Washington
The death penalty in the United States is under scrutiny.
A third of thirty eight U.S. states that have the death penalty have delayed execution while legal and ethical challenges are underway. In several states, lawmakers and courts are currently debating whether the inmates on death row unduly suffer during execution, in violation of the American constitution that guaranties against cruel and unusual punishment.
In 2006, the state of Florida halted executions after a convicted killer took thirty four minutes to die when the needles carrying the drugs were improperly inserted.
Surveys in the United States indicate that a majority of the American public supports capital punishment, but this number has dropped since in several states the courts adopted the option of life without parole.
Last week, the European Parliament voted on a proposal for a worldwide ban on the death penalty, a move that was also backed by France and Germany.
This week a conference in Paris will discuss the subject, and will focus especially on North Africa and the Middle East.
It will also deal with worrying calls for return to capital punishment in European countries such as Poland.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Please also see:
Israel Rafalovich: E.U. to Push for Global Death Penalty Ban
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout5.php&id=3094&blz=1
World Coalition against the death penalty
http://www.worldcoalition.org/bcoalintro.html
Globalizing the fight against the death penalty
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/deathpenalty-010207-feature-eng
The death penalty in the United States is under scrutiny.
A third of thirty eight U.S. states that have the death penalty have delayed execution while legal and ethical challenges are underway. In several states, lawmakers and courts are currently debating whether the inmates on death row unduly suffer during execution, in violation of the American constitution that guaranties against cruel and unusual punishment.
In 2006, the state of Florida halted executions after a convicted killer took thirty four minutes to die when the needles carrying the drugs were improperly inserted.
Surveys in the United States indicate that a majority of the American public supports capital punishment, but this number has dropped since in several states the courts adopted the option of life without parole.
Last week, the European Parliament voted on a proposal for a worldwide ban on the death penalty, a move that was also backed by France and Germany.
This week a conference in Paris will discuss the subject, and will focus especially on North Africa and the Middle East.
It will also deal with worrying calls for return to capital punishment in European countries such as Poland.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
Please also see:
Israel Rafalovich: E.U. to Push for Global Death Penalty Ban
http://www.unobserver.com/index.php?pagina=layout5.php&id=3094&blz=1
World Coalition against the death penalty
http://www.worldcoalition.org/bcoalintro.html
Globalizing the fight against the death penalty
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/deathpenalty-010207-feature-eng