Amnesty International and the Death Penalty (1997)
Amnesty International - Against the Death Penalty
The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and violates the right to life.
Execution is irrevocable and can be inflicted on the innocent.
The death penalty has never been shown to deter crime more effectively than other punishments.
Execution is an act of violence and violence tends to provoke violence. The imposition and infliction of the death penalty is brutalising to all who are involved in the process.
The death penalty is frequently used as an instrument of repression against opposition, racial, ethnic, religious and underprivileged groups.
Death Sentences and Executions
During 1996 at least 4,272 prisoners are known to have been
executed in 39 countries and 7,107 people were sentenced to
death in 76 countries. These figures include only cases known to Amnesty
International (AI);; the true figures are certainly higher.
English: Total number of executions carried out in...
English: A zoomed in version of File:Executions_in...
Death penalty statutes in the united statesAs in previous years, a small number of countries accounted for the vast
majority of executions recorded. AI received reports of 3,500 executions in China, 167 executions in Ukraine, 140 executions in the Russian Federation and 110 executions in Iran. These four
countries alone accounted for 92 per cent of all executions recorded by AI world-wide in 1996. As in previous years, a small number of countries accounted for the vast majority of executions recorded. AI received reports of 3,500 executions in China, 167 executions in Ukraine, 140 executions in the Russian Federation and 110 executions in Iran. These four countries alone accounted for 92 per cent of all executions recorded by AI world-wide in 1996. Progress Towards World-wide Abolition. Over 25 countries and territories have abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes or for all crimes since 1989. They include Andorra, Angola, Belgium, Cambodia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Guinea-Bissau,