Capital Punishment Controversy - 1553 Words

Although it is argued that capital punishment is a strong deterrent to crimes and serves as a just punishment, nevertheless, capital punishment should be abolished because it is a violation of human rights, carries a risk of executing innocent people, is a burden on taxpayer’s money and is discriminant in application. Capital punishment has been argued to be a violation of human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 recognizes that every person has a right to life and further states â€Å"No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment† . Death penalty however, is a violation of both these fundamental human rights as it†¦show more content†¦In 2003 alone, 10 wrongfully convicted defendants were released from death row. These statistics depict an intolerable risk of killing the innocent in the name of justice. There have been several cases globally when a person was executed and his/her innocence was later proven. One such case was in Taiwan when a Taiwanese soldier was executed in 1997 for rape and murder of a five year old girl. Before his death, he had repeatedly claimed that he was wronged and that he did not rape and murder the girl. He was deprived of his life, and branded a rapist and a murderer. Fifteen years later, the authorities caught the real killer Xu Rong-zhou who admitted that he was responsible for the crime . However, the damage had been done. There was nothing that could be done to bring the innocent back to life. Historically, death penalty has also been misused intentionally leading to wrongful executions. For example, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged in April 1979 for charges of murder. This execution is very controversial since it was alleged that the then President of Pakistan, Zia-ul-Haq had used the death penalty and judicial system as a tool to get rid of his rival, Bhutto as Benzir Bhutto writes,† There were no eye-witnesses to the attack.......that the FSF guns, which the ‘confessing accused claimed to have used in the murder attempt did not match the empty cartridges found atShow MoreRelatedCapital Punishment and its Controversies 1434 Words   |  6 PagesCapi tal punishment uses death penalty as a form of punishment in many states and countries. It is a practice that has raised endless questions all over the world. Capital punishment or death penalty policy has changed in many countries overtime. Countries such as, New Australia, Zealand and 15 states in the US do not have capital punishment. One of the major concerns arising with capital punishment is because it causes ending of a human life. People and organizations of different backgrounds areRead MoreThe Controversy Of Capital Punishment1374 Words   |  6 PagesThe Controversy of Capital Punishment Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is a form of punishment that has been used as far back as the Colonial Era in America. Although it has been around for the entirety of American history, most of the scrutiny and controversy involving capital punishment arose in the 1972 Supreme Court Case of Furman v. Georgia, in which it was abolished, but quickly returned in 1977. It is evident that many citizens have ambivalent stances on capital punishment; someRead MoreEssay on The Controversy of Capital Punishment.2184 Words   |  9 PagesThe Controversy of Capital Punishment Since the earliest times, man has struggled with the concept of justice. The controversy of capital punishment has weighed on the minds of humans since the beginning. When we are wronged it is our natural instinct to demand compensation. This thirst for revenge can be seen in the earliest civilizations and societies. Ancient Hammurabi code states â€Å"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth† (History of the World). For many people this little axiom seemsRead MoreCapital Punishment Is Not A Longstanding Controversy Essay1151 Words   |  5 PagesWhether capital punishment is fair or not a longstanding controversy. Currently the punishment has still been carried out in some countries, such as China and the United States. Numbers of capital punishment in China is in the first place, compared to other countries (Sterbenz, 2014). However, 98 countries have abolished capital punishment (Amnesty International facts and figures on the death penalty, 2007). Although most of co untries have no capital punishment to crimes, it is still argued whetherRead MoreCapital Punishment : The Nation S Controversy3247 Words   |  13 Pages CAPITAL PUNISHMENT: THE NATION’S CONTROVERSY Matthew Isaac Political Science 102 Dr. Percival May 10, 2015 A rarity exists in a single topic that can cause a degree of controversy so large that it attracts politicians, judges, community organizers, economists and even religious officials to discuss it. This issue is one that some support and others oppose; that is, the issue of capital punishment. Capital punishment is loosely defined as the execution of an offenderRead MoreThe Controversy Over Capital Punishment2295 Words   |  10 PagesThe controversy with capital punishment has been debated for hundreds of years. The Supreme Court is likely to sway its opinion often about whether it should be abolished or instituted throughout the United States. There have been many court cases and lawsuits regarding this issue that has suggested that legislation would be the most effective way to ending the discussion once and for all. In order to abolish the death penalty, the majority has to agree in support of abolition for any legislatureRead MoreCapital Punishment Has Always Been A Major Controversy1710 Words   |  7 PagesCapital punishment has always been a major controversy ever since the Supreme Court ruled it constitutional. Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, became extremely popular as a use of â€Å"punishment† for ones illegal actions. The death penalty was first established during 1834 for crimes committed such as â€Å"idolatry, witchcraft, blasphemy, murder, manslaughter, poisoning, bestiality, sodomy, adultery, man stealing, and false witness in case rebellion† (Bohm). According to Bohm’s articleRead MoreThe Capital Punishment Debate Essay1396 Words   |  6 PagesCapital Punishment, also known as the death penalty is a legal sentence for a criminal to be put to death. The Punishment is rising to a controversial topic and has led to a lot of heated debates. As of 2014, over 150 countries have abolished the death penalty and 40 others have not used it in recent years, although it is still legal. The death Penalty is mostly used in extreme cases of crime like rape or murder. The convicted criminals are mostly put to death in inhuman ways such as lethal injectionsRead MoreShould It Be Abolished Or Not?1396 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Furman guilty of all charges and is to be sentenced to capital punishment. However, what is capital punishment? The definition from dictionary.com states: The practice or legal sanction of allowing the imposition of the penalty of death for people convicted of committing certain crimes. There are five lawful me ans of sentencing which are electrocution, hanging, lethal injection, gas chamber, and firing squad. Capital punishment is a delicate topic amongst the people but there are certain aspectsRead More Capital Punishment Essay - True Justice Through Application of the Death Penalty1069 Words   |  5 PagesApplication of the Death Penalty      Ã‚  Ã‚   The death penalty, as administered by states based on their individual laws, is considered capital punishment, the purpose of which is to penalize criminals convicted of murder or other heinous crimes (Fabian).   The death penalty issue has been the focus of much controversy in recent years, even though capital punishment has been a part of our countrys history since the beginning.   Crimes in colonial times, such as murder and theft of livestock were dealt