Humanists call for abolition of death penalty
The Nigerian Humanist Movement is calling on the Nigerian government to abolish the death penalty. The death penalty is an act of "morbid cruelty, unjustifiable and counter productive, everytime, everywhere and to everyone concerned," said Eze Ebisike, Chair of the NHM. Those who support the death penalty argue that it helps deter and eradicate criminal behavior. But nothing can be farther from the truth. "There are not scientific and true rational facts and figures to show that the death penalty has ever helped to stop crimes," continued Ebisike.
Instead, the situation around the world reveals that more criminal acts are committed in countries that use the death penalty like Nigeria and Iran than in those those do not, like Norway and Sweden.
"Dealth penalty is not just inhuman and antihuman, it violates human rights and basic humanism," stated Leo Igwe, Executive Secretary of the NHM. The death penalty is an act of punishment inspired by religion (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3423143.stm, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3201339.stm)
"It is obvious that those who support and defend the death penalty do so mainly for religious purposes, because they believe it pleases their God or because it aligns with what their holy books say. Abolishing the death penalty is therefore critical to ridding the world of the destructive and dehumanizing tendencies and legacies of religious morality," concluded Igwe.
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abolished death penalty
I personally oppose death penalty. Death penalty in India is awarded only in the rarest of rare cases. The penalty of death tries to shift the entire blame on to the criminal and society in turn forgets the lessons that need to be learnt. The fact is that only the poor and dalits or else those crimes are seen as threats to the state get this punishment. This is natural because such accused are normally unable to get access to competent lawyers.
I think Death Penalty is the Legal Sanction for Murder.
Death Penalty to Poor and Dalits
What is stated above that in India, the fact is that only the poor and dalits get death penalty is true and nothing else but fact.
In West Bengal Dhanjay a Security Guard of Housing Society got the death penalty and his wages were less than repeat less than minimum wages and from high court to supreme court has not taken any note and hence the fact.
Death Penalty Not The Answer
I agree that the facts speak for themselves, the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime and innocent people have been put to death. It also seems to be hypocritical, we kill the killers. Why don't we rape the rapists? Life in prison without the possibility of parole seems like a more logical solution.
death penalty
The death penalty accomplishes nothing. In the US it costs the tax payer more than a life sentence and if only one out of 100 convicts is innocent and executed, it would be one too many. Correctly, it is based upon the wishes of a hypothetical god and does not bring back to life any murder victims. I am glad to note that most civilized countries no longer have the death penalty, except Canada's next door neighbour, the United States of America.
Death penalty
I am for the death penalty because i believe it deters future murders.
Deterrent Argument
If there was strong data out there supporting the deterrent argument, I think a reasonable case could be made that the death penalty serves the interests of society; but there simply isn't any.
Given then that the death penalty serves no constructive purpose for society, it becomes an uncivilized and hypocritical response to crime. How can advocates of civilization expect others to listen when they themselves indulge in the primitive, unconstructive emotions of hate and revenge?
Constitutional prohibitions of the death penalty
See also http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGACT500092005