Death Penalty: Trinidad & Tobago violates Nat'l, Int'l law
Amnesty International
International *
News Service: 120/99
AI INDEX: AMR 49/09/99
21 JUNE 1999
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago violates national and international law by
scheduling Anthony Briggs's execution
In scheduling Anthony Briggs to be hanged on 22 June, the authorities of
Trinidad and Tobago have once again shamelessly violated international
human rights obligations and national courts rulings, Amnesty
International said today.
It is shameful that the authorities are seeking to hang Anthony Briggs
when legal redress, including commutation of his death sentence, may be
exercised for violations of his human rights.
The government of Trinidad and Tobago has once again taken steps to
erode the system for human rights protection in the region which has
been built up over the past 50 years, the human rights organization
added.
In March 1999, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR)
ruled that the state had violated Anthony Briggss rights guaranteed by
the American Convention on Human Rights (American Convention) and
recommended that he was entitled to effective remedy including
commutation of his sentence.
As a result of the governments failure to comply with its obligation
under the American Convention to remedy the violations, on 25 May 1999
the Inter-American Court on Human Rights ordered the government to
preserve Anthony Briggss life until such time as the Court... issues a
decision on the matter. To date, the Inter-American Court on Human
Rights has not issued a decision.
The scheduling of the execution also goes against a recent ruling by the
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (Trinidad and Tobagos highest
appeal court, located in London) that executions should be stayed until
petitions to international bodies are finally disposed of and the
rulings of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the
Inter-American Court on Human Rights have been considered by the
relevant authorities.
Background
Anthony Briggs was convicted with Wenceslaus James of the 1992 murder of
Siewdath Ramkissoon, and sentenced to death in June 1996.
Following unsuccessful appeals to the national courts, a petition was
filed on behalf of Anthony Briggs with the Inter-American Commission on
Human Rights (IACHR) in October 1997, claiming that his rights
guaranteed under the American Convention on Human Rights had been
violated.
The IACHR ruled that the state had violated his right to full and free
exercise of the rights and freedoms recognized in the American
Convention on Human Rights. The IACHR also found that his right to be
tried within a reasonable time or to be released had also been violated,
as he had been detained for three years and three months before he was
brought to trial.
On 20 May 1999, the government requested that the Inter-American Court
on Human Rights discharge an order dated August 1998 to preserve his
life. The order was issued when the state tried to execute him while the
IACHR was considering his petition. The states request to discharge the
order was opposed by the IACHR on the grounds that the state had failed
to remedy the violations of the American Convention contained in its
decision.
Dole Chadee, (also known as Nankissoon Boodram), Joey Ramiah, Ramkalawan
Singh, Joel Ramsingh, Russell Sankeralli, Bhagwandeen Singh, Clive
Thomas, Robin Gopaul and Stephen Eversley were the last people to be
hanged in Trinidad and Tobago on 4, 5 and 7 June 1999. Their executions
were the first to take place in the country for five years.
ENDS.../
Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street,
WC1X 8DJ, London, United Kingdom
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