Nirbhaya case: International Commission of Jurists condemns execution of convicts, urges govt. to abolish death penalty

Introduce ‘systematic changes’ to the legal framework to deter violence and improve access to justice for women, it urges Centre

People gather outside Tihar jail during the execution of four men convicted of Nirbhaya rape and murder case, in New Delhi, Friday morning, March 20, 2020.

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) on Friday condemned the hanging of the four men convicted for Nirbhaya’s gangrape and murder while stating that the execution of the perpetrators was an “affront to rule of law and does not improve access to justice for women.”

Denouncing the executions, the ICJ urged the Centre to

abolish death penalty and introduce “systematic changes” to the legal framework to deter violence and improve access to justice for women.

Frederick Rawski, ICJ Asia-Pacific Director, said: “State-sanctioned executions are little more than public theatre that risk celebrating and perpetuating violence at the expense of the ‘rule of law.’ As heinous as these crimes were, the imposition of the death penalty — the deterrent effect of which has been widely debunked — does nothing to improve the lives of women.”

The ICJ also called upon the government of India to join other states and take immediate steps towards towards ending the practice of capital punishment, as prescribed by United Nations General Assembly Resolutions.

Senior advocate and human rights activist Vrinda Grover said, “In 2013, the criminal laws were amended. However, seven years later the graph of rapes has not diminished. Instead of compelling the state to invest in plugging the gaps in the investigation, prosecution and adjudication of sexual crimes and formulating victim-oriented processes, the clamour for execution of the convicts has hijacked the discourse.”

“Seven years later, the power of the state to extinguish life stands entrenched, while women and girls in India continue to struggle to live a life of freedom, safety and dignity as equal persons,” Ms. Grover said.