Iulia Lupse’s Post

Nearly 50 years ago my brother #TomShipsey and I sent a letter to the #IrishTimes on the #DeathPenalty. It was short and may have seemed overly simple and somewhat trite. The newspaper published it. It read 'why do we kill people who kill people to show that killing people is wrong.' Today, #RichardBranson repeated this sentence on his Instagram post. The first campaign I worked on when I joined #AmnestyIreland in the late 1970's was a campaign to abolish the death penalty in Ireland even though no execution had taken place in Ireland since Michael Manning became the 29th person to be executed in the State in 1954. Ireland and many, many more countries have abolished the Death Penalty in the past 50 years. The trend is one way - towards abolition - but there are still too many countries who use it. Reliable figures are unknown for China but are believed to be in the thousands. Figures are not available either for Afghanistan, North Korea, Palestine, Syria, and Vietnam. Of those where figures are known - but in some cases suspected to be higher - they rank as follows for 2023: Iran 853 Saudi Arabia 172 USA 24 Iraq 16+ Yemen 15+ Egypt 8 Bangladesh 5 Kuwait 5 & Singapore 5. It is important that they are named and thereby shamed. My decision to join Amnesty International and to campaign against the death penalty - and in 1981 to appear and argue as a lawyer at the Penalty Phase of a Death Penalty case in California - was informed and influenced by the sense that it was inherently wrong, barbaric and unjust. The piece of literature that influenced me most and informed my arguments against it was an essay by #AlbertCamus written in #CombatMagazine in 1944 while a member of the French Resistance against the Nazi's in World War 2. Here is a link to the essay - "Neither Victims Nor Executioners" https://lnkd.in/e2KVat8u I still commend it to all who are interested.

Tinubu Can’t Solve Nigeria’s Problems, Even With 300 Years in Power – Deji Adeyanju Deji Adeyanju, a renowned human rights activist and lawyer, has declared that President Bola Tinubu will be unable to change Nigeria’s continued hardship even if he is granted 300 years in office. According to him, the former governor of Lagos State has no solutions to Nigeria’s current problems. Adeyanju labelled Nigeria as an anti-poor people’s nation, criticising the country’s economic situation, particularly under the current leadership. According to FMT BLOG, Adeyanju stated his discontent with the Tinubu government during a recent interview in which he also discussed other matters, such as the arraignment of #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters and the presidential moves of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. When asked about his perception of the current situation in Nigeria, the human rights lawyer said: “This nation, as currently constituted, can be akin to a concentration camp where citizens are forced to stay. And if you doubt me, if you think that Nigeria is not a concentration camp, let’s run a social experiment. “Let the United States of America alone make their country visa-free to Nigerians, and let’s count how many of us will remain. So that is what best describes this nation—a nation where the rich are not paying for doing business, for buying private jets. “But the poor are taxed to pay triple the price, and now quadruple the price of petrol cannot be said to be a nation for poor people. This nation is anti-poor; by and large, it’s an anti-poor people’s nation, so that is my take. In terms of economics and politics, it does not favor the average Nigerian in any way. “So, a nation where minors are being arraigned for terrorism for saying, “We are hungry; this is the reason why we are protesting; please, government should help us; government should stop insecurity. “In response, the government says, ‘Come on, lock them up for 93 days without food, starve them,” and above all, slams them with treasonable felony charges and parades them like common criminals.” “And this is a nation where police chiefs are hustling to take pictures with bandits in Zamfara. They organize an elaborate ceremony, according to them, to integrate Boko Haram members into society. Then you arraign minors in the society for terrorism and treasonable felony charges, so our nation is an irony,” Adeyanju mentioned. “The same Tinubu who just bought a jet is the one you expect to get Nigerians out of hardship? Or is it the Tinubu who proposed a tax bill you’re expecting to reverse his harmful policies? How can things get better under this kind of government? Even if you give Tinubu 300 years, things will never get better” he added. WhatsApp Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Reddit The post Tinubu Can’t Solve Nigeria’s Problems, Even With 300 Years in Power – Deji Adeyanju appeared first on Akelicious.

Nigeria Reverts to Colonial Anthem: Why Bill Passed in Record Time: The Nigerian House of Representatives has set a record for the fastest bill passage in the country’s history. Within minutes,… Read More: Nigeria Reverts to Colonial Anthem: Why Bill Passed in Record Time via #TheCityCeleb

Recently, Nigeria's national anthem was changed by the 'elected' few. I won't be surprised if other national symbols ( the flag, coat of arms, the pledge) are also changed with the same procedure used for the national anthem. In this piece, I opined that a country's national symbols are fundamental matters, and should not be left to the whim of an elected or selected few without the involvement of the people in the process. Unfortunately for Nigeria, there is currently no law that prescribes the elements, details, colour, dimensions etc of the other national symbols (flag, coat of arms and the pledge). Based on the status quo, Nigerians can wake up any day to the news that the elected or selected few have changed the colours of the flag from green and white to purple, blue and yellow. Using the example of the Kenyan Constitution, it is important that details, elements, dimensions etc of our national symbols are stated in the Nigerian Constitution. Absence of proper legislation for our national symbols has subjected them to several abuses. Details of my opinion are provided in this piece.

On September 13, the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 55th session discussed the global efforts to abolish the death penalty, highlighting critical cases and international concerns. Key Points: - Iran: The use of the death penalty in Iran was condemned during an Interactive Dialogue on March 18, 2024, with Chairperson Sara Hossain criticizing the execution of at least nine young protestors. Several countries, including Belgium and Australia, called for a moratorium on executions and an end to the death penalty for drug-related offenses and minors. - Global Concerns: Switzerland expressed regret over the use of nitrogen gas for executions in the U.S., while the EU urged Egypt to suspend executions. Australia commended Ghana and Malaysia for progress toward abolition but criticized countries like Uganda and Yemen, where same-sex relations are punishable by death. - Resolutions: A resolution urging Belarus to launch a national dialogue on a death penalty moratorium was adopted, while multiple nations denounced Iran’s increase in death sentences. - Civil Society Statements: Civil society groups criticized Bangladesh for rejecting death penalty abolition recommendations and called on Cameroon to ratify treaties for human rights protections and address prison overcrowding. These discussions reflect ongoing global efforts to promote human rights and eliminate the death penalty. For more updates on international human rights policies, unlock cutting-edge legal intelligence with a free subscription to our platform — join us today. Visit https://lnkd.in/gZmkUPim to know more. #HumanRights #DeathPenalty #UNHRC #Iran #Belarus #Bangladesh #Abolition #InternationalLaw #GRI

📣 Missed out on last week's legal news related to Palestine? We've got you covered! Here's a list of the most important updates you shouldn't miss: 💭 Researcher Dr. Ralph Wilde publishes a legal paper entitled “Legal Consequences for third States of Israel’s potential breaches of the Genocide Convention in the light of the ICJ’s Provisional Measures Orders in the South Africa v Israel case.” https://lnkd.in/eSujjVc5 💭 UN Special Rapporteur for the Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, commented on the arrest of university students in America and protestors in Europe demonstrating against Israel’s actions in Gaza. She stated, “This sustained, global Palestinian-driven mobilization is a bold new phase in an ongoing wave of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle against Israel’s decades-old system of occupation, apartheid and settler-colonialism.” Albanese emphasized that all peoples “must stand united against all oppression, regardless of the perpetrator and the victim, and for equal rights for all.” ‏https://lnkd.in/eF7VjZhj 💭 A UN expert warned that there was a risk that mental illnesses could manifest themselves years from now among the people of Gaza due to the current conflict. “Of course, we see the physical injury, and because it’s physical, one can appreciate the severity of it,” said Tlaleng Mofokeng, U.N. special rapporteur on the right to health. https://lnkd.in/ey-_dwvd 💭 UNRWA Commissioner General Philppe Lazzarini stated that UNRWA welcomes the findings and recommendations of the independent review on the Agency’s adherence to the humanitarian principle of neutrality. He further added that, “the recommendations of the report will further strengthen our efforts and response during one of the most difficult moments in the history of the Palestinian people.”  ‏https://lnkd.in/dUyXfJ-A

As of August 13, 2024, over 20 individuals have been tragically killed, and more than 2000 people, including minors, have been unlawfully detained without due process in Venezuela. These detainees are reportedly facing charges of betrayal to the country and baseless accusations, with many likely being subjected to torture. Additionally, the extent of forced disappearances remains unknown, as the regime continues to instill terror and fear in the population. Despite these serious challenges, Venezuelans across the globe are standing united. On August 17th, we will once again raise our voices, advocating for the formal commencement of the transition process. Our collective plea is for Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the elected leader, to assume the role of constitutional president of Venezuela for the term 2025-2031. Together, let us continue to amplify our voices and push for justice, democracy, and a brighter future for Venezuela. #JusticeForVenezuela #StandUnited #TransitionForPeace

Rekindling the Flame: A Debate on Nigeria's National Anthem The halls of Nigeria's House of Assembly have echoed with a surprising proposition - the potential reinstatement of the nation's pre-independence anthem, "Nigeria, We Hail Thee" which is sparking a national conversation. Unlike the notoriously glacial pace of Nigerian legislation, this bill has enjoyed an unusually swift passage through the first and second readings, led by House Leader Professor Julius Ihonvbere. However, Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda opposes the bill due to the anthem's perceived "colonial tag." Proponents argue that "Nigeria, We Hail Thee" better reflects Nigeria's pre-colonial heritage and indigenous identity. They believe the current anthem, "Arise, O Compatriots," lacks an "indigenous flair." On the other hand, supporters of the current anthem see it as a symbol of emancipation from a "slave mentality," more accurately capturing the essence of "Nigerianess," fostering unity, service, and national pride. While the debate has merits, it raises questions about priorities. Should the legislature focus on impactful bills addressing pressing social and economic problems or revisit the anthem? The current legislature's priorities should be a more productive use of their time to propose bills that directly improve lives. Rather than wasting time on divisive bills, our legislature should address pressing issues like joblessness, lack of direction, and their inability to propose meaningful bills. It's time for impactful legislation that rises to the occasion. Forging a brighter future for all Nigerians, rather than clinging to the past. #journalism #journalist #media #nigeriadeservesbetter #nationalidentity #unityindiversity #productivelegislation"