Reprieve—The EC Project: Foreign Nationals Facing the Death Penalty in the USA's case history

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Foreign nationals facing the death penalty in the USA: the important role of consular officials

Consular assistance plays a vital role safeguarding the rights of foreign nationals facing the death penalty. This short, ten-minute, film, provides guidance to consular officials about how to respond effectively when one of their nationals is arrested in the USA.

14 May 2012
Watch Reprieve's advice to consulates on assisting foreign nationals facing the death penalty in the US

Presented by Council of Europe Goodwill Ambassador Bianca Jagger, this video shows how important consular assistance is for foreign nationals facing the death penalty in the US.

14 May 2012
Vote that could end the horror of death row

By Stuart Winter, The Daily and Sunday Express, 29/04/2012

29 April 2012
'I can never hug my grandsons'

By Joanna Moorhead, The Guardian, 28/04/2012

28 April 2012
Babar Ahmad and Others v the United Kingdom: judgment delivered

On 10 April 2012 the European Court of Human Rights delivered its judgment in the case of Babar Ahmad and Others v The United Kingdom, concluding that there would be no violation of the European Convention on Human Rights if the United Kingdom extradited the applicants to the United States.

09 April 2012
Key figure in Florida clemency process promises to see Manuel Valle dead

Cuban national Manuel Valle, who is currently facing execution in Florida, has been granted a further two day stay to allow consideration of the issue of clemency, following a last minute appeal by his lawyers. However, concerns have been raised that any hearing he does receive may have already been hopelessly prejudiced in the light of comments from the Florida Attorney General’s office.

06 September 2011
UK Parliamentarians join EU and Catholic Church in opposing Manuel Valle execution

British Members of Parliament have today joined the European Union and Catholic bishops in calls to stop the execution of Cuban national Manuel Valle from going ahead in Florida on September 6.

26 August 2011
Serbia seeks to block execution of citizen in Nevada

by Martin Griffith, Associated Press, 14/08/11

15 August 2011
Spanish Government must act to stop execution of Manuel Valle, denied clemency by Florida

Spain is being urged to intervene in the case of a possible Spanish national who is facing the death penalty in Florida in less than a month, having been denied due process.

12 August 2011
Life and Death in Texas

Chris Chang writes to the Mark Stroman team from an airport lounge in Texas.

03 August 2011
Why Rais Bhuiyan is my hero

What makes someone a hero? Judging by the heroes in our popular culture, such as Rambo, General Schwarzkopf or even Superman, the answer would seem to be that a hero is someone who is stronger than everyone else, who obliterates all of his enemies through violence, and who would never just take an insult, or injury to a loved one, without exacting revenge.

29 July 2011
No reprieve in Texas

by Clive Stafford Smith, Prospect Magazine, 27/07/11

28 July 2011
My first execution – and why I have the best job in the world

Until last night, when Mark Ströman was executed in Texas at around 3am UK time, I had managed to avoid ever having to deal with one of the prisoners we assist actually being executed.

21 July 2011
Mark Stroman executed last night in Texas

Mark Stroman was executed last night in Huntsville, Texas, after the state refused to allow his surviving victim to see him in order to forgive him in person.

21 July 2011
Governor Perry urged to sort out legal ‘mess’ surrounding today's execution of Mark Stroman, as clemency board ignores plea from victim Rais Bhuiyan

Texas Governor Rick Perry faces calls to intervene to sort out the legal chaos surrounding today's scheduled execution of Mark Stroman in Huntsville, Texas.

20 July 2011
Watch Rais Bhuiyan and Mark Stroman interviewed on BBC News

The BBC's Alastair Leithead reports from Texas on Rais Bhuiyan's attempts to save the life of the man who shot him.

20 July 2011
Shooting survivor Rais Bhuiyan takes on Texas Governor Perry as his attacker prepares for execution

The victim of a post-9/11 ‘hate crime’ will today ask a federal court to order the Governor of Texas to comply with the much-lauded Texas Victims’ Bill of Rights, hours before his attacker is due to die.

20 July 2011
Texas juror admits mistake at trial and asks Governor to spare Mark Stroman's life on the eve of his execution

One of twelve jurors who served in the trial of Mark Stroman in 2002 has made a last-minute appeal to the Governor of Texas to spare his life.

20 July 2011
The Hated and the Hater, Both Touched by Crime

by Timothy Williams, The New York Times, 18/07/11

18 July 2011
Rais Bhuiyan Pleads to Spare Mark Stroman's Life

by John Rudolf, The Huffington Post, 18/07/11

18 July 2011
Shooting Victim's Case sent to Federal Court

by Ingrid Husby and Ioanna Makris, The Texas Tribune, 14/07/11

18 July 2011
If a victim can forgive, why can't Texas?

by Patricia Kilday Hart, The Houston Chronicle, 17/07/11

17 July 2011
Texas inmate set to die for hate crimes in 9/11's wake

by Bill Mears, CNN, 16/07/11

16 July 2011
'I never hated Mark. My religion teaches that forgiveness is always better than vengeance'

by Jerome Taylor, The Independent, 09/07/2011

15 July 2011
Shot in the face of the 9/11 aftermath

by Matt Williams, The Scotsman, 14/07/2011

15 July 2011
Forgiveness teaches us the value of life

by Rais Bhuiyan, The Austin Statesman, 14/07/11

15 July 2011
Victim Of Death Row Inmate Suing To Save Attacker’s Life

by Melissa Newton, CBSDSW Austin, 14/07/11

15 July 2011
Shooting survivor sues Governor Perry over violation of Victims’ Rights, demanding stay of Mark Stroman execution

A man who survived being shot in the face in 2001 is to sue Texas Governor Rick Perry and other officials is today demanding respect for his rights as a victim of violent crime. Rais Bhuiyan is expected to file the suit at Travis County Courthouse, Austin, TX, at 10 a.m. local time.

13 July 2011
Listen to shooting victim Rais Bhuiyan talk about why he wants to save the life of his attacker Mark Stroman

Rhais Bhuiyan tells the BBC why he has forgiven Mark Stroman for attempting to kill him in the days following 9/11.

12 July 2011
Rais Bhuiyan press conference in Germany

The victim of Mark Ströman, a prisoner with close ties to Germany who is due to be executed this month in Texas, will speak about why he is trying to save his attacker’s life – and how the German government can help.

05 July 2011
Shooting victim speaks at Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre on campaign to save his attacker's life

The surviving victim of a man facing execution in the US for shootings carried out in the aftermath of September 11th will be speaking on Thursday 7 July at the Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in London about his campaign to save his attacker’s life.

05 July 2011
Press conference: Victim of man facing execution with European drugs campaigns to save his life

Tomorrow (Tuesday 5 July), shooting victim Rais Bhuiyan will speak at a press conference at the European Parliament on his campaign to save the life of the man who shot him and now faces execution in the US, using drugs produced by a European company. Rais was shot by Mark Ströman along with two other men he believed to be of Middle Eastern descent in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.

04 July 2011
Former White House legal adviser calls for US to comply with international legal obligations

John B. Bellinger III has spoken out on the need for the US to comply with the International Court of Justice’s ruling on its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

10 March 2011
Iran's 66th execution this month was a Dutch-Iranian dual national

Zahra Bahrami was hanged in Iran early on Saturday morning, following her involvement in the Ashura protests against the outcome of the 2009 presidential election.

31 January 2011
Can foreign nationals now challenge convictions in the US if denied consular notification and access?

Last Thursday the Massachusetts Supreme Court made a unanimous decision in the case of Commonwealth v Amaury Gautreaux, which finally recognised the need for a remedy in cases where foreign nationals are convicted without having the opportunity to notify and access their Consulates.

28 January 2011