[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 7



GLOBAL:

No


THE death penalty is never the solution.

The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment
and violates the fundamental right to life.

Amnesty International is universally opposed to the practice and has long
campaigned for its abolition.

We take a consistent and principled approach in opposing every execution,
whether it is homosexuals in Iran, political dissidents in Africa, drug
traffickers in Asia or convicted murderers in the US.

We are lobbying for clemency for the three Bali bombers, as we have in
other cases such as the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Australian drug
trafficker Van Tuong Nguyen and those of the Bali 9 on death row.

All must be held accountable for their actions.

But a life for a life is not justice.

An execution cannot be used to denounce a killing.

Modern societies must base themselves on different ideals from those they
denounce or they are no better than the criminals they condemn.

Nowhere has it been shown that the death penalty has any more ability to
deter criminals or terrorists than any other punishment. In fact, it is
even likely to inspire political martyrs whose death will become a
rallying point for their cause.

The majority of countries do not practise the death penalty.

At least 120 nations have abolished it in practice or in law and there
continues to be a worldwide trend for its abolition.

Australia has a public policy of being universally opposed to the death
penalty.

But the Federal Government's ability to argue for clemency in some cases
is seriously undermined by its selective opposition to the practice.

This Wednesday is World Day against the Death Penalty.

Amnesty International will join the call for a global moratorium on the
death penalty at the UN General Assembly.

(source: Tim Goodwin, Amnesty International, in the Melbourne Herald Sun)