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world news Diasabra 11 Juni 2022

Russian suspect appeals for acquittal at Dutch MH17 trial

THE HAGUE, Nether- tary base and then returned
lands (AP) — A Russian to the base. Russia denies any
suspect in the 2014 down- involvement in downing the
ing of Malaysia Airlines jet.
flight MH17 over eastern “What matters to me is that
Ukraine appealed Friday the truth is revealed. It’s im-
in a video statement to portant for me that my coun-
a Dutch court to be de- try is not blamed for this
clared innocent, as judges tragedy,” Pulatov said in his
adjourned the long-run- video message.
ning trial of three Rus- Pulatov’s lawyers had their
sians and a Ukrainian final say in the trial this week,
separatist rebel and began accusing prosecutors of tun-
months of deliberations. nel vision by focusing solely
on their theory that separatist
“I hope and expect a just and rebels shot down MH17, not
legally substantiated judg- giving the Russian a fair trial
ment,” Oleg Pulatov told the and failing to prove their case
panel of judges. “Please ac- against him.
quit me.”
He spoke in a recorded video If he is convicted on charges
message because he —- along including involvement in the
with his the three other sus- murder of all 298 passen-
pects — has not surrendered gers and crew, Pulatov faces
to the court to face trial. a maximum sentence of life
Prosecutors say Pulatov was ing Judge Hendrik Steenhuis Feb. 24 invasion. assertions that their client has imprisonment, although it is
deputy head of the intel- said the earliest date the court The marathon court case not had a fair trial and is in- very unlikely he would ever
ligence service of the self- could deliver verdicts in the opened with prosecutors sol- nocent. serve any prison time because
proclaimed Donetsk People’s complex case is Nov. 17. emnly reading out the names Russia will not extradite him.
Republic in eastern Ukraine The trial began on March 9, of all 298 people who died The trial featured evidence Pulatov was the only one of
when the Boeing 777 flying 2020, as the separatist con- when the passenger jet was that prosecutors say proves the suspects who put up a
from Amsterdam to Kuala flict in eastern Ukraine that blown out of the sky. Judges the three Russians — Pula- defense at trial. He said his
Lumpur was shot down by a formed the backdrop of the also heard emotional victim tov, Igor Girkin and Sergey lawyers had shown “that the
Buk missile on July 17, 2014, downing of the passenger impact statements by dozens Dubinskiy — along with evidence presented by the
killing all 298 passengers and jet was still simmering. The of relatives of those killed. Ukrainian Leonid Kharch- prosecution is not convinc-
crew. hearing of evidence and legal On the last scheduled day of enko were involved in the ing and in some points unre-
As 67 days of trial hearings arguments ended Friday with legal pleadings before ver- downing using a Buk mis- liable, based on guesses and is
spread over more than two Ukraine engulfed in a devas- dicts, Pulatov’s Dutch de- sile launcher trucked into overall insufficient to under-
years drew to a close, Presid- tating war to repel Russia’s fense lawyers repeated their Ukraine from a Russian mili- pin a judgment.”

Malaysia agrees to abolish mandatory death penalty

KUALA LUMPUR, Ma- ister said.
laysia (AP) — Malaysia More than 1,300 people are
has agreed to abolish the on death row in Malaysia,
mandatory death penalty with most cases involving
and allow judges to set drug trafficking. The death
alternative punishments penalty in Malaysia man-
for a range of offenses, dates hanging as punishment
the country’s law minis- for a range of crimes, includ-
ter said Friday. ing murder, drug trafficking,
treason, kidnapping and acts
The government will study of terror.
other proposed punish- Foreigners account for 526
ments for 11 offenses that of the 1,355 people on death
currently trigger a manda- row in the country, accord-
tory death sentence and also ing to the Anti-Death Pen-
for the more than 20 offens- alty Asia Network.
es that carry a potential death In 2018, Malaysia said it
sentence at the court’s dis- would abolish the death
cretion, Wan Junadi Tuanku penalty for all crimes and
Jaafar said in a statement. halt all pending executions.
Amendments to the law But it backtracked in 2019,
would still need to be tabled saying that the death penalty
and passed in Parliament be- would no longer be manda- comed Friday’s announce- ising much on human rights work toward full abolition of
fore they would take effect. tory for selected offenses. ment but said the agreement but ultimately delivering the death penalty.
“The decision on this mat- The ADPAN said the man- was only a starting point. very little,” said Phil Robert- “The government should
ter shows the government’s datory death penalty “de- “Before everyone starts son, the deputy Asia director table the necessary amend-
priority to ensure the rights prives judges of the discre- cheering, we need to see Ma- at Human Rights Watch. ments in Parliament with-
of all parties are protected tion to sentence based on laysia pass the actual legisla- Katrina Jorene Maliamauv, out delay and establish a full
and guaranteed, thus reflect- the situation of each indi- tive amendments to put this Amnesty International Ma- review of all cases involving
ing the transparency of the vidual offender ... (which) pledge into effect because laysia’s executive director, the mandatory death penalty
country’s leadership in im- has resulted in absurd sen- we have been down this road said the move was a step in with a view to commuting
proving the dynamic crimi- tences that have led to public before, with successive Ma- the right direction but urged these sentences,” Maliam-
nal justice system,” the min- outcries.”Rights groups wel- laysian governments prom- the country to go further and auv said.