The Hindu : National : Amnesty `disappointed'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 13, 2004

National

National

Amnesty `disappointed'

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 12. The Amnesty International India, a human rights forum, has expressed disappointment over the dismissal of a petition filed by the brother of Dhananjoy Chatterjee seeking a review of the Presidential order rejecting the clemency plea.

In a statement, the organisation said "this execution will end the ad hoc moratorium on death sentences in India since 1997. It is regrettable that the judges of the highest court of justice did not pay heed to the repeated requests of the counsel for the petitioner, Colin Gonsalves to examine the High Court records and give due considerations to the facts of law".

"We feel the inordinate delay in the case when the matter was in High Court, may amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and is violative of the fair trial standards. This order is likely to damage the protection of human rights and ensuring high standards of fair trials. While we are concerned about increasing levels of violence against women, we believe that the death penalty is the ultimate, cruel and degrading punishment and violates the right to life," the statement added.

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