DEATH PENALTY IN 2011

[malaise]

http://www.amnesty.org/en/death-penalty

http://www.amnesty.org/en/death-penalty/death-sentences-and-executions-in-2011
An overwhelming majority of countries did not use the death penalty in 2011. Only 20 out of 198 countries carried out executions – a drop of more than a third over the last decade.

Death sentences were pardoned or commuted in 33 countries, compared to just 19 in 2010.

Nevertheless, an increasingly isolated group of countries executed at an alarming rate in 2011. China continued to put thousands of people to death, and in the Middle East there was a sharp rise in the number of people executed in Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. States that year-on-year figured consistently among the top executioners also included North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, USA and Yemen.

Even in those countries that continued to use the death penalty, progress was made in 2011. In the USA, Illinois became the 16th state to abolish the death penalty. China removed the death penalty for 13 crimes, while adding at least two new capital crimes. Decreases in the use of the death penalty were recorded in Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority and Tunisia.

At least 18,750 people remained under sentence of death at the end of the year and at least 676 people were executed worldwide in 2011, excluding China.

[countryjake]

1. The US is certainly in good company...

there, looking at that list.

China, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, USA and Yemen...top executioners!

[malaise]

3. It's heart-breaking to see the US with those countries

Indeed it's frightening

[gratuitous]

2. Lucky for us, Amnesty doesn't include summary executions

Otherwise, the United States might move up considerably on their list. We've also added a substantial number of crimes, real and imagined, that are subject to the death penalty. The good news is we no longer require a trial to establish guilt; the mere push of a button hundreds or even thousands of miles away is sufficient to tie up judge, jury and executioner in one neat, efficient bundle.

But our executions are reserved for people who are really, really bad. Trust us. Well, you kinda have to, because we no longer trust our criminal justice system to do it anymore.

[malaise]

4. Luckier for us

our cops have killed 57 citizens since 2012.