Amnesty, death sentence
Note on Amnesty International figures on the use of the death penalty
Amnesty International’s 2013 report on judicial use of the death penalty covers a period of January to December 2013. Amnesty records figures on the use of the death penalty based on the best available information.
The report says, the year 2013 was marked by some challenging setbacks on the journey to abolition of the death penalty. There was a significant rise in the number of people executed during 2013 compared with 2012, driven primarily by increases in Iraq and Iran, according to the report. Executions were recorded in 22 countries during 2013, one more than in the previous year.
Amnesty International states that at least 778 executions were known to have been carried out worldwide, 96 more than in 2012. A small number of countries – mainly Iraq and Iran – were responsible for the increase. In Iraq reported executions jumped by almost 30% with at least 169 people put to death. In Iran there were at least 369 officially acknowledged executions, but hundreds more were not officially acknowledged. Excluding China, almost 80% of all known executions worldwide were recorded in only three countries, with Iran and Iraq on the top of the list.
'The virtual killing sprees we saw in countries like Iran and Iraq were shameful,' said Amnesty secretary general Salil Shetty.
In Iran neither prisoners nor their families or lawyers were informed of their forthcoming execution, says Amnesty. Public executions were carried out in Iran.
Juvenile offenders, according to Amnesty International were also executed in Iran. The execution of people aged less than 18 at the time of the alleged crime is a violation of international law. Amnesty International remained concerned that in Iran… people who were juveniles at the time of their alleged crimes remained in detention under sentence of death.
In the majority of countries where people were sentenced to death or executed, the death penalty was imposed after proceedings that did not meet international fair trial standards. In several countries, according to the report, sentences were based on “confessions” that were possibly extracted through torture or other ill-treatments. This was particularly the case in several countries including China, Iran, Iraq and North Korea.
In Iran and Iraq, some of these “confessions” were broadcast on television before the trial took place, further breaching the defendants’ right to presumption of innocence.
Mandatory death sentences continued to be imposed in Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Singapore. Mandatory death sentences are inconsistent with human rights protections because they do not allow any possibility of taking into account the defendant’s personal circumstances or the circumstances of the particular offence.
The report says, the year 2013 was marked by some challenging setbacks on the journey to abolition of the death penalty. There was a significant rise in the number of people executed during 2013 compared with 2012, driven primarily by increases in Iraq and Iran, according to the report. Executions were recorded in 22 countries during 2013, one more than in the previous year.
Amnesty International states that at least 778 executions were known to have been carried out worldwide, 96 more than in 2012. A small number of countries – mainly Iraq and Iran – were responsible for the increase. In Iraq reported executions jumped by almost 30% with at least 169 people put to death. In Iran there were at least 369 officially acknowledged executions, but hundreds more were not officially acknowledged. Excluding China, almost 80% of all known executions worldwide were recorded in only three countries, with Iran and Iraq on the top of the list.
'The virtual killing sprees we saw in countries like Iran and Iraq were shameful,' said Amnesty secretary general Salil Shetty.
In Iran neither prisoners nor their families or lawyers were informed of their forthcoming execution, says Amnesty. Public executions were carried out in Iran.
Juvenile offenders, according to Amnesty International were also executed in Iran. The execution of people aged less than 18 at the time of the alleged crime is a violation of international law. Amnesty International remained concerned that in Iran… people who were juveniles at the time of their alleged crimes remained in detention under sentence of death.
In the majority of countries where people were sentenced to death or executed, the death penalty was imposed after proceedings that did not meet international fair trial standards. In several countries, according to the report, sentences were based on “confessions” that were possibly extracted through torture or other ill-treatments. This was particularly the case in several countries including China, Iran, Iraq and North Korea.
In Iran and Iraq, some of these “confessions” were broadcast on television before the trial took place, further breaching the defendants’ right to presumption of innocence.
Mandatory death sentences continued to be imposed in Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Singapore. Mandatory death sentences are inconsistent with human rights protections because they do not allow any possibility of taking into account the defendant’s personal circumstances or the circumstances of the particular offence.
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