Photographer: Jacob
Holdt |
How is death penalty used?
In some countries death penalty can only be used to punish people for willful murder. In
other countries it is also used as punishment for other crimes, such as dealing drugs or
in some countries even for adultery.
In several countries death penalty is used systematically and excessively against
ethnical, cultural and religious minorities and against political prisoners.
What is done to help the people who are sentenced to
death?
Beside the international organizations that work to abolish death penalty, such as the UN
and Amnesty International, several smaller organizations work to help the people on the
death rows of the world. Especially in the US the great increase in the use of death
penalty throughout the eighties and nineties, have caused many people to start
organizations or campaigns that are working to abolish death penalty. Many of these
organizations also work to show how the use of death penalty is a violation of the basic
human rights.
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Some of the arguments for death penalty:
Death penalty is a just retribution because the criminals should suffer the same way as
their victims did.
Death penalty has a deterrent effect and thereby it reduces crime.
Death penalty is less expensive than prison for life.
Some of the arguments against death penalty:
Death penalty is a violation of the basic human rights.
Death penalty is irrevocable and should be avoided to avoid judicial murder.
Most studies shows that death penalty does not reduce crime.
Who has the authority to judge whether a person should live or die?
How can execution be carried out?
When it comes to executions and other types of physical punishment, there has been no
limit to the imagination of man. The most famous execution is undoubtedly the crucifixion
of Jesus. Another historic execution took place in the ancient Greece, where Socrates was
forced to drink the poisonous juice of hemlock flowers. In the Roman Empire thousands of
slaves and criminals were killed by lions or other predators, to the great delight of
thousands of spectators. Hangings, burnings, decapitations and shootings have also been
events that could draw huge crowds of joyful spectators. Another biblical form of
execution is to be stone to death, a type of execution that has been used as late as the
20th century.
The following ways of executions have been used, the ones marked by a * have been used in
recent times.
Burning
Lethal injection*
Electroshock (electrical chair)*
Garroting (strangulation)
Gassing*
Consumption of poison
Guillotine.
Decapitation*
Hanging*
Live burial.
Drowning
Breaking on the wheel
Shooting*
Stone to death*
Death penalty |
Death penalty in USA | Death
Penalty and human rights