Establish a moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolition, says AI official
Amnesty International India has described as “shameful” the Union government’s action of carrying out death sentences. “This government has executed more people since November 2012 (Ajmal Kasab, Afzal Guru) than in the previous 10 years. To continue such a regressive trend would be truly shameful,” it said.
Referring to reports that President Pranab Mukherjee has rejected the mercy petitions of four accomplices of forest brigand Veerappan — Gnanprakasham (brother of Veerappan), Simon, Meesekar Madaiah and Bilavendran — who were convicted for their role in the landmine blast that killed 22 police personnel in Karnataka’s Palar area in 1993, Amnesty India’s Chief Executive G. Ananthapadmanabhan said India must immediately halt the impending executions of the four.
They were originally sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court in Karnataka set up under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, but the Supreme Court increased, upon appeal, their sentences to death penalty in 2004. The four filed mercy petitions that year.
The Supreme Court, in a different case, had said that inordinate delay in deciding on mercy petitions could be a ground for commutation of death sentence.
Trials under the TADA did not uphold international fair trial standards; provisions of the TADA were also grossly abused in India to facilitate further human rights violations. The TADA was repealed in 1995.
Since November 2012, Indian authorities have not consistently made all the information about rejection of mercy petitions and dates of execution available to the public prior to the sentences being carried out.
“This new practice of executing in secret without prior notification to relatives is deeply worrying. We urge the Indian government to immediately establish a moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolition,” Mr. Ananthapadmanabhan said.
‘Death sentence routine’
Meanwhile, Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) Director Suhas Chakma alleged that as many as 1,455 persons were sentenced to death in India during 2001-2011 — Uttar Pradesh topping the list with 370 accused convicted to enter the gallows. This was followed by Bihar — 132 and Maharashtra — 125.
He said “this implies that on an average, one convict is awarded death penalty in less than every third day in India. The rarest of rare case doctrine for application of death penalty has become routine. Death penalty is no longer the exception but the rule”.
Keywords: Death penalty, Amnesty International India, Ajmal Kasab, Afzal Guru
There are rights only, not any duty to fulfill for a person. A person
must be entitled for human rights only when he is fulfilling his duties
towards others. there cannot be one way only.
How would you call the hangings shamefull as the persons in question were tried in court and found guilty, These people committed atrocious acts of terror and in full view of the world.
The acts were deliberate, well thought of two cause death to maximum possible people.
Wonder if the same organisation has termed the acts of these terrorists shamefull?
Come on be realistic and do not just rake issues without understanding the practicality.
People who commit such acts have no right to live.
First they kill innocent people in cold blood and then tax payers pay for their stay in jails for life.
Don,t you think this is shamefull?
Amnesty International should do some groundwork before making such
statements. Indian Govt is executing death penalty on those who have
committed heinous crimes. Didn't Mr Ananthapadmanabhan see "landmine
blast that killed 22 police personnel"? Can ACHR imagine the value of
the lives we lost? Can you ever get their lives back or compensate
their families? Can ACHR ever console their wives and children? After
recent death sentences, we Indians are feeling a relief that India
won't be a mute spectator. These death penalties would have sent a
strong message, I strongly believe. So, for heaven's sake, please stop
making such statements. Are these Veerappan's accomplices done
anything for a cause? They have simply affected the peaceful lives of
many families. Actually, such convicts should be shot dead. Death
penalty is for those who don't value lives. And Indian Govt is rightly
executing it. Please don't criticize for the sake of criticizing. Hats
off to the President for taking bold steps
It seems the Amnesty Intl has more concern for perpetrators of crime than
the victims!It is a shame that you also publish you without shame!! Why
should not you be hanged first for this sort of human right tendency?
Amnesty should instead focus on China, Saudi Arabia and even United States where 1000,
100 and 43 people respectively were given the capital punishment. India has shown maturity
when it comes to death sentence.
I am definitely not in favour of death sentences but we must respect the decision of our judiciary which after deep review comes to such conclusions. They take such decisions only becuase person would have committed some heinous crime worthy of such sentences. Increase in such crimes has grown exponentially in last deacde or so and considering this as base, the numbers of death sentences still look small.
I think that none of the members/office bearers of either Amnesity International India or ACHR lost any of their acquintance or beloved to the atrocities caused by either Kasab or other terrorists across India. Also, these guys who were hanged were sentenced by judges who know the constitution and the penal code well. They also know what would be the outcome if they sentence an innocent. They wouldn't sentence someone to death penalty if they didn't think that the case was "rarest of rare". Maybe AI and ACHR members and office bearers have got used to the terrorist attacks, naxal attacks and other similar atrocities by Veerappan and similar people that they don't seem to be "rarest of rare" for them!
Come on guys, just because the government hanged 2 convicts within a span of 6 months, it does not mean they did not deserve that!
These guys who are being hanged valued money and other similar stupid values over life! Murdering one itself is a punishable crime, let alone 100s and 1000s!
I am not able to understand the logic of the Amnesty International calling the execution shameful. What are they trying to say? Is the convicts who have been tried, punished by the Highest court of the Land are to be shown leniency? Is the Amnesty sane enough to understand what they say? What about the lives of those who were killed by these convicts? Is the Govt. not responsible for the security of lives of common man? If these people, who are now convicted are let out or punished mildly, what will happen to the civil society? In that case, the criminal law for murders can be scrapped !
All these so-called ' human right' groups live in their own artificial
make-believe world. The convicts who have been hanged had fought against
the nation. How could they be spared? The next lot of 4, who had killed
22 policemen on duty also can not escape their crime of taking others'
lives. They must face the consequences of their own acts against
humanity.
The Amnesty jumps only when considerable actions are taken in India and
other developing countries. Its becomes dumb when it comes to millions
of innocents killed by the west. Heights of hipocracy
While The President takes steps in deciding the fate of Mercy petitions
sent for his considerations , will he be active to deal with mega -scams
like 2-G ,CWG ,Adarsh etc ?? People expect the politicians indulged in
such scams with the connivance of top officials causing huge loss to the
exchequer to be punished and their properties confiscated . This is THE
COLLECTIVE CONSCIENCE OF GENERAL PUBLIC . Will he take actions against
the persons who institutionalized corruption making the people suffer
even to get a Driving Licence .
We can understand our security very well and probably do not need any
advise from Amnesty International. As per the new reports, CIA was
involved in a massive torture exercise across the world (more than 30
countries). What about CIA incident, and other war prisoners?
Even, I do not support execution but it was related to the attack on
Indian parliament, in in this case we need to protect our parliament and
democracy.
What about the justice to those people who get's brutally Murdered, Raped for no reason and their families get's shattered, it impacts the whole nation !
Don't just focus on the Number of Death sentences, focus on the number of murders,rapes and the nature of crime of these people....Amnesty ! HUH !
I don't hear these guys when the Cope & other good guys are massacred by these butchers. Where were they then ?? 21 people lost their lives & others who were supported them because of the brutal act of Veerappan & his associates.
Adding to the above, I don't hear these so called NGOs when the US, UK other any other big Govts. mass kill innocent citizens of Middle Eastern countries for Oil, minerals and other wealth.
Sentencing by courts are punishments, including jail time , fines and or death sentences. They are instituted to be a deterrent in committing crimes. Which one will be a deterrent, death sentence or free food, lodging, healthcare etc for life(14 years max)? Again death sentence are NOT awarded to all convicted felons, but only to premeditated and or gruesome crimes. The sentence has to be upholded by higher courts!! What compensation will those affected people get, who lost their sons, daughters,brothers , parents etc in a gruesome way?
Amnesty is not above Indian constitution and Judiciary. Let Amnesty focus on International conflicts, Israel - Palestine, Russia - Erstwhle USSR states, African nations etc. and not meddle with internal affairs of India. Death penalty is a deterrant. Its a must. Only the trial that preceeds should the fair.
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