This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33910686
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Peshawar school attack: Death sentences for six militants | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Pakistan has handed the death penalty to six militants linked to an attack on a school in the northern city of Peshawar in which at least 140 people, mainly children, were killed. | |
The army said the militants "were given a fair trial" in military courts before the verdict was handed down. | |
The attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar last December, carried out by the Taliban, shocked the country. | |
In response, Pakistan lifted a seven-year moratorium on executions. | |
It also amended the constitution to allow for the establishment of military courts to try terror suspects. | |
Since December, 200 people have been put to death. Many of them were not convicted for terror offences. | |
'Fair trial' | |
A statement on the Pakistan military's website said seven militants were found guilty of links to the attack - only one had been given a life sentence instead of the death penalty. | |
"The convicts were given fair trial by following all the legal formalities and offering/providing them legal aid and defence counsels," the statement said. | |
"Today the sentences of death have been confirmed by the Chief of Army Staff." | |
These are the first death sentences to be handed out in connection to the Army Public School massacre, the BBC's Shaimaa Khalil reports from Islamabad. | |
Those facing the death penalty are not the seven who took part in the attack - all of whom died in the assault. | |
They scaled the walls to get into the school and set off a bomb before moving from classroom to classroom shooting indiscriminately at both the children and teachers. | |
The school was near a military complex in Peshawar and many of its students were the children of military personnel. | |
Peshawar, which is close to the Afghan border, had seen some of the worst of the violence during the Taliban insurgency in recent years. |
Previous version
1
Next version