Death penalty executions at a 25 year high, Amnesty reports

[webfact]

Death penalty executions at a 25 year high, Amnesty reports



The number of people executed around the world has reached a sobering new record. New figures released by Amnesty International show a 50 per cent rise in executions in 2015.

More than 1634 people were condemned to death in 25 countries worldwide, that’s 573 more than in 2014. The human rights watchdog said it marked an alarming development, and the real figures could be even higher, as the numbers for China are unknown.

“The dramatic rise in executions that we recorded in 2015 was down to huge increases, primarily huge increases, in just three countries – Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Together these three countries accounted for almost 90 percent of all the executions that we recorded in 2015, again, excluding China,” explained Audrey Gaughran, Director for Global Issues and Research, from Amnesty International.

The report notes that China regards death penalty figures as a state secret. When asked about the report a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry claimed that Amnesty released ‘unfair’ statements about the country.

Saudi Arabia, Iran and Pakistan were responsible for 89% of the executions in 2015. The Saudi kingdom was responsible for more than 158 executions and Iran for 977, which represents an increase of 76% and 31% respectively from 2014. In Pakistan, there were 326 recorded deaths, the most executions in the country’s history.

According to Amnesty’s report, Iran and Pakistan executed minors at the time of their deaths. In the Middle East and Africa, the majority of the people are condemned because of terrorist actions.

The organisation has been campaigning to end the death penalty since 1977 when only 16 countries had abolished it. They noted that 102 countries abolished the act entirely by the end of 2015, making a total of 140 abolitionist countries around the world.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-07-21

[ezzra]

I once flew on a very, very low cost airline siting on a seat pretty much like the one in the picture.....

[sanukjim]

Hoo Ray, for the death penality.

[Suradit69]

Defining execution by government should include those shot dead by police or those who die in custody or deaths from drone attacks or air strikes etc. Those sorts of events circumvent the tedious need for a trial & conviction, but the result is pretty much the same.

As the Helen Mirren movie, Eye in the Sky so eloquently demonstrates, governments decide to eliminate people in a variety of ways.

[neverdie]

Excellent work, well done !

I see no reason why good members of the community should have to use their taxes to keep bad members, washed, bathed, fed and all the other rigmarole that takes place in prisons.

Execute - 30 cents, let the bodies rot in a maggot filled pit. Too easy.

[williamgeorgeallen]

the value of human life is a reflection of a society. justifying murder is a step backward from civilization.

will you think the death penalty is so great when the 2 koh tao murders are executed? no one he can understand the strain they and their families are under.

Edited July 21, 2016 by williamgeorgeallen

[Scott]

An inflammatory post has been removed.

[Roadman]

the value of human life is a reflection of a society. justifying murder is a step backward from civilization.

will you think the death penalty is so great when the 2 koh tao murders are executed? no one he can understand the strain they and their families are under.

As oppossed to the strain the murdered family members are under?

Easy to pick one cloudy case when there are numerous cases in western society where guilty without doubt murderers with long lists of violent behaviour are doing pathetic short jail time and still running amok in society. Have no trouble what so ever with the death penalty for repeated guilty without doubt violent offenders. And would happily be the executioner myself if a repeat offender was violent to one of mine. The death penalty in some US states is about the one piece of legislation from the US that I would like to see introduced into New Zealand.

Edited July 21, 2016 by Roadman

[NCFC]

An executed murderer has never been known to re-offend. That's a pretty fair rate of return.

[williamgeorgeallen]

the value of human life is a reflection of a society. justifying murder is a step backward from civilization.

will you think the death penalty is so great when the 2 koh tao murders are executed? no one he can understand the strain they and their families are under.

As oppossed to the strain the murdered family members are under?

Easy to pick one cloudy case when there are numerous cases in western society where guilty without doubt murderers with long lists of violent behaviour are doing pathetic short jail time and still running amok in society. Have no trouble what so ever with the death penalty for repeated guilty without doubt violent offenders. And would happily be the executioner myself if a repeat offender was violent to one of mine. The death penalty in some US states is about the one piece of legislation from the US that I would like to see introduced into New Zealand.

thankfully new zealand is a civilized developed country like most western countries and there will not be a death penalty, at least not in my lifetime. as society degrades the death penalty is used to try to restore order by setting the harshest possible punishment. some see it as a form of revenge. either way mistakes always get made and innocent people get killed. we now have alot of people in jail in new zealand with numbers increasing. some may see the death penalty as an answer. i see it as a step backwards.

[GeorgesAbitbol]

Excellent work, well done !

I see no reason why good members of the community should have to use their taxes to keep bad members, washed, bathed, fed and all the other rigmarole that takes place in prisons.

Execute - 30 cents, let the bodies rot in a maggot filled pit. Too easy.

Except :

Cases without the death penalty cost $740,000, while cases where the death penaltyis sought cost $1.26 million. Maintaining each death row prisoner costs taxpayers $90,000 more per year than a prisoner in general population.

[neverdie]

Excellent work, well done !

I see no reason why good members of the community should have to use their taxes to keep bad members, washed, bathed, fed and all the other rigmarole that takes place in prisons.

Execute - 30 cents, let the bodies rot in a maggot filled pit. Too easy.

Except :

Cases without the death penalty cost $740,000, while cases where the death penaltyis sought cost $1.26 million. Maintaining each death row prisoner costs taxpayers $90,000 more per year than a prisoner in general population.

Under my proposal costs in this area would be slashed significantly.

Expenditure could be redirected to more appropriate areas of the community.