Death Penalty // Current

To DIE or not to DIE?

A look at San Quentin California & its infamous Death Row ..

ChokeonThis
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Three Bali bombers executed in Indonesia

Indonesia has executed three Muslim militants sentenced to death for the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings that killed 202 people, the... more

Vierotchka
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Volunteering For Death

Since1995, at least 61 convicted killers have volunteered for death.The most prevalent reason cited is that life on Death Row... more

donnyin3d
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Plight of Iran's death-row youngsters

"This is Iran, the world leader in the execution of juveniles. It is one of the last remaining countries that still imposes... more

smice
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Rallies Protest Impending Execution of Troy Davis

by Christian Boone Rallies were held around the globe Thursday as part of a final push to save the life of death row inmate... more

uroborus8
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Beer: ten free pints. Cannabis: death penalty.

Check out the screen grab below and note the juxtaposition of the horrifying death sentence imposed upon two young men in Malaysia for 'trafficking' what was under 500 grams of cannabis each, with the completely legal aggressive promotion of another -arguably far more socially damaging- drug.

screen grab from the NST website: click to see full size

The cannabis story is bad enough. These two men, both in their twenties at the time of their arrest are about to have ropes put around their necks, have their spinal cords severed and their lives ended. All for a crime that in the UK would probably not get you more than a few hours of community service, or a caution if you get a decent lawyer and have no previous.

Now before we hear the usual line about 'they knew the law and took the risk', I know that. But the law itself is morally offensive, it is ineffective and its enforcement is illegal under international law. Not only have the UN's human rights agencies called for a moratorium on all use of the death penalty, but specifically, no non-violent drug offences meet the criteria of 'most serious crimes' that would - by any legal interpretations of international law - qualify for the death penalty. Importing an amount of cannabis that weighs - as fate would have it - almost exactly the same as a standard can of Guinness is certainly not a 'most serious crime'. (for more discussion see IHRAs publication 'The Death Penalty for Drug Offences').

Ironic banner ad / news feature mismatches are a common internet phenomenon but it is still striking when the yawning gulf between illegal and legal drug policy is so blatantly exposed. There on the same page as the sickening and tragic story of cannabis enforcement brutality is an animated advertising promotion to 'win 10 pints of Guinness'. Alcohol is of course a psychoactive drug just as cannabis is. Its toxic, it can be addictive, and it causes a range of brain and organ damage for those who don't consume it sensibly. It kills lots of people (as it happens; far more than cannabis in population or per capita/user terms). Yet I'm quite sure you could bring an oil tanker of Guinness into Malaysia and not face the death penalty.Check out the screen grab below and note the juxtaposition of the horrifying death sentence imposed upon two young men in Malaysia... more

armchaircritic
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1 response

25 days ago

Aileen: Life & Death

This pod comes from director Nick Broomfield's feature length documentary Aileen - Life & Death Of A Serial Killer.

ksimpson
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1 month ago

US Supreme Court asked to review Black Panther death sentence

The state of Pennsylvania has asked the US Supreme Court to review a lower court's decision to overturn the death sentence of... more

goldenways
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44 responses

29 days ago

Iran 'to stop executing youths'

Human rights campaigners have welcomed an announcement by Iran that appears to end the execution of juveniles. Iran is... more

pigmonkey
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1 response

1 month ago

Inside the Life of Middle East's Slain Pop Princess

She's the face behind a crime that shook the Middle East. Suzan Tamim, a Lebanese singer who was murdered in Dubai, is the... more

Apocalipstick
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1 month ago

Help prevent a monumental injustice

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Troy Anthony Davis' appeal. His fate is back in the hands of Georgia... more

goldenways
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15 responses

1 month ago

Ohio Executes Inmate Who Argued Was Too Fat to Die

LUCASVILLE, Ohio - Ohio executed a 5-foot-7, 267-pound double murderer Tuesday who argued his obesity made death by lethal... more

mariposablanca
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2 responses

1 month ago

World Is Moving Towards Banning Death Penalty, says Reprieve

Report says five nations responsible for almost all state executions in past year. The world is moving closer to the final... more

goldenways
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1 response

1 month ago

Court Won't Reconsider Ban on Execution for Child Rape

The Supreme Court yesterday declined to revisit its June decision that imposing the death penalty on child-rapists is... more

starr111
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0 responses

1 month ago

Troy Davis execution stayed

The US Supreme Court granted a last-minute stay of execution to Troy Davis, an African-American who was due to be put to death by... more

CaptSutter
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1 response

1 month ago

US Court Halts Georgia Execution

The US Supreme Court has granted a stay of execution to a man in the state of Georgia, following appeals by campaigners on his... more

katiesowo
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2 responses

1 month ago

Supreme Court issues stay of execution for Davis

Troy Jones was scheduled to die at 7:00 PM EST today. The case was internationally controversial because several eye witnesses... more

uroborus8
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0 responses

1 month ago

Political Viewpoints Linked To Fear

Researchers writing in Science report that the political orientation of test subjects who have strong views is linked to how easy... more

TheRealEdwin
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1 month ago

Five Countries Responsible for All Executions of Juvenile Offenders Since 2005

Ending executions for crimes committed by children in just five countries would result in universal implementation of the prohibition on the juvenile death penalty, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Governments should use next week’s United Nations General Assembly session opening to commit to urgently needed reforms to protect the rights of children in conflict with the law.

In the 20-page report, “The Last Holdouts: Ending the Juvenile Death Penalty in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Pakistan, and Yemen,” Human Rights Watch documents failures in law and practice that since January 2005 have resulted in 32 executions of juvenile offenders in five countries: Iran (26), Saudi Arabia (2), Sudan (2), Pakistan (1), and Yemen (1). The report also highlights cases of individuals recently executed or facing execution in the five countries, where well over 100 juvenile offenders are currently on death row, awaiting the outcome of a judicial appeal, or in some murder cases, the outcome of negotiations for pardons in exchange for financial compensation.

“We are only five states away from a complete ban on the juvenile death penalty,” said Clarisa Bencomo, Middle East children’s rights researcher for Human Rights Watch. “These few holdouts should abandon this barbaric practice so that no one ever again is executed for a crime committed as a child.”

Every state in the world has ratified or acceded to treaties obligating them to ensure that juvenile offenders – persons under 18 at the time of the crime – are never sentenced to death. The overwhelming majority of states complies with this obligation, with several states – including the United States and China – in recent years moving to ban the juvenile death penalty and strengthen juvenile justice protections.

The vast majority of executions of juvenile offenders take place in Iran, where judges can impose the death penalty in capital cases if the defendant has attained “majority,” defined in Iranian law as 9 years for girls and 15 years for boys. Iran is known to have executed six juvenile offenders so far in 2008, including two in August: Behnam Zare on August 26, 2008, and Seyyed Reza Hejazi on August 19, 2008. Over 130 other juvenile offenders are currently sentenced to death. ****CONTINUES*****Ending executions for crimes committed by children in just five countries would result in universal implementation of the... more

goldenways
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2 months ago

Iran accounts for most juvenile executions

Iran has executed 26 juvenile offenders since the start of 2005, accounting for the vast majority of people under age 18 executed around the world, according to a report by Human Rights Watch.

The New York-based group said Iran was one of five countries known to have executed juveniles since January 2005. Saudi Arabia and Sudan each executed two juveniles, and Pakistan and Yemen, one.

"We are only five states away from a complete ban on the juvenile death penalty," said Clarisa Bencomo, Middle East children's rights researcher for Human Rights Watch. "These few holdouts should abandon this barbaric practice so that no one ever again is executed for a crime committed as a child."

The report said in Pakistan, Yemen and Sudan the execution of people under 18 was outlawed, but because birth registration levels were low young offenders can have trouble proving their age and are often treated as adults.

"In Iran and Saudi Arabia ... these sentences are the result of deliberate state policies to retain the juvenile death penalty, combined with criminal justice systems that fail to provide children with fundamental protections against unfair trials," the report said.

It said Iran executed eight juvenile offenders in 2007. So far in 2008, it executed at least six juvenile offenders and more than 130 others are under sentence of death, it said.

"Judges can impose the death penalty in capital cases if the defendant has attained 'majority,' defined in Iranian law as 9 years for girls and 15 years for boys," it said.

In Saudi Arabia, the report said judges have discretion to impose the death penalty on children from puberty or 15 years, whichever comes first. Two juveniles were among at least 158 people executed in 2007 in Saudi Arabia, it said.

"Even states that still execute juvenile offenders acknowledge that such executions are wrong," said Bencomo. "But changes in law and practice need to be faster."

Human Rights Watch called on U.N. member states to ask U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to issue a report on compliance with the international ban on the juvenile death penalty.
Iran has executed 26 juvenile offenders since the start of 2005, accounting for the vast majority of people under age 18 executed... more