Easter is a time of resurrection. Life triumphs over death on the religious and mythological scene. In the garden the yearly miracle, when nature shoots out dainty stems through the patches of snow or ice is a renewal of hope.
While pondering on the sanctity of life, I was wondering how common is the death penalty nowadays.
60% of our planet’s population lives in countries, which use the death penalty or capital punishment as a deterrent to crime. Of these countries, four are the most populous in the world China, India, USA and Indonesia.While pondering on the sanctity of life, I was wondering how common is the death penalty nowadays.
Can Institutions in the EU Kill People?
In the EU, Chapter 1, Article 2 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union prohibits using capital punishments. But there is a footnote (actually a footnote hidden inside another footnote), which forbids death penalty
"except in the case of war, riots and upheaval".Individual nation states are allowed to interpret what constitutes riots and upheavals, isn't that so!
Though EU member states cannot kill people legally, there are however institutions which do kill people. One of the largest European-American institutions, NATO, does not kill people and cannot do that in EU territory but in war areas (like Afghanistan or Iraq and earlier in Serbia or Bosnia) NATO gets away with lots of killing. If it’s the wrong target or the media reports later on that it’s a wedding party they killed then “Oops! We’re sorry!” and everything’s just fine. NATO needs to label undesirable people (living in far off, non EU places like Afghanistan) as terrorists or enemy combatants to justify air strikes or other military actions that kill people.
There are many ‘institutions’ in EU, which have taken upon themselves the right to kill people when they want to. Some examples are the:
- Camorra of Campania,
- Albanian Mafia and the
- Calabrian 'Ndrangheta (Please note: Cited in alphabetic order. No disrespect intended to anyone of these).
The Sicilian Cosa Nostra even has Ten Commandments. The fourth and the tenth commandments are
- “Don’t go to pubs and clubs!” and
- “People who can't be part of Cosa Nostra: …. anyone who behaves badly and doesn't hold to moral values.”
Budapest, Hungary also has a mafia museum.
Do Spooks or Spy Agencies Have a Licence to Kill?
In the movies and books, James Bond 007 or the “ Real 007” are supposed to have the “licence to kill”, but their employers or governments do not and would never acknowledge this. Governments of countries are also not allowed to legally kill people unless it takes place within the confines of its judicial system, and only if capital punishment is allowed in its constitution. Over the years, persistent claims that certain espionage agencies get rid off unwanted people by killing them refuse to die. Often these cannot be verified, because of the nature of the business, so rumours persist.
The CIA is a common target of such rumours and speculations. Sir Richard Dearlove, the former British MI6 chief has openly confirmed before a British jury that MI6 was authorised to use “lethal force” against specific targets if it had ministerial approval.
The KGB or the FSB nowadays, can’t avoid such reputation with rumours of a certain “ Department Eight” which, is reportedly involved in
“planning assasinations and sabotage in support of war or crisis activities.”
Death Penalty Global Situation
According to Amnesty International: Out of 192 United Nations members,
- 92 countries have abolished capital punishment.
- 10 have retained it for special circumstances only.
- Fifty-nine countries have kept the death penalty and out of these 36 have not used it for over ten years.
If we calculate in executions per million people in the country:
- Saudi Arabia is the world leader with 5.18.
- Iran is the runner up with 4.5 and
- Iraq in third place with 1.13. China falls much behind Pakistan (0,78) but is slightly ahead of USA (0.14).
The use of death penalty around the world (as of February 2011). Photo source: Wikimedia
In 2008 the worldwide execution rate grew to 2,390.
In some countries they try to execute people in a manner that they wouldn’t feel much pain, while in some countries the trend is the opposite. In Somalia, a girl of 13, who had been gang raped by three men (the men were not even arrested), was buried up to her neck in a football stadium in front of 1000 people and stoned to death.
In Iran the number of juveniles on death row grew to 140 up from 71 in 2007.
- China executed 1,740,
- Iran 342
- Saudi Arabia 102
- Pakistan 36
- United States 37
- Japan 15 people.
In some countries they try to execute people in a manner that they wouldn’t feel much pain, while in some countries the trend is the opposite. In Somalia, a girl of 13, who had been gang raped by three men (the men were not even arrested), was buried up to her neck in a football stadium in front of 1000 people and stoned to death.
In Iran the number of juveniles on death row grew to 140 up from 71 in 2007.
Capital Punishment Trends in Different Countries
According to an October 2005 poll, 64% Americans, 44% Canadians 49% Britons support the death penalty. In all the three countries, support for capital punishment was lowest among 18-29 years olds.
29 % of Finns would approve of the death penalty as a punishment for certain crimes committed during peacetime. 41 % of those aged 35 to 49 are in favour of capital punishment. (Helsingin Sanomat, Suomen Gallup: November 21, 2006)
A recent government survey revealed that despite a recent rush of violent crimes in Japan, support for capital punishment had only risen by 2.1 percent, to 81.4%. (The Japan Times, February 20, 2005)
Is Death Penalty Effective as a Deterrent?
?No, death penalty is not an effective deterrent! Statistics show that the opposite is true.
In 2007, the average Murder Rate of Death Penalty States in USA was 5.5 per 100,000 people, while the average Murder Rate of States without the Death Penalty was 3.1 per 100, 000 people.
- Iowa (with no capital punishment) has a murder rate of 1.2 per 100,000 people.
- New Hampshire (has retained capital punishment for capital murder, but the last execution was in 1939) has only 1.1 per 100,000 people murder rate.
- Louisiana (a capital punishment state) has a murder rate of 14.2.
A 1995 study of the annual percentage increases in homicide rates in California showed that murders increased 10% a year during 1952 to 1967 when the state executed people. When California did not execute people (1968-1991) the average rate of increase was less (4.8%).
Canada's homicide rate has dropped 27% since the death penalty was abolished in 1976.
A 1998 research study for the United Nations recommended a moratorium on the death penalty and concluded:
"This research has failed to provide scientific proof that executions have a greater deterrent effect than life imprisonment. Such proof is unlikely to be forthcoming. The evidence as a whole still gives no positive support to the deterrent hypothesis." Source: R. Hood, "The Death Penalty: A World-wide Perspective," Clarendon Press, (1996), Page 238.
What People Say - Quotes About the Death Penalty
- "Capital punishment is the most premeditated of murders." "For centuries the death penalty, often accompanied by barbarous refinements, has been trying to hold crime in check; yet crime persists." - ALBERT CAMUS,Resistance, Rebellion and Death
- "What says the law? You will not kill. How does it say it? By killing!" -Victor Hugo, author of Les Miserables
- "I don’t think you should support the death penalty to seek revenge. I don’t think that’s right. I think the reason to support the death penalty is because it saves other people’s lives." - George W Bush at presidential debate 17.10.2000
10 comments:
Death penalties should be abolished. DNA evidence has shown so many mistakes. Innocent people have been sentenced to death.
Death penalties are barbaric. See what the taleban are doing.
To Kill or Not to Kill - Well, a big NO from my side to these endless killing of people. These killings should be banned forever and should be replaced something like life imprisonment.
It's high time that humankind start showing that we have evolved past the neanderthal legacy. No unnecessary killings anymore. There should be other alternatives.
When I was much younger and much more rash and also partly due to the environment I lived in, I used to favour the death penalty. However, I've now realised that it accomplishes nothing - not to the perpetrator or to the victims involved. Violence continually breeds violence while confinement for long periods breeds introspection, reflection and understanding - a much harder road for everybody but in the end, its worthwhile.
Humans should not have a right to kill. That is our only difference from animals. It's time we started showing that we are evolving.
It's natural of all creatures to kill weak, to kill 'bad', to kill for survival.
Natural selection must continue.
Let's be more realistic .... Humans Killing each other will never stop, If the guy who wants to see what taliban are doing.... they are soo disprate, put your self in there shoes, they were born in a nation which has oil down there feet and the most holy sacred places few miles away, soo they had to be supressed from world super powers either for oil or for jursalem.... they had to be kept ignorant or killed and when any of them with a brilliant mind appears he has also to choose, either to be an american citizen or also to be killed. so they had to be violent,for the skae of protecting thier identity. please also remember who gave them thier 1st training and weapons.. it was USA to fight against russia, and when there role towards russia ended, they were treated as terrorists ... It's all policy my friend.. aaaaaaallllllll policy, and wars will never stop.. killing killers is the only way to stop killing other innocent people, so as to plant fear inside the hearts of criminals thinking of killing as a solution, in jails they are kings, but in tombs they are just bones, and killing wheel will never stop whatever we do.. it's human nature
please remove this picture when my friends in some countries search iran (my country) they see that rough picture :(
Nice bllog thanks for posting
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