Lagos — Ten Nigerians including eight others from Chad and Egypt were reportedly executed by firing-squad by the Libyan government last Sunday. Already, Amnesty International (AI) has condemned the reported execution.
Daily Champion gathered that Cerene, a newspaper closely affiliated with Saif al-Islam al-Gaddafi, son of Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi, reported that the 18 were executed after being convicted of premeditated murder.
But AI in a statement said: "Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, as the ultimate form of cruel and inhuman punishment and a violation of the right to life," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's director for the Middle East and North Africa.
In the case of Libya, we fear that death sentences are handed down after proceedings which fail to satisfy international standards for fair trial."
Fourteen people were executed in the capital, Tripoli, Cerene reported, while the four other executions were carried out in Benghazi, Libya's second largest city. Though their identities have not been made public by the Libyan authorities, Daily Champion, however gathered that majority of the victims were Nigerians.
A Nigerian who lives in Tripoli and who spoke on the conditions of anonymity said: "At least 10 Nigerians are among those that were executed. There are over 50 Nigerians awaiting execution. Some of them were convicted on flimsy reasons," our source said:
More than 200 people are currently on death row in Libya, the Cerene report said. They include a large number of foreign nationals against whom the death penalty appears to be used disproportionately. They are often not provided with interpretation or translation assistance during legal proceedings, which are conducted in Arabic, or access to their own government's consular representatives.
Foreign nationals are also at a disadvantage compared to Libyans in seeking commutation of their death sentences because they generally have limited financial means and lack a family network in Libya that can assist them by negotiating with the family of their alleged victim.
In cases of qisas (retribution for murder) and diya (financial compensation or blood money), the murder victim's next-of-kin may agree to pardon the person convicted and under sentence of death in return for financial compensation.
To date, the Libyan government has resisted moves towards the abolition of the death penalty. In December 2007 and 2008, Libya was among the minority of states that voted against successful United Nations General Assembly resolutions calling for a worldwide moratorium on executions.
"The Libyan authorities must declare a moratorium on executions and join the international trend towards abolition of the death penalty," said Malcolm Smart of the Amnesty International.
"They should also commute the sentences of all those on death row. Last Sunday's dreadful events should not be repeated. The authorities should reveal the identities of the 18 people who were executed and vow to desist from further executions."
Amnesty International urged Libya to ensure that the most rigorous internationally-recognized standards for fair trial are respected, particularly in death penalty cases.
"It is unconscionable that people may still be sentenced to death and executed in Libya after trials which fail to meet the highest international standards," Smart said.
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Am a Nigerian, but didn't pity the excuted Nigerians. Because, that punishment serve them right for seeking greener pasture(in this case death by execution) in a foreign country. It serves as a big lesson to others.How I wish other countries are metting same punishment to our citizens that leave Nigeria out of laziness. Which is better: To remain poor & suffer in ur country or to be punished in any form in another country? Penny wise, pound foolish.
Francis Mao, I am greatly sucked to read your post regarding the execution of your fellow Nigerians, my fellow Africans so to speak. You have made it clear to the entire world that you are not only an ignorant person but also some one not educated. Yes, you may be able to read and write simple english but to me you are one of the uneducated Africans who knows nothing about the world. Leaving Nigeria doesn't mean that they are lazy individuals but shows the opposite. I see them as very ambitious, hard working personalities who left their country to look for greener pasture. It is just unfortunate that they were caught in a situation where they could not speak the language of the land which is Arabic, have little or no idea about the laws of the land (although ingnorance of the law is no one's fault)and also no money or connection in the country to prepare for their defense in the courts. As a result, they were presumealy found guilty. I hope Nigeria government take up this issue with Libya and demand some explaination. May their sould REST IN PERFECT PEACE. AMEN
We "Africans" should stop destroying each one another, or giving the chances to our enemies to destroy us in Africa. If an enemy want to destroy you, that enemy goes through some one that knows you very well. So, eventhough we are all Africans; we MUST respect each one another, our sovereignties and abide by the rule and laws around Africa. We need to fix Africa for future generations; and not for her to be continue to destroy by evil external forces who wants their generation to dominate others or the rest of the world. Please think about it !!!!!