Death Penalty
The death penalty is the ultimate, irreversible denial of human rights. By working towards the abolition of the death penalty worldwide, Amnesty International USA's Death Penalty Abolition Campaign looks to end the cycle of violence created by a system riddled with economic and racial bias and tainted by human error.
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Stop the execution of Marco Chapman in Kentucky | UN: Majority support expected in UN vote on death penalty moratorium | Japan: Hakamada Iwao [Global letter-writing marathon 2008] | Fact Sheets | |
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Troy Davis: Finality over FairnessUPDATE: STAY of execution issued on 10-24! The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issued the stay; More action needed ...
Troy Davis, a man who may well be innocent, faces execution following a trial with no physical evidence. Further, 7 out of 9 state witnesses have since recanted or altered their testimony. Photo: Troy at graduation. © Private
The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles denied clemency for Troy Anthony Davis shortly before 5 p.m. on Friday, September 12. On September 23, The U.S. Supreme Court stayed Troy Davis' execution "pending the disposition of [his] petition for a writ of certiorari." On October 14, the Court decided not to accept his petition. But regardless of their decision, the Georgia Board still has the power to step in at any point, so your continued action is needed today! 
Commission Votes for Repeal in MarylandOn Wednesday, November 12, the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment voted to recommend repealing the death penalty in Maryland. The Commission was created by the Maryland General Assembly to conduct a thorough study of capital punishment in that state. After five public hearings and hours of testimony from both experts and the general public, the Commission determined that Maryland's death penalty is racially and geographically biased, more expensive, harmful to victims' families, and not a deterrent. The Commission also concluded that there is a "real possibility" of executing an innocent person in Maryland. Maryland Residents: Find out more about the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment, and how you can get involved! » |
The Wrong ManMpagi Edward Edmary from Uganda spent over 18 years on death row, accused of killing a man who was later found to be alive. 
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Seek understanding - Mental IllnessThe execution of those with mental illness or "the insane" is clearly prohibited by international law and virtually every country in the world. Despite these standards, and constitutional law, the USA continues to execute people with diagnosed schizophrenia, those that suffer from severe delusions, and others with clinically-labeled mental illnesses. 
International Death PenaltyAround 137 countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. On average, in the past decade more than three countries a year have abolished the death penalty for all crimes. Despite international human rights standards, some nations still execute people. Around the world, the death penalty is used as a tool of political repression and a means to forever silence political opponents or eliminate politically 'troublesome' individuals. |
Capital Punishment in the USASince 1977, over 1,100 people have been executed in the U.S.; there are currently around 3,300 men and women on death row across the country. Grassroots activists throughout the USA play an essential role in advocating against this human rights violation through monitoring cases, mobilizing around upcoming events, and lobbying for anti-death penalty legislation. |
