EXTERNAL (for general distribution)AI Index: MDE 17/06/94

Distr: UA/SC

9 June 1994

Further information on UA 192/93 (MDE 17/05/93, 15 June 1993) - and follow-up (MDE 17/11/93, 17 December) - Death Penalty

KUWAIT'Imad al-Din Mahmud Nimr, aged 29

Muhammad 'Ali Ahmad Daifallah, aged 20

Basil 'Ali Ahmad Daifallah, aged 22

Akram Shaker Ahmad, aged 26

Al-Mu'taz Billah Muhammad Saleh, aged 23

Muntasir Muhammad Saleh, aged 20

Hussain Rashed Hussain, aged 22

Mu'ayyed Yassir Hussain, aged 23

Iyad Muhammad 'Issa, aged 19

Bassem Hassan Muhammad, aged 23

On 6 June 1994 the Court of Cassation reduced the death sentences against the 10 men named above to terms of imprisonment. 'Imad al-Din Mahmud Nimr was sentenced to life imprisonment and the death sentences against the other nine were reduced to 15 years' imprisonment.

The ten, all Jordanians of Palestinian origin, had been sentenced to death by the State Security Court on 12 June 1993, convicted on charges of "collaboration" with Iraqi forces during the occupation of Kuwait. The charges included "membership of the military wing of the hostile Arab Liberation Front (Jubhat al-Tahriri al-'Arabiyya); assisting militarily Iraq's Popular Army in Kuwait and illegal possession and use of weapons and ammunition".

Amnesty International reported in February 1994 that during a State Security Court hearing in May 1992, which was attended by an AI representative, the defendants said that they had been beaten and that their "confessions" were the result of torture. The investigation by the Idarat al-Adilla al-Jana'iyya (Criminal Investigation Department in the Ministry of Interior) of the claims of torture did not appear to have been thorough and the medical examinations by a government doctor did not appear to have followed accepted medical practice. Amnesty International has repeatedly stated its concerns that procedures followed by the State Security Court do not conform to international standards for fair trial.

No further action by the Urgent Action Network is requested at present. Thank you to all who sent appeals on behalf of those named above.