Sub-Saharan Africa that recently abolished the death penalty includes Burundi, which abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 2009,[205] and Gabon, which did the same in 2010. [206] On July 5, 2012, Benin became a member of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which prohibits the use of the death penalty. [207] Four countries – Iran (at least 246), Egypt (at least 107), Iraq (at least 45) and Saudi Arabia (27) – accounted for 88% of all known executions in 2020. Almost all executions under the Tang Dynasty took place in public as a warning to the population. The heads of executed people were displayed on poles or spears. When local authorities beheaded a convicted criminal, the head was boxed and sent to the capital as proof of identity and that the execution had taken place. [30] In 2008, a large majority of states from all regions adopted a second resolution calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty at the United Nations General Assembly (Third Committee) on November 20. 105 countries voted in favour of the draft resolution, 48 voted against and 31 abstained. Technically, the death penalty could still be imposed until 1998 for crimes such as treason, violent piracy or certain military crimes, but no executions took place. Iran is the most prolific executioner of youth in the world. The UN Secretary-General`s August 2015 report on human rights in Iran expressed his continuing concern „about the frequency of executions, particularly in the case of drug-related offences and juvenile offenders.“ The UN report says that although no official data has been made public, 160 young people were reportedly sentenced to death in the country in 2014. Secretary-General of the United Nations, Report to the General Assembly, Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, A/70/352, p.
30 (31 August 2015). Amnesty International recorded 73 executions of juvenile offenders by Iran between January 2005 and November 2015, estimating that „the actual number is likely to be much higher as many cases of the death penalty go unreported“. None of the 73 executions of minors recorded by Amnesty International have been officially announced by the Iranian government. Amnesty International, Growing Up on Death Row: The Death Penalty and Juvenile Offenders in Iran, p. 28 (2016). In Japan, the only method of execution is hanging, and prisoners are blindfolded and hooded before the trap is released and the detainee is executed. Japan killed twenty-four death row inmates between 2012 and 2016. Once a detainee has been executed, Japanese prison officials inform the public of the execution that has just taken place. The use of formal execution extends to the beginning of the recorded story.
Most historical documents and various primitive tribal practices suggest that the death penalty was part of their judicial system. Community sanctions for wrongdoing generally included compensation for blood money by the perpetrator, corporal punishment, avoidance, banishment and execution. In tribal societies, compensation and avoidance were often seen as a form of sufficient justice. [14] The response to crimes committed by neighboring tribes, clans, or communities included formal apologies, compensation, bloodfighting, and tribal wars. However, if a criminal has been convicted of committing a military crime, he will be subjected to death by firing squad. This is a very violent tactic, so it is often not even considered a viable method of execution. However, South Korea, like China, continues to execute criminals with gunfire. The difference between South Korea and China is that South Korea reserves a firing squad as excessive punishment for individuals who have committed criminal activities that have affected the country`s military in one way or another. Saudi Arabia also executes criminals who were minors at the time of the crime. [121] [122] In 2013, Saudi Arabia was at the center of an international controversy after executing Rizana Nafeek, a Sri Lankan domestic worker, who was believed to be 17 years old at the time of the crime. [123] Saudi Arabia banned the execution of minors, with the exception of terrorism cases, in April 2020.
[124] Among the countries of the world, all European countries (with the exception of Belarus) and many oceanic states (including Australia and New Zealand) as well as Canada have abolished the death penalty. In Latin America, most states have completely abolished the use of the death penalty, while some countries, such as Brazil and Guatemala, only allow it in exceptional situations, such as treason. B in time of war. The United States (the federal government and 29 states), some Caribbean countries and the majority of Asian countries (e.g. Japan and India) retain the death penalty. In Africa, less than half of the countries retain it, for example Botswana and Zambia. South Africa abolished the death penalty in 1995. Iran, despite its ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is the greatest executioner of juvenile offenders in the world, for which it is the subject of widespread international condemnation; The country`s record is at the centre of the Stop Child Executions campaign.
But on February 10, 2012, Iran`s parliament amended controversial laws on the execution of minors. In the new legislation, the age of 18 (solar year) would be applied to accused of both sexes and juvenile offenders would have to be sentenced under a separate law that applies specifically to minors. [86] [87] Based on Islamic law, which now appears to have been revised, girls aged 9 and boys aged 15 during the lunar year (11 days less than a solar year) are considered fully responsible for their crimes. [86] Iran accounted for two-thirds of the total number of such executions worldwide, and currently about 140 people are considered minors awaiting execution for crimes committed (up from 71 in 2007). [117] [118] Past executions of Mahmoud Asgari, Ayaz Marhoni, and Makwan Moloudzadeh have become central to Iran`s policy of the death penalty for children and the judicial system that imposes such sentences. [119] [120] The number of countries that have officially abolished the death penalty has steadily increased, from 48 in 1991 to 106 in 2017. Many countries have abolished the death penalty, either by law or in practice. Since the Second World War, there has been a trend towards the abolition of the death penalty.
The death penalty has been completely abolished by 102 countries, six others have done so for all offences except in special circumstances, and 32 others have abolished it in practice because they have not used it for at least 10 years and are believed to have an established policy or practice against carrying out executions. [52] Some countries have resumed the use of the death penalty after suspending the practice for a long time. The United States suspended executions in 1972, but resumed them in 1976; there were no executions in India between 1995 and 2004; and Sri Lanka declared on 20 November 2004 the end of its moratorium on the death penalty,[71] although it has not yet carried out any further executions. The Philippines reintroduced the death penalty in 1993 after abolishing it in 1987 but abolishing it in 2006. However, Iran is not the only country where young people are executed. Amnesty International reports that military courts continue to carry out executions of children in Somalia`s semi-autonomous region of Puntland. Five boys, all between the ages of 14 and 17, were executed on 8 April 2017 for their alleged involvement in the killing of three senior government officials by the Al-Shabaab armed group. Michelle Kagari, Amnesty International`s Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes, said: „These five boys were executed after a fundamentally flawed trial in which they were tortured to confess that they were denied access to a lawyer and additional protection for young people and brought before a military court. At the time, Amnesty International called on the Puntland authorities to spare the lives of two more boys, Muhamed Yasin Abdi, 17, and Daud Saied Sahal, 15, who were about to be executed militarily. Amnesty International, „Somalia: Stop the series of executions of children in Puntland“, 28 April 2017. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office reports that authorities in the state of Puntland had more than 50 young people in detention who, according to the European Union, had been forced by Al Shabaab to take part in the fighting. The children were captured during a successful government operation against Al Shabaab in March 2016.
United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office, „Human Rights Priority Country status report: January to June 2016“, updated 8 February 2017. .
