This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33074769
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Pakistan executes man who was minor when convicted | Pakistan executes man who was minor when convicted |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Pakistan has executed a man who was 15 when he was sentenced to death for murder and who rights groups say was tortured into confessing. | Pakistan has executed a man who was 15 when he was sentenced to death for murder and who rights groups say was tortured into confessing. |
| Aftab Bahadur was hanged in Lahore's jail early on Wednesday morning, prison officials say. | Aftab Bahadur was hanged in Lahore's jail early on Wednesday morning, prison officials say. |
| Bahadur, a Christian, had been convicted of a double murder in the city in 1992. | |
| The death sentence could be passed on 15-year-olds at the time, although the minimum age was raised to 18 in 2000. | The death sentence could be passed on 15-year-olds at the time, although the minimum age was raised to 18 in 2000. |
| "This is a truly shameful day for Pakistan's justice system. Aftab was subjected to almost every injustice conceivable," said Maya Foa, director from international human rights group Reprieve. | "This is a truly shameful day for Pakistan's justice system. Aftab was subjected to almost every injustice conceivable," said Maya Foa, director from international human rights group Reprieve. |
| "To the last, Pakistan refused even to grant his lawyers the few days needed to present evidence which would have proved his innocence. This is a travesty of justice, and tragedy for all those who knew Aftab," she added. | "To the last, Pakistan refused even to grant his lawyers the few days needed to present evidence which would have proved his innocence. This is a travesty of justice, and tragedy for all those who knew Aftab," she added. |
| Reprieve said Bahadur had been convicted on the basis of testimony from two eyewitnesses. They both later retracted their statements, saying they were made under torture. | Reprieve said Bahadur had been convicted on the basis of testimony from two eyewitnesses. They both later retracted their statements, saying they were made under torture. |
| Executions around the world | Executions around the world |
| What is behind Pakistan's dramatic rise in executions? | |
| The hanging comes a day after the execution of a Pakistani man convicted of manslaughter was postponed at the last moment. | The hanging comes a day after the execution of a Pakistani man convicted of manslaughter was postponed at the last moment. |
| It was the fourth time Shafqat Hussain, who was found guilty of kidnapping and killing a child in 2004, had been given a stay of execution. | It was the fourth time Shafqat Hussain, who was found guilty of kidnapping and killing a child in 2004, had been given a stay of execution. |
| His lawyers say he was 14 when he was charged, and was tortured into making a confession. | His lawyers say he was 14 when he was charged, and was tortured into making a confession. |
| The authorities however say he was 23 when he committed the crime. | The authorities however say he was 23 when he committed the crime. |
| The execution was halted after Pakistan's Supreme Court agreed to consider an appeal. | The execution was halted after Pakistan's Supreme Court agreed to consider an appeal. |
| Pakistan is on course to have one of the highest rates of executions in the world. It executed three other men on the same day that Shafqat Hussain was reprieved and hangings are taking place on an almost daily basis at jails around the country. | |
| The Pakistani government scrapped a moratorium on capital punishment in December after a deadly attack on a school in Peshawar - in which more than 150 school pupils and teachers were killed by the Taliban. | The Pakistani government scrapped a moratorium on capital punishment in December after a deadly attack on a school in Peshawar - in which more than 150 school pupils and teachers were killed by the Taliban. |
| Pakistan has the world's largest number of death row inmates, with more than 8,000 people reported to be awaiting execution. | Pakistan has the world's largest number of death row inmates, with more than 8,000 people reported to be awaiting execution. |