Brintha & Raji Sukumaran
While Myuran Sukumaran faces the death penalty for drug trafficking in Indonesia, his sister Brintha and mother Raji struggle to cope. They still have hope that his fate is not yet sealed.

You can listen to this story at the Radio National site here.

GREG ROBERTS October 10, 2009 – 3:04PM

AAP

Anyone who thinks the death penalty does not affect Australians need only look next door to Bali, where three Australians are on death row, a rally has heard.

The death penalty should be outlawed around the world as slavery and child labour have been, the Melbourne rally heard on Saturday, the seventh World Day Against the Death Penalty.

An estimated 2,000 people heard barrister Julian Burnside, who is representing two convicted Australian drug traffickers in Bali, say capital punishment is "state sanctioned violence".

"Execution is premeditated, ritualised, state-sanctioned violence by brutalised societies," he told AAP.

"There is no crime no matter how terrible that could not be properly punished by decades in a cell."

Mr Burnside represents Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, who, along with Queenslander Scott Rush, are on death row for their role in an attempt by the so-called Bali Nine to smuggle heroin in 2005.

"They are all preparing their final legal appeal documents called a `PK’, which is the final appeal in the Indonesian justice system," he said.

"If the PK is unsuccessful a person facing the death penalty has the right to appeal to the president for clemency.

"For this case we have one of Indonesia’s top lawyers, Mulya Lubis."

Jesuit priest and former prison chaplain Father Peter Norden said Australia had a responsibility to pressure other countries to abolish the death penalty.
"We do big business with those countries that still execute prisoners," he told AAP.

"We have a responsibility to raise awareness with those international students from those countries that can discuss it and think about it here in a way that they cannot do in their own country."

According to Amnesty International, more than two-thirds of the world’s countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice.

However, the 58 or so countries that retain it comprise more than 60 per cent of the world’s population, including the four most populous countries in the world: China (where 90 per cent of executions take place), India, the US and Indonesia.

The most infamous recent case in the US involved convicted killer and rapist Romell Broom, when executioners botched the lethal injection last month after spending more than two hours trying to find a vein.

About 6,000 state executions took place around the world in 2008.

© 2009 AAP

Australians Against Capital Punishment invite you to join commemorations of the World Day Against the Death Penalty.
Every year, opponents of the death penalty come together to add their voices to the growing international movement for a total abolition of capital punishment.
Justice Must Not Kill
And those who value justice, must not stay silent.

Vigil – 5pm Sunday October 11th at the Lizard, corner of Russell Street and Boundary Street, West End

Speakers include Lee & Christine Rush, whose son Scott faces execution in Indonesia
Stephen Keim, SC, patron of AACP
Maree Klemm, President of the Queensland & Northern NSW branch of Amnesty International

All friends and supporters are then invited to join us for dinner -
6pm at Huong’s restaurant at 83A Vulture Street, West End $25 per head.
– please RSVP by c.o.b. Thursday 8th October for catering purposes.

For more information, or to RSVP please email us on justine.hampson@gmail.com or 0423 709 445. Please specify any dietary requirements.

Australians Against Capital Punishment invite you to a concert to raise awareness of people facing the death penalty around the world.

Come along and hear Steve Towson, Phil Monsour, Protest! and Brett Fahey perform as well as speakers including Lee and Christine Rush, whose son Scott faces execution in Indonesia.

Sunday August 23rd 4pm- 8.30

Browning Street Studios,

11 Browning Street, West End

Entry $12 or $10 concession

For inquiries contact Tina on 0423 709 445 or email: justine.hampson@gmail.com

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Cynthia Banham
June 3, 2009

THE NSW federal MP Chris Hayes has made what is likely to be his last impassioned speech in Parliament before lawyers for Scott Rush file the appeal against his death sentence to the Indonesian Supreme Court.

Mr Hayes said he hoped Rush received “a fair and objective hearing from the Indonesian Supreme Court”.

The MP has campaigned for Rush, the convicted drug mule and member of the Bali nine, since meeting his parents, Christine and Lee, a year ago.

Read more…

The Multi-Faith Centre at Griffith University, in cooperation with various faith, interfaith, and community organisations, will host the following event:

The Death Penalty: An Interfaith Forum

Speakers:
Prof. Sarva-Daman Singh (Hinduism)- Honorary Consul of India in Brisbane
Flame

Dr. Anne Nguyen (Buddhism) – Senior Lecturer, Computer Science & Technology, Griffith University
Peter Arndt (Christianity) – Executive Director Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, Brisbane
Imam Dr. Tariq Syed (Islam) – Council of Fatwa, Australian National Imams Council
Date:

Wednesday, 29 April
Time: 7.15 – 9.30 pm
Where: Multi-Faith Centre, Griffith University

For further information, email to: mfc@griffith.edu.au

RSVP by April 25 to: 3735-7052 or mfc@griffith.edu.au

AAP

April 10, 2009 04:48pm

* Family prayer vigil for Scott Rush
* 100 people at special Easter service
* Waiting outcome of appeal

THE family of convicted drug mule and Bali Nine member Scott Rush have continued hope he will be spared the death penalty.

About 100 people crowded into Brisbane’s Christ the King Church today, where Rush used to attend, for a prayer vigil, aimed at renewing debate about the death penalty.

Read more…

CONVICTED Bali Nine drug trafficker Scott Rush’s death-row agony persists with mixed messages relating to his likely fate continuing to emerge from Indonesia as he enters his fifth year of captivity.

Fr Tim Harris, of Scott’s former parish at Corinda-Graceville in Brisbane, said reports from Jakarta carried both hope and danger for Scott and others on death row.

For a second year, a prayer vigil will be held on Good Friday (April 10) at Christ the King Church, Graceville, to offer prayers for 23-year-old Scott and all those on death row around the world.

Scott’s parents Lee and Christine have indicated they expect to attend the vigil, and Lee Rush is expected to speak on his son’s dire predicament.

Fr Harris said he could not express “strongly enough” how crucial 2009 would be for Scott.

“It will be a make-or-break year because it’s when Scott’s final appeal will be made,” he said. “The legal team are, as we speak, working on the appeal.

Read more…

Brisbane’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission will hold a further vigil to pray for all those on death row around the world.

The prayer vigil will take place on Good Friday, April 10, at noon at Christ the King Church, Churchill Street, Graceville.

The Commission’s Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, said that the plight of Scott Rush, whose family is part of the local Corinda-Graceville Parish, will continue to be a special focus of the vigil.

“We want to pray for all those around the world who face execution, but we are especially conscious of the pain and suffering of Scott Rush and his parents, Chris and Lee,” Mr Arndt said.

“We are very grateful for the support given to us by Fr Tim Harris and the Corinda-Graceville Parish,” he said.

“There are some comments coming from Indonesia which suggest that the time for further appeals by Scott and other Australians on death row may be limited, but we are not sure if this is actually the case,” he said.

“We do know that the Australian Government is adopting a much more positive attitude to universal abolition of capital punishment and this is very welcome,” he said.

“We hope that Catholics will continue to find the time to approach our politicians to ensure that they are doing everything they can to stop the execution of Scott and everyone else on death row,” he said.

“But we also want everyone praying constantly for Scott and his family and for everyone else affected by a death sentence in Indonesia and around the world,” he said.

“The day when Jesus was executed is an appropriate day for us to remember all those also facing execution,” he said.

“For those of us who believe in the message of the crucified Jesus, the message of God’s mercy, compassion and forgiveness is vital,” he said.
“We appeal to Catholics to stand against the violence of the death penalty and to stand up for life,” he said.

Good Friday, April 10, at noon

Christ the King Church,

Churchill Street, Graceville

For further information, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or 0409 265 476.

NB This release is issued with the approval of the Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Charter which enables it to speak in its own right. The views expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.