: Please write on behalf of these persons even though you may not have
received the original UA when issued on January 30, 2009. Thanks!

06 February 2009

Further Information on UA 25/09 (30 January 2009) – Imminent Execution

YEMEN Bashir Sultan Mohamed al-Ja’fari (m), aged 23

Bashir Sultan Mohamed al-Ja’fari, a soldier in the Yemeni army, has had his execution postponed, but may face the death penalty in the next few days. He has exhausted all his appeals after being sentenced to death for murder.

Bashir Sultan Mohamed al-Ja’fari is detained in the military prison in the capital Sana’a. In August 2006, a military court had sentenced him to pay diya (financial compensation, commonly referred to as “blood money”), for the unintentional killing of a fellow soldier. However, in November 2007, a military appeal court increased his sentence to death. The Military Division of the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence in March 2008, and Yemen’s President ratified this sentence seven months later. His execution was scheduled to be carried out on 28 January but has been postponed twice; in each case for a few days.

At least 13 individuals were executed in Yemen in 2008, and hundreds of prisoners are currently detained under sentence of death.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Amnesty International has long-standing concerns about the use of the death penalty in Yemen, particularly as death sentences are often passed after proceedings which fall short of international standards for fair trial. Amnesty International acknowledges the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those suspected of recognizably criminal offenses, but is unconditionally opposed to the death penalty in all cases as the ultimate cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment, and as a violation of the right to life.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- urging the President to commute Bashir Sultan Mohamed al-Ja’fari’s death sentence;
- acknowledging that the government has a right to bring to justice those responsible for criminal offenses, but expressing unconditional opposition to the death penalty;
- reminding the authorities that they are bound by international standards for fair trial in capital cases, including the right to seek pardon or commutation of the sentence;
- urging the President to commute all outstanding death sentences and establish a moratorium on executions, with a view to completely abolishing the death penalty.

APPEALS TO:

President
His Excellency General ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Saleh
Office of the President of the Republic of Yemen
Sana’a
REPUBLIC OF YEMEN
Fax: 011 967 127 4147
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Justice
His Excellency Dr Ghazi Shaif al-Aghbari
Ministry of Justice
Sana’a
REPUBLIC OF YEMEN
Fax: 011 967 1 222 015 (please keep trying)
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Human Rights
Her Excellency Houda ‘Ali ‘Abdullatif al-Baan
Ministry for Human Rights
Sana’a
REPUBLIC OF YEMEN
Fax: 011 967 144 8333
Salutation: Your Excellency

Attorney General
His Excellency ‘Abdullah al-’Ulufi
Office of the Attorney General
Sana’a
REPUBLIC OF YEMEN
Fax: 011 967 137 4412
Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO:

Ambassador Abdulwahab A. Al Hajiri
Embassy of the Republic of Yemen
2319 Wyoming Ave NW
Washington DC 20008
Fax: 1 202 337 2017
Email: ambassador@yemenembassy.org

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 20 March 2009.

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This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop action date (if applicable).
Thank you for your help with this appeal.

Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax: 202.675.8566