Today, the Supreme Court of India has commuted the death sentences of 15 prisoners, ruling that delays in their execution were grounds to change their sentences to life imprisonment.�
This judgement could have a huge impact on Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar, who has been on death row for more than eleven years and his mercy petitions have been rejected twice already. SOPW has been in contact with Professor Bhullar�s brother, who has told us that his lawyer has not yet confirmed that Professor Bhullar�s name is among those fifteen.
Today’s verdict came about due to the appeal lodged by the Veerappan Four, who filed their mercy petition in 2004 and nine years later, the appeal was rejected. The ruling from the court accepted that prolonged imprisonment of a convict awaiting execution, amounts to cruelty and violates the fundamental right to life. Also included in the ruling, was that a prisoner must be executed within 14 days of a clemency appeal being rejected and that mental illness and solitary confinement could be reasons for commuting a sentence.
The case against Professor Bhullar is based on an unsubstantiated confession allegedly obtained under torture and threat of death. Virtually every legal system around the world is based on �proof beyond reasonable doubt� and respects procedures to obtain �safe� evidence. However, in Bhullar�s case the need for evidence, witnesses and the rule of law was suspended, in order for a guilty verdict.�
