U.S. among top 4 executioners: Amnesty International
Last Updated Tue, 06 Apr 2004 17:02:48
GENEVA - The United States was among four countries that accounted
for more than eight of every 10 executions last year, Amnesty
International said on Tuesday.
INDEPTH: Capital punishment
In a new report, the human rights group said China, Iran, Vietnam and
the United States carried out 84 per cent of the known executions in
2003.
Amnesty said it has documented 1,146 executions around the world, but
believes the number to be much higher.
According to the report, 28 countries executed people last year including:
726 in China
108 in Iran
65 in the United States
64 in Vietnam
The records available in China are limited and incomplete, Amnesty
said, suggesting the real number of people killed by the state could
be in the thousands.
The report also indicates 63 countries issued death sentences for
2,756 people.
Along with its report, Amnesty issued a call for the United Nations
Commission on Human Rights to move to end all executions. The UN
commission is currently holding its annual meeting in Geneva.
Amnesty argues that the death penalty is no deterrent to crime, and
holds Canada up as an example of its point. Amnesty says the homicide
rate in Canada has gone down 40 per cent since Ottawa abolished
capital punishment in 1975.
The human rights group also worries that innocent people are
sometimes put to death.
Written by CBC News Online staff
--
Larry C. Lyons
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Life is Complex. It has both real and imaginary parts.
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Chaos, Panic and Disorder. My work here is done.
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