AFGHANISTAN: 8 PRISONERS EXECUTED

November 20, 2012: Afghanistan executed eight prisoners on death row with more executions expected soon, officials said, marking a rare use of the death penalty in the war-wracked country.
The eight had been convicted of crimes including murder, kidnapping and rape, deputy attorney general Rahmatullah Nazari told AFP. They were hanged in Kabul’s main Pul-e-Charkhi prison, he said.
President Hamid Karzai has approved the execution of a total of 16 people after their death sentences were confirmed by three courts, presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi said.
“They were involved in rape of women and children before killing them, murder and also attacking and killing our security officers,” he said, without elaborating.
Karzai, who has the final say over whether executions ordered by Afghan courts will be carried out, is on record as saying he is reluctant to sign death warrants.
Afghanistan’s justice system remains weak and compromised, and relies heavily on confessions, including some obtained through torture, rights groups have said. (Sources: arabnews.com, 21/11/2012)