The death penalty is most definitely a curse upon the families of the victim of the death penalty that haunts everyone, as if it were an upcoming event. The families of the people who are executed have to witness the death of a very loved member of their family. All human lives are important whether good or bad, whether they have committed a crime or they are innocent. According to Amnesty international, “Death penalty violates the right to life and is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. Every execution is a brutal act that not only dehumanizes those that carry it out but also devalues the worth that society places upon human life.” Death penalty can also be looked at as a murder by law. The very right to live is the most fundamental and essential right of any living person, and the death penalty snatches that away from the people. If a murderer is executed, the law dips to their tier by reenacting the exact thing the murderer did.
Why was there a decline in death penalty?
Moreover 106 countries and 36 more in practise in the world have very rightly abolished the unsought death penalty. Last year in 2017, there were recorded at least 993 executions, a 4% decline from the previous year 2016 and a 39% decline from the highest 1,634 reported executions in 2015. Driving this sharp decline is a legion of factors comprising of the huge concerns about human rights, discrimination, potential false convictions, and most importantly its effectiveness as a deterrent. A research shows that there were less murders in non death penalty countries than countries that continue to accept death penalty. I always firmly believed that death penalties violated all thoughts of rights and basic ethics; executing a person for a crime that, although is punishable by law, it utterly sartling, this is due to the fact that people/governments are petitioning all around the world for human rights and to put some sense into people about these matters, and many more such as: economic disturbances, wars, political mishaps, poverty etc. How does one presume that a nation will aid in fighting the above stated, or any other crisis, if they are supporting something that goes against the fundamental rights of humans?
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There is no completely credible evidence that executing criminals does not deter the amount of criminals that lurk amongst the millions of people around the world. In fact, again, according to Amnesty International, the abolishment of the death penalty in Canada in 1976 has brought about the positive, steady decline in the rate of murders, with the lowest being in 2016. This is clear evidence that the death penalty is nothing more than a burden on the lives of people, and a complete waste of resources.
It has also been proved that the death penalty is more expensive per person than a lifetime long prison statement. Let’s put this into perspective. An execution that only lasts mere minutes at most is much more expensive than a lifetime imprisonment, where criminals could reflect on what they had done wrong and even bring the righteousness in them out and show the world that everyone can change for the better. Additionally, the amount of time that a criminal has to wait for his/her name to be presented to the judge is tremendous. During this time, the criminal suffers from mental pain, as the person keeps on thinking about his/her final day; conflicting the idea of showing love to the ones that cared or evening overlooking life, something you are assured to do when your end days come.
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In conclusion, death penalties should be abolished considering the various disadvantages of the death penalty, and the fact that they play no role in decreasing the amounts of crimes, let alone the rate of murders that may take place in a nation. Also considering the grim reality of death penalties and the various mental complications that can be inflicted before to the family of the victims and the victim himself/herself. I strongly disagree in the execution of criminals, but should be punished by law through other, more cheaper, less painful and more effective ways.
Written by: Ali Rayyan (9B) Site designed by: Maryam Hasan (9A)