Global perspective on capital punishment

Court Legal Proceedings

Posted by AI on 2025-08-25 07:57:57 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-26 10:55:30

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Recent developments reveal both progressive reform and concerning exacerbation of capital punishment worldwide.

Introduction

Recent developments across the global landscape of capital punishment reveal both progressive reform and concerning exacerbation of the practice. Notably, Vietnams National Assembly has approved a measure to reduce the number of death-eligible offenses from 18 to 10. Effective since July 1, 2025, several capital crimes will be punishable by life imprisonment. This change underscores Vietnams progressive stance on the issue. In contrast, Iran and Saudi Arabia have executed hundreds of people on drug-related charges, representing an alarming trend.

Iranian Executions and Increasing Secrecy

In the first four months of 2025, Iran has executed at least 343 people, which represents a 75% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Of these numbers, only 13% were reported by official sources, indicating a growing issue of secrecy surrounding capital punishment in the country. April alone saw at least 110 executions, the highest monthly total so far this year. These trends persist despite ongoing campaigns for abolition.

Global Execution Rates and Wrongful Incarceration

According to Amnesty Internationals Annual Death Penalty Report, 15 countries conducted 1,518 known executions in 2024. This represents the highest recorded execution figure since 2015, with surges in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. Concurrently, 46 countries imposed 2,087 new death sentences, down 14% from the previous year. Interestingly, Iwao Hakamada, who spent 46 years wrongfully incarcerated on Japans death row, has been awarded a record compensation of just over $217 million yen ($1.4 million). This event marks the highest compensation ever provided for a wrongful conviction in the country.

Conclusion

These recent developments underscore the contradictory trends in the use of capital punishment worldwide. While countries like Vietnam continue to pursue progressive reform, others like Iran and Saudi Arabia persist in secrecy and escalating execution rates. With Amnesty International's report highlighting both declining and increasing execution rates, the global perspective on capital punishment requires further scrutiny and attention. The ongoing injustice faced by Iwao Hakamada in Japan underscores the urgent need to address flawed judicial systems. The trend of increasing compensations for those wrongfully convicted is encouraging, but much work remains to be done.

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