My attention was drawn this week to the 2008 report on capital punishment produced by Amnesty International.
For your reading pleasure I present the ‘Execution Top 10′ showing number of known executions in each country and the methods used.
- China 1,718 (shooting, lethal injection)
- Iran 346 (hanging, shooting, stoning)
- Saudi Arabia 102 (beheading)
- USA 37 (lethal injection, electrocution)
- Pakistan 36 (hanging)
- Iraq 34 (hanging)
- Viet Nam 19 (shooting)
- Afghanistan 17 (shooting)
- North Korea 15 (hanging, shooting)
- Japan 15 (hanging)
The figures, apart from those for USA and Japan, are minimum numbers as the governments in these 8 countries are secretive about the use of the death penalty. Japan and the USA publish their figures, presumably as a clear sign that they are civilised and don’t need to hide behind secrecy.
In addition to the above, another 15 countries executed people, making a total of at least 2,390 executions in 2008.
I must admit that I’m pleasantly surprised that the number is so low – I was expecting it to be much higher.
That’s about as far as my pleasant reaction goes.
Apart from Belarus, Europe is free from the death penalty. Countries in Europe may do some pretty unpleasant things, but cold bloodedly killing people convicted of crime is not one of them. As I grew up in Europe, I fully accept that I could be conditioned to be appalled at state executions. If I’d grown up in Asia or Texas, maybe I might feel quite OK with it.
But I didn’t and I don’t and I find the whole concept sickening. I just want to press ‘publish’ and be done with it.
Just take a look at the countries on the list – I find it very revealing.
China paving the way into economic super power status! USA sandwiched between Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iraq.
Am I the only one who sees the sheer craziness, barbarity and hypocrisy of state sponsored murder?
Please tell me I’m not going mad.
How do you react to this?
