Middle East Death Penalty Project
Donation protected
In April I start a legal internship in East Jerusalem with aid charity Reprieve, who offer free legal and investigative support to people facing execution worldwide.
In Autumn 2015 I worked as a Casework Volunteer for Reprieve's Middle East and North Africa [MENA] team and during this internship I will be continuing this at a local level. I will primarily be supporting our MENA Casework Officer and Reprieve fellow, Soraya Bauwens, on a number of our ongoing cases including Ibrahim Halawa currently on trial in Egypt, Andaragachew Tsege held incommunicado in Ethiopia and Abdul Basit, a paraplegic facing execution in Pakistan.
The placement will support also our recent work with the UNODC, as part of our Stop Aid for Executions Project (SAFE) that aims to break the link between UK Aid and executions from Drug Offences in the so called “Golden Crescent”.
During my time at Reprieve, I worked on a series of long-term investigations into Pakistan’s judicial system, [where the death penalty was reinstated in December 2014] and who executed more than 300 people in 2015 alone. I also contributed to our two milestone reports on Saudi Arabia and Egypt , which highlighted the role of the death penalty as an integrated mechanism in perpetuating oppression: this included examining both countries lack of observance of international law and standards in relation to arrest, detention and trials and treatment of prisoners.
During the three months of the placement, I will be supporting myself entirely with savings from university and ad hoc jobs in London since graduation – to cover living expenses, travel, food and everything in between.
I need to raise at least £3,000 between now and mid April.
Two of Reprieve’s most important recent cases involve two juveniles on death row in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia: Aftab Bahadur and Ali al-Nimr. Aftab who was sentenced to death as a child. Despite clear evidence of his innocence, and in violation of international and Pakistani law, Aftab was executed on Wednesday 10th June 2015 in the early hours of the morning. Pakistan executed more than 300 people in 2015 alone.
Ali was just 17 years old when he was sentenced to death by crucifixion in Saudi Arabia in the wake of the Arab Spring pro-democracy uprising. Ali was accused of participation in an illegal demonstration and a large number of other offences including “explaining how to give first aid to protestors”. Ali was tortured and forced to sign a false confession. He was sentenced to ‘death by crucifixion,’ which in Saudi Arabia involves beheading and public display of the body. Ali’s final appeal was held in secret, without his knowledge. Ali can be crucified at any time.
In Autumn 2015 I worked as a Casework Volunteer for Reprieve's Middle East and North Africa [MENA] team and during this internship I will be continuing this at a local level. I will primarily be supporting our MENA Casework Officer and Reprieve fellow, Soraya Bauwens, on a number of our ongoing cases including Ibrahim Halawa currently on trial in Egypt, Andaragachew Tsege held incommunicado in Ethiopia and Abdul Basit, a paraplegic facing execution in Pakistan.
The placement will support also our recent work with the UNODC, as part of our Stop Aid for Executions Project (SAFE) that aims to break the link between UK Aid and executions from Drug Offences in the so called “Golden Crescent”.
During my time at Reprieve, I worked on a series of long-term investigations into Pakistan’s judicial system, [where the death penalty was reinstated in December 2014] and who executed more than 300 people in 2015 alone. I also contributed to our two milestone reports on Saudi Arabia and Egypt , which highlighted the role of the death penalty as an integrated mechanism in perpetuating oppression: this included examining both countries lack of observance of international law and standards in relation to arrest, detention and trials and treatment of prisoners.
During the three months of the placement, I will be supporting myself entirely with savings from university and ad hoc jobs in London since graduation – to cover living expenses, travel, food and everything in between.
I need to raise at least £3,000 between now and mid April.
Two of Reprieve’s most important recent cases involve two juveniles on death row in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia: Aftab Bahadur and Ali al-Nimr. Aftab who was sentenced to death as a child. Despite clear evidence of his innocence, and in violation of international and Pakistani law, Aftab was executed on Wednesday 10th June 2015 in the early hours of the morning. Pakistan executed more than 300 people in 2015 alone.
Ali was just 17 years old when he was sentenced to death by crucifixion in Saudi Arabia in the wake of the Arab Spring pro-democracy uprising. Ali was accused of participation in an illegal demonstration and a large number of other offences including “explaining how to give first aid to protestors”. Ali was tortured and forced to sign a false confession. He was sentenced to ‘death by crucifixion,’ which in Saudi Arabia involves beheading and public display of the body. Ali’s final appeal was held in secret, without his knowledge. Ali can be crucified at any time.
Organizer
Oscar Frandsen
Organizer