Watchdog

An Azerbaijani appeals court has begun hearing libel charges involving Interior Minister Ramil Usubov and an independent newspaper, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reports.

A local court ruled on February 3 that Ayyub Karimov, editor in chief of the investigative newspaper "Femida 007," insulted the dignity of the police in his newspaper articles.

The court fined him some 15 percent of his monthly salary and sentenced him to 18 months of community service.

Karimov has appealed his sentence and demanded that it be annulled. Usubov is appealing the sentence because he considers it too lenient.

The March 29 court session heard appeals by both sides. The next hearing is scheduled for April 8.

In a fresh report on executions worldwide, Amnesty International concludes that the death penalty is "on its way out," except for a "hard-core" of nations.

Of the former Soviet republics, it said Russia and Ukraine have not executed anyone in more than a decade.

Amnesty said that Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan have executed about 130 people between them over the past 10 years.

But since 2006, Belarus has been the only European state to carry out death sentences, including the execution of two convicts just two weeks ago.

Amnesty also challenged the Chinese government to publish the full number of people killed by the state.

Amnesty alleges China executes far more prisoners than data indicate.

Amnesty has also tracked a spike in executions in Iraq, with the number reaching 120 in 2009.

Amnesty said Iran put 388 people to death in 2009 -- including at least 112 people killed in the two months following the country's disputed elections.

compiled from agency reports