AI Index: MDE 31/013/2007
UPDATE
10 August 2007
Further Information on UA 79/05 (MDE 31/003/2005, 5 April 2005) and follow-ups (MDE 31/004/2005, 6 April 2005; MDE 31/008/2007, 1 August 2007; MDE 31/010/2007, 08 August 2007) – Fear of imminent execution
YEMEN
Hafez Ibrahim (m), age unclear
Relatives of the victim of the murder for which Hafez Ibrahim has been sentenced to death have agreed to a stay of execution until after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which ends in mid-October. According to the Shariah law rule of qisas (retribution), family members of a murder victim are entitled to seek the execution of the person responsible. Alternatively, they may pardon them, freely or in exchange for diya (compensation). The victim’s family have previously refused to pardon Hafez Ibrahim, and he therefore remains in grave danger of execution.
President ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Saleh has reportedly appointed a committee to clarify Hafez Ibrahim’s age at the time that the crime of which he has been convicted was committed. Under Article 31 of the Yemeni penal code, if the age of the defendant is not certain, then the trial judge must determine it with the assistance of an expert.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: If possible, please send another message within the month. Alternatively, consider asking someone in your community to respond to this appeal as well as, or instead of, writing again yourself.
– Welcome the stay of execution granted to Hafez Ibrahim and the appointment of a committee to clarify Hafez Ibrahim’s age, and urge the President to commute his death sentence;
– Urge the President to commute all outstanding death sentences and establish a moratorium on executions, with a view to completely abolishing the death penalty, as called for by Paragraph 5(b) of resolution 2001/68 of the Commission on Human Rights.
APPEALS TO:
His Excellency General ´Ali ´Abdullah Saleh
President of the Republic of Yemen
Sana’a
Republic of Yemen
Fax: 011 967 127 4147
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO two or more of the following:
His Excellency Dr. Abdulla Abdulwali NASHER
Ambassador for Yemen
54 Chamberlain Avenue
Ottawa, Ontario K1S 1V9
Fax: (613) 729-8915
E-mail: info@yemenincanada.ca <mailto:info@yemenincanada.ca>
His Excellency ‘Abdullah al-Ulufi
Office of Attorney General
Sana’a, Republic of Yemen
Fax: 011 967 137 4412
Salutation: Your Excellency
His Excellency Dr Rashid Muhammad al-‘Alimi
Ministry of Interior
Sana’a, Republic of Yemen
Fax: 011 967 1 332 511
Salutation: Your Excellency
Her Excellency Houda ‘Ali ‘Abdullatif al-Baan
Ministry for Human Rights
Sana’a, Republic of Yemen
Faxes: 011 967 1 444 838
Salutation: Your Excellency
Thank you for your continued focus on Hafez Ibrahim.