"AI": Increases the number of executions in the world

2023-05-16 09:46:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Worldwide executions in 2022 reached a five-year high, with Iran carrying out the most executions. The data have dampened hopes that had been raised after six countries, including Kazakhstan, abolished capital punishment, human rights group Amnesty International (AI) said.

In its annual report on the death penalty, released on May 16, the human rights group said that last year "disturbingly" 90 percent of the world's 883 confirmed executions, excluding China, were carried out by three 20 states are known to apply capital punishment.

All three of these countries are in the Middle East, and Iran carried out the most executions in 2022, with 576 respectively. The executions carried out in 2022 in Iran coincide with massive nationwide protests in this country, organized due to the deterioration of living conditions and due to the suppression of human rights by the Government. The number of executions in Iran in 2021 was 314.

After Iran, Saudi Arabia has the highest number of executions. The number of executions in this country has tripled, from 65 in 2021 to 196 in 2022. This is the highest number of executions recorded in Saudi Arabia by Amnesty International in 30 years.

Meanwhile, in third place is Egypt, a country where 24 people have been executed.

Amnesty International said that given the unclear data from some states that apply the death penalty, the figures for the use of capital punishment are minimal and "the true numbers of executions are likely to be higher".

As in previous years, Amnesty International has not included figures for executions carried out in China, even though Beijing applies capital punishment more than any other country. The organization said the extent of the use of the death penalty in China is unclear as data on the matter is considered a state secret. However, the annual report said executions in China are believed to be in the thousands.

"States in the Middle East and North Africa region have violated international law as they increase the number of executions in 2022, showing a disregard for human life," said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International. .

"The number of people who took their own lives increased dramatically across the region; Saudi Arabia executed 81 people in one day. "Finally, in a desperate attempt to suppress popular discontent, Iran has executed people simply for exercising their right to protest," she added. Iran has faced unrest, posing the biggest threat to the Islamic Republic's religious leadership since the 1979 revolution that brought it to power.

Human rights groups have accused Tehran of using the executions to "instill fear" among the public in order to stop protests that gained momentum after the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini, who was in custody on charges of violated the rules of wearing hijab or headscarf.

Amnesty's report noted that the application of capital punishment last year was reinstated in at least five countries, including Afghanistan. Meanwhile, in 2022 compared to the previous year, the number of executions for drug-related charges doubled.

Executions on drug-related charges violate international human rights law, which states that capital punishment should only be applied to the "most serious crimes" — crimes that involve intentional killing.

"Nearly 40 percent of all recorded executions were related to drug charges. More importantly, it is often those who are disadvantaged who are disproportionately affected by this harsh punishment," said Callamard.

"It is time for governments and the United Nations to increase pressure on those responsible for these serious human rights violations and ensure that international safeguards are respected," she added.

Despite the increase in executions, Amnesty said it has seen "a glimmer of hope" as six countries have either completely or partially abandoned capital punishment.

Kazakhstan, Pope New Guinea, Sierra Leone and the Central African Republic last year abolished the death penalty for all crimes, while Equatorial Guinea and Zambia abolished the death penalty only for ordinary crimes.

By December 2022, 112 states have abolished the death penalty for all crimes and nine states no longer use capital punishment for ordinary crimes, Amnesty said. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kuwait, Myanmar, North Korea, State of Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, South Sudan, United States, Vietnam and Yemen in 2022 have carried out sentences with death, it was said in the annual report of "Amnesty International"./ Rel