End the Death Penalty

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End the Death Penalty

The death penalty is the ultimate in cruel and unusual punishment and we believe there is never a moment where its use is justified, reasonable, or proportionate.

Join our global campaign and help us stop and slow its use in China, Iran and the US, to name a few.

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Amnesty International opposes the death penalty because it is a violation of two fundamental human rights, as laid down in Articles 3 and 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

  • the right to life, and
  • the right not to be tortured or subject to any cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment

The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. It is irrevocable and can be inflicted on the innocent. It has never been shown to deter crime more effectively than other punishments.

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LemonTwist  
LemonTwist speaks out about
End the Death Penalty

Life in general is a precious thing. To callously destroy it in what is nothing more than sanctioned murder is hypocritical in the extreme. Why is the general population murdered for murder but the government completely allowed to get away with it? Not to mention the slow, cruel, mental torture of places like death row.
Once dead, that's it. No chance of repentance, guilt or improvement. Life imprisonment allows all of these things as well as the possibility of innocence. You only have to look at someone like Troy Davis' case to immediately realise that an awful lot of innocent people must be killed by the death penalty.
Anyone who commits crimes nominally worthy of the death sentence has clearly got a reason for it, no matter how twisted. That reason should be listened to and the root problems that spawn such crimes must be focused on and tackled, such as abuse, poverty or mental illness.

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Comments (35)

  • PeaceBelieber  

    The death penalty is the worst form of punishment. Isnt murder a crime in itself? What if you were on death row for something you didnt do? Wouldnt that be wrongly accusing somebody of something they havent done. What if you hadnt commited this crime but you were wrongly accused? Basically what i am saying it that the death penalty is not a solution to crime, its making the problem even worse. With the death penalty it can take years to prove someones innocence, but they dont have that time because they are on death row.

    PeaceBelieber 4 months ago
  • Fabulina  

    The question is not what's wrong with the death penalty... But what is right with it? What could it possibly achieve? Murder as a punishment for murder is wrong wrong wrong.

    Fabulina 5 months ago
  • adelalfetory  

    عقوبة الاعدام يثار حولها جدل كبير وخاصة فى عالمنا الاسلامى لاانه يعتبر قانون من قوانين القصاص الذى يحث على ان القاتل يقتل جزاء عمله
    الاعدام يجب ان يكون مقنن وفقط لمن حياته تشكل خطرا على الاخرين ولاينفع معه الاحتجاز او الحبس

    adelalfetory 6 months ago
  • LemonTwist  

    Life in general is a precious thing. To callously destroy it in what is nothing more than sanctioned murder is hypocritical in the extreme. Why is the general population murdered for murder but the government completely allowed to get away with it? Not to mention the slow, cruel, mental torture of places like death row.
    Once dead, that's it. No chance of repentance, guilt or improvement. Life imprisonment allows all of these things as well as the possibility of innocence. You only have to look at someone like Troy Davis' case to immediately realise that an awful lot of innocent people must be killed by the death penalty.
    Anyone who commits crimes nominally worthy of the death sentence has clearly got a reason for it, no matter how twisted. That reason should be listened to and the root problems that spawn such crimes must be focused on and tackled, such as abuse, poverty or mental illness.

    LemonTwist 7 months ago
  • isabellayeah  

    The death penalty was created to PUNISH those who have taken a life, be it literally or, in the case of underage rape, for example, metaphorically. So isn't it hypocritical, to say the least, for the government to take the lives of those who have committed the crime? At the end of the day it is murder, and it's inexcusable for us to let this continue. Children shouldn't be raised into a world where this is acceptable.

    isabellayeah 8 months ago
  • chunt11  

    The death penalty is wrong full stop. It doesn't matter about the crime commited, at the end of the day, we are all human and all have equal rights, including the right to life. The death penalty is also ineffective, as it has been in place in countries for hundreds of years and not prevented crime. It is time to bring an end to this abuse of human rights, and to let countries such as America and China know that it is not accepted by the international community.

    chunt11 9 months ago
  • KatieFarmer  

    I am in total agreement that the death penalty is completely immoral and should, most definitely, be abolished. I feel with this subject matter, however, that I begin sympathising with the family members of victims, and wondering whether I could feel so strongly in my opinion had I been directly affected by a traumatising event.

    KatieFarmer 11 months ago
  • Lisa Edmanson  

    An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind

    Lisa Edmanson about 1 year ago
  • Squashua1  

    no one on this earth has the right to take another persons life, it's wrong.

    Squashua1 about 1 year ago
  • StopCryingYourHeartOut  

    In my opinion the death penalty is wrong in every way. Taking someones life is wrong i know that there are people on death row that are more than likely innocent but because of insuficient evidence and the fact that it is based on wittness testimonys they have been convicted of a crime they did not commit. I also know that there are people on death row that are not innocent and have commited crimes,but as i have researched more and more states are abandoning the death penalty not because it is wrong and disgusting but because 'it costs to much money' it is infact cheaper to keep a man in prison for life than to put them to death. In my opinion mainly in the US but all other countries in the world this disgusting and hideous thing should be stopped and with everyone helping one day it will be stopped.

    StopCryingYourHeartOut about 1 year ago
  • PrincessAzizi  

    Why try and stop killing , by killing? really stupid when you think

    PrincessAzizi about 1 year ago
  • PoohBear91  

    and i totally agree with 'WinterNights101'

    PoohBear91 about 1 year ago
  • PoohBear91  

    Yes people do have a point when they say 'i life for a life' and that that death may be the only justice for loved ones being killed, but too many 'innocent people' suffer being on death row- having their lives taken away from them, their freedom taken away from them for something they didn't do! And when they're executed and police find out they were innocent all along, that the real killer is still out there not only have they put risk upon those communities out there where the killer may be hiding, but those executers can't bring those innocent individuals back to life :(

    PoohBear91 about 1 year ago
  • FatMatt  

    China, you have lots of potential but you must address your numerous flaws when it comes to human rights. Consider that every action you take has consequenses. Unfair, harsh and unbalanced punishments are not looked upon favorably by the people you're trying to do business with.

    FatMatt about 1 year ago
  • WinterNights101  

    Wouldn't you say that sentencing a person to the death penalty is also murder? And by that are they not just as bad? Quite frankly it makes no sense. It's disgusting to think that someone could be wrongly accused and then have to die for it. People get angry about a teenager stabbing someone in the street, but I find it more frightening that people in power have the right to decide whether someone lives. Surely they would be more likely to kill a larger number of people because 'they are protecting the community'. And if the person is guilty? Well then by killing them, they are giving them a way out from what they've done, and that's not fair either.

    WinterNights101 about 1 year ago
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