Post by CCADP on Mar 7, 2006 12:23:15 GMT -5
URGENT ACTION APPEAL
06 March 2006
UA 49/06
Death sentence/fear of imminent execution
YEMEN
Adil Muhammad Saif al-Ma'amari (m), aged 21
Adil Muhammad Saif al-Ma'amari is in imminent danger
of execution for a murder committed when he was 16
years old. The Yemeni Penal Code expressly prohibits
the use of the death penalty for crimes committed
before the age of 18. The sentence has now been passed
to President Ali ´Abdullah Saleh for ratification; he
has the power to commute the sentence to a more humane
alternative.
Adil Saif al-Ma'amari was arrested on 27 July 2001,
and in the police station he confessed, allegedly
under torture, to murdering a male relative during an
argument. He was tried at a lower Court in the town of
al Rawna, near Yemen's second city, Taiz. At the start
of the trial he protested that he was under 18. On the
orders of a judge he was examined by a doctor, who
reported on 10 October 2001 that he had not yet passed
his 17th birthday. Article 31 of the Penal Code says
that "any accused under 18 should not be sentenced to
death under any charge," but the court ignored this
and sentenced him to death on 19 October 2002. He had
no legal assistance during the trial.
Yemen ratified the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, which expressly prohibits the execution of
juvenile offenders, in 1991.
Adil Saif al-Ma'amari's appeals were rejected by the
Court of Appeal in Taiz on 23 May 2005, and then by
the Supreme Court on 27 February 2006.
His twin younger brothers, who were 15 at the time,
were arrested with him but released without charge two
months later.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
At least two people have been executed in Yemen so far
this year. Amnesty International has longstanding
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. Many people have been
sentenced to death in spite of concrete evidence that
they were under 18 at the time of the crimes of which
they were convicted.
While Amnesty International recognizes the right and
responsibility of governments to bring to justice
those suspected of recognizably criminal offences, it
is unconditionally opposed to the death penalty in all
cases as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading
treatment, and violation of the right to life.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as
quickly as possible:
- urging the President of Yemen to commute Adil
Muhammad Saif al-Ma'amari's death sentence;
- pointing out that the execution of juvenile
offenders is expressly prohibited by Article 31 of
Yemen's Penal Code, and by the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, which Yemen ratified in 1991;
- calling on the authorities to investigate
allegations that Adil Muhammad Saif al-Ma'amari was
tortured by police to force him to confess;
- acknowledging the right of the government to bring
to justice those responsible for criminal offences,
but expressing unconditional opposition to the death
penalty.
APPEALS TO:
President:
His Excellency General ´Ali ´Abdullah Saleh
President of the Republic of Yemen
Sanaa
Republic of Yemen
Faxes: 011 967 127 4147
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Interior:
His Excellency Dr Rashid Muhammad al-Alimi
Ministry of Interior
Sanaa
Republic of Yemen
Faxes: 011 967 1 332 511
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Human Rights:
Her Excellency Kadijah al-Haysami
Ministry for Human Rights
Sana'a, Republic of Yemen
Faxes: 011 967 1 444 838
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Ambassador Abdulwahab A. Al-Hajjri
Embassy of the Republic of Yemen
2319 Wyoming Ave NW
Washington DC 20008
Ph: 1 202 965 4760
Fax: 1 202 337 2017
Email: ambassador@yemenembassy.org
Please send appeals immediately. Check with the
Colorado office between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain
Time, weekdays only, if sending appeals after 17 April
2006.
** POSTAGE RATES **
(as of January 8, 2006):
Within the United States:
$0.24 - Postcards
$0.39 - Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To Mexico and Canada:
$0.55 - Postcards
$0.63 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
$0.75 - Aerogrammes
To all other destination countries:
$0.75 - Postcards
$0.84 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
$0.75 - Aerogrammes
Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots
movement that promotes and defends human rights.
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
PO Box 1270
Nederland CO 80466-1270
Email: uan@aiusa.org
www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 303 258 1170
Fax: 303 258 7881
----------------------------------
END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
----------------------------------
06 March 2006
UA 49/06
Death sentence/fear of imminent execution
YEMEN
Adil Muhammad Saif al-Ma'amari (m), aged 21
Adil Muhammad Saif al-Ma'amari is in imminent danger
of execution for a murder committed when he was 16
years old. The Yemeni Penal Code expressly prohibits
the use of the death penalty for crimes committed
before the age of 18. The sentence has now been passed
to President Ali ´Abdullah Saleh for ratification; he
has the power to commute the sentence to a more humane
alternative.
Adil Saif al-Ma'amari was arrested on 27 July 2001,
and in the police station he confessed, allegedly
under torture, to murdering a male relative during an
argument. He was tried at a lower Court in the town of
al Rawna, near Yemen's second city, Taiz. At the start
of the trial he protested that he was under 18. On the
orders of a judge he was examined by a doctor, who
reported on 10 October 2001 that he had not yet passed
his 17th birthday. Article 31 of the Penal Code says
that "any accused under 18 should not be sentenced to
death under any charge," but the court ignored this
and sentenced him to death on 19 October 2002. He had
no legal assistance during the trial.
Yemen ratified the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, which expressly prohibits the execution of
juvenile offenders, in 1991.
Adil Saif al-Ma'amari's appeals were rejected by the
Court of Appeal in Taiz on 23 May 2005, and then by
the Supreme Court on 27 February 2006.
His twin younger brothers, who were 15 at the time,
were arrested with him but released without charge two
months later.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
At least two people have been executed in Yemen so far
this year. Amnesty International has longstanding
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. Many people have been
sentenced to death in spite of concrete evidence that
they were under 18 at the time of the crimes of which
they were convicted.
While Amnesty International recognizes the right and
responsibility of governments to bring to justice
those suspected of recognizably criminal offences, it
is unconditionally opposed to the death penalty in all
cases as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading
treatment, and violation of the right to life.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as
quickly as possible:
- urging the President of Yemen to commute Adil
Muhammad Saif al-Ma'amari's death sentence;
- pointing out that the execution of juvenile
offenders is expressly prohibited by Article 31 of
Yemen's Penal Code, and by the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, which Yemen ratified in 1991;
- calling on the authorities to investigate
allegations that Adil Muhammad Saif al-Ma'amari was
tortured by police to force him to confess;
- acknowledging the right of the government to bring
to justice those responsible for criminal offences,
but expressing unconditional opposition to the death
penalty.
APPEALS TO:
President:
His Excellency General ´Ali ´Abdullah Saleh
President of the Republic of Yemen
Sanaa
Republic of Yemen
Faxes: 011 967 127 4147
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Interior:
His Excellency Dr Rashid Muhammad al-Alimi
Ministry of Interior
Sanaa
Republic of Yemen
Faxes: 011 967 1 332 511
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Human Rights:
Her Excellency Kadijah al-Haysami
Ministry for Human Rights
Sana'a, Republic of Yemen
Faxes: 011 967 1 444 838
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Ambassador Abdulwahab A. Al-Hajjri
Embassy of the Republic of Yemen
2319 Wyoming Ave NW
Washington DC 20008
Ph: 1 202 965 4760
Fax: 1 202 337 2017
Email: ambassador@yemenembassy.org
Please send appeals immediately. Check with the
Colorado office between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain
Time, weekdays only, if sending appeals after 17 April
2006.
** POSTAGE RATES **
(as of January 8, 2006):
Within the United States:
$0.24 - Postcards
$0.39 - Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To Mexico and Canada:
$0.55 - Postcards
$0.63 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
$0.75 - Aerogrammes
To all other destination countries:
$0.75 - Postcards
$0.84 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
$0.75 - Aerogrammes
Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots
movement that promotes and defends human rights.
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
PO Box 1270
Nederland CO 80466-1270
Email: uan@aiusa.org
www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 303 258 1170
Fax: 303 258 7881
----------------------------------
END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
----------------------------------