Death Penalty Moratorium

Raghunandan Yandamuri, a 32- year-old techie and the first death-row Indian-American prisoner's execution may not take place as scheduled on February 23 because of a 2015 moratorium on death penalty by the Pennsylvania Governor, officials said today.

Pakistan has executed 465 prisoners since lifting a moratorium on death penalty in 2014, becoming the "fifth most prolific executioner" in the world, according to an organisation working for prisoners' rights.

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo said he would restore a moratorium on the death penalty if he won the backing of the people, after a spate of executions that drew international condemnation.

India has opposed a UN resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty, saying it goes against Indian law and the sovereign right of countries to determine their own laws and penalties.

A private member resolution was on Friday moved in the Rajya Sabha seeking abolition of capital punishment and an imposition of moratorium on all death sentences till the necessary amendments are made to the existing laws.

Six persons were on Thursday hanged in Pakistan's Punjab province, the third consecutive day of mass executions in the country bringing the total toll to more than 260 since December when a moratorium on death penalties was ended following the Peshawar school carnage.

A Pakistani killer was granted a fourth stay of execution today, with campaigners saying his high-profile case will go to the Supreme Court over claims he was a juvenile when the murder was committed and so can not be put to death.

The interior ministry has directed provincial governments to proceed with hangings for prisoners who had exhausted all avenues of appeal and clemency, a senior interior ministry official told AFP.

Pakistan today hanged a terrorist of a banned anti-Shiite outfit in Lahore after a court upheld the death penalty awarded to him, taking the number of executions in the country since the lifting of the moratorium on capital punishment to 20.

Pakistan on Thursday hanged two militants convicted of murder, bringing to 18 the number of executions it has carried out since it lifted a six-year moratorium on the death penalty in terror related cases following a school massacre last month.

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has issued death warrants against eight terror convicts, weeks after the government lifted a self-imposed moratorium on death penalty in terror related cases following the brazen Peshawar school attack.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon is pressing Pakistan to end capital punishment and restore a moratorium on the death penalty the government lifted in terror cases following a Taliban school massacre.

Pakistan plans to execute around 500 militants in coming weeks, officials said today, after the government lifted a moratorium on the death penalty in terror cases following a Taliban school massacre.

Pakistan on Sunday executed four more militants after ending a six-year old moratorium on the death penalty following a Taliban school attack that killed 149 people, officials said.

Human rights groups took Jordan to task today as the country ended an eight-year moratorium on the death penalty with the hangings of 11 men convicted of murder.

Raghunandan Yandamuri, a 32- year-old techie and the first death-row Indian-American prisoner's execution may not take place as scheduled on February 23 because of a 2015 moratorium on death penalty by the Pennsylvania Governor, officials said today.

Pakistan has executed 465 prisoners since lifting a moratorium on death penalty in 2014, becoming the "fifth most prolific executioner" in the world, according to an organisation working for prisoners' rights.

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo said he would restore a moratorium on the death penalty if he won the backing of the people, after a spate of executions that drew international condemnation.

India has opposed a UN resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty, saying it goes against Indian law and the sovereign right of countries to determine their own laws and penalties.

A private member resolution was on Friday moved in the Rajya Sabha seeking abolition of capital punishment and an imposition of moratorium on all death sentences till the necessary amendments are made to the existing laws.

Six persons were on Thursday hanged in Pakistan's Punjab province, the third consecutive day of mass executions in the country bringing the total toll to more than 260 since December when a moratorium on death penalties was ended following the Peshawar school carnage.

A Pakistani killer was granted a fourth stay of execution today, with campaigners saying his high-profile case will go to the Supreme Court over claims he was a juvenile when the murder was committed and so can not be put to death.

The interior ministry has directed provincial governments to proceed with hangings for prisoners who had exhausted all avenues of appeal and clemency, a senior interior ministry official told AFP.

Pakistan today hanged a terrorist of a banned anti-Shiite outfit in Lahore after a court upheld the death penalty awarded to him, taking the number of executions in the country since the lifting of the moratorium on capital punishment to 20.

Pakistan on Thursday hanged two militants convicted of murder, bringing to 18 the number of executions it has carried out since it lifted a six-year moratorium on the death penalty in terror related cases following a school massacre last month.

A Pakistani anti-terrorism court has issued death warrants against eight terror convicts, weeks after the government lifted a self-imposed moratorium on death penalty in terror related cases following the brazen Peshawar school attack.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon is pressing Pakistan to end capital punishment and restore a moratorium on the death penalty the government lifted in terror cases following a Taliban school massacre.

Pakistan plans to execute around 500 militants in coming weeks, officials said today, after the government lifted a moratorium on the death penalty in terror cases following a Taliban school massacre.

Pakistan on Sunday executed four more militants after ending a six-year old moratorium on the death penalty following a Taliban school attack that killed 149 people, officials said.

Human rights groups took Jordan to task today as the country ended an eight-year moratorium on the death penalty with the hangings of 11 men convicted of murder.