2008 Woodie Awards
Human Rights Feature: Capital Punishment
The number of countries performing executions continues a decreasing trend.
Shaun Cricks
Issue date: 11/19/04 Section: Features
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Amnesty International cautioned the Bush administration and their allies this month in the "War on Terror." "The War on Terror must not be used to justify reversing progress on the abolition of the death penalty." Secretary General of Amnesty International, Irene Khan, made this speech to the Second World Congress against the Death Penalty in Montreal. The Congress was organized by the World Coalition against the Death Penalty, and more than 90 countries participated.
"The death penalty is the ultimate, irreversible denial of human rights because it contravenes the essence of human values. It is often applied in a discriminatory manner, follows unfair trials, or is applied for political reasons. It is not a unique deterrent against crime, and is an irreversible error when there is miscarriage of justice," said Irene Khan.
Over half the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. Turkey being the latest, made this policy change to conform to the standards for candidacy in the European Union. The EU forbids the practice. Fortunately for human rights activists, there are not many countries that still execute. The EU, who recently added 100 million names to their roll call, actively petitions for those sentenced to death in countries that still employ capital punishment, including the United States.
According to Amnesty International, "In Europe and Central Asia, only Belarus and Uzbekistan are known to carry out executions while all but five states (China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Pakistan and USA) have banned the execution of children. However, there have also been setbacks."
Khan addressed the "War on Terror" directly, stating that, "A heightened concern for security and crime control continue to be drivers for the death penalty in many countries of the world... Public opinion in many parts of the world still feels that the death penalty is needed to deter crime or 'terrorism.' We must build greater public support for abolition. But we must also ask governments to show leadership on this issue."
Although the issue of dealing with the "terrorists" has brought the death penalty into recent headlines, the U.S. has been under pressure for years to remove themselves from the list of states that execute its citizens. There has been particular pressure to desist in the execution of those who were children at the time of the crime. For nations and organizations that abhor this practice, sentencing a child to death is considered a gross crime against humanity.
"These are tough times for human rights and we must be determined in our response to hold up the values in which we believe. Human rights are for the best of us and the worst of us. Human rights are for the guilty as much as the innocent. That is why the death penalty must be abolished world-wide," said Irene Khan.
The public relations power of Amnesty International, the Second World Congress against the Death Penalty, and various other organizations is prominent. The emerging superpower of the European Union is, at the least, an influential global force. Here in the United States, the Bush administration's assertions of autonomy and history of nationalism leave many doubtful that outside influence will steer U.S. policy.
Countries That Do Not Allow Death Penalty For Any Crime:
Andorra, Angola, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote D'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia (former Yugoslav Republic), Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia (Federated States), Moldova, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue, Norway, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City State, Venezuala.
"The death penalty is the ultimate, irreversible denial of human rights because it contravenes the essence of human values. It is often applied in a discriminatory manner, follows unfair trials, or is applied for political reasons. It is not a unique deterrent against crime, and is an irreversible error when there is miscarriage of justice," said Irene Khan.
Over half the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. Turkey being the latest, made this policy change to conform to the standards for candidacy in the European Union. The EU forbids the practice. Fortunately for human rights activists, there are not many countries that still execute. The EU, who recently added 100 million names to their roll call, actively petitions for those sentenced to death in countries that still employ capital punishment, including the United States.
According to Amnesty International, "In Europe and Central Asia, only Belarus and Uzbekistan are known to carry out executions while all but five states (China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Pakistan and USA) have banned the execution of children. However, there have also been setbacks."
Khan addressed the "War on Terror" directly, stating that, "A heightened concern for security and crime control continue to be drivers for the death penalty in many countries of the world... Public opinion in many parts of the world still feels that the death penalty is needed to deter crime or 'terrorism.' We must build greater public support for abolition. But we must also ask governments to show leadership on this issue."
Although the issue of dealing with the "terrorists" has brought the death penalty into recent headlines, the U.S. has been under pressure for years to remove themselves from the list of states that execute its citizens. There has been particular pressure to desist in the execution of those who were children at the time of the crime. For nations and organizations that abhor this practice, sentencing a child to death is considered a gross crime against humanity.
"These are tough times for human rights and we must be determined in our response to hold up the values in which we believe. Human rights are for the best of us and the worst of us. Human rights are for the guilty as much as the innocent. That is why the death penalty must be abolished world-wide," said Irene Khan.
The public relations power of Amnesty International, the Second World Congress against the Death Penalty, and various other organizations is prominent. The emerging superpower of the European Union is, at the least, an influential global force. Here in the United States, the Bush administration's assertions of autonomy and history of nationalism leave many doubtful that outside influence will steer U.S. policy.
Countries That Do Not Allow Death Penalty For Any Crime:
Andorra, Angola, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote D'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia (former Yugoslav Republic), Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia (Federated States), Moldova, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue, Norway, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City State, Venezuala.