Penalty

EU, Spain and Germany, as well as rights groups, condemn law to execute Palestinian convicted terroristsA vote in the Israeli Knesset approving a bill sanctioning the execution of Palestinians convicted on terror charges for deadly attacks, but not Jewish extremists accused of similar crimes, has been greeted with widespread international condemnation.“The death penalty bill in Israel is very concerning to us in the EU,” the EU spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said in Brussels. “This is a clear step backwards – the introduction of the death penalty, together with the discriminatory nature of the law. Continue reading...

Doug Evans, a former prosecutor, removed nearly all Black jurors in Terry Pitchford’s 2006 trial, raising legal questionsThe supreme court is hearing arguments on Tuesday about racial bias in jury selection in a death penalty case stemming from Mississippi.Doug Evans, a now-retired prosecutor, removed all but one Black person from a jury that convicted Terry Pitchford of capital murder in 2006. The judge, Joseph Loper, allowed the juror strikes and Mississippi’s supreme court upheld the conviction. Continue reading...

Knesset approves measure that has been criticised by European nations and rights groupsIsrael’s parliament has passed a law imposing the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of fatal attacks, a measure sharply criticised as discriminatory by European nations and rights groups.The legislation makes the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank found guilty of intentionally carrying out deadly attacks deemed acts of terrorism by a military court. Continue reading...