Most countries have abolished the death penalty. Majority have changed to other forms of punishment. The death penalty is still in use in a few remaining countries, such as the United States of America and China. The death penalty in Iran is more brutal and causes many to die annually. It is mainly used for capital crimes or offenses deemed by the justice system as punishable by death. Mostly carried out by hanging, shooting or firing squad, lethal injection or gassing, and electrocution. Below we shall see why some counties did abolish the death penalty.
It is irreversible
The death penalty includes taking the life of the offender. This is a serious thing, especially if the offender might have a chance to refute the claims or even appeal the judgment. After being carried out, there is no way to reverse the decision. Many people on death row are actively fighting this decisions or have resigned to their fate in the correction system. Significant cases have less time to appeal as sentences are carried out immediately or within days to stop any obstructions.
Innocent lives at Stake
The judicial system is very flawed. Most people brought before judges in courts in many countries are guilty, but some are innocent. Fabricated cases can be brought in the court, and since the evidence provided can be overwhelming and the judge can rule in favor of the case and put the death sentence on innocent life. Many appeals have shown this to be true for offenders on death row. Abolishing the death penalty for life imprisonment can mean that the defendant can fight the case or live out their life behind bars. Wrongful detentions of political activists or resistance leaders and individuals against governments show them death penalties without court decisions. Public executions are more familiar with prisoners who lead resistances or followings to deter more from joining.
Arbitrary application
The judicial system can be used to fight ethnicity, religion, and even against an individual's social class. Sentencing individuals because of their political affiliation is not new in many countries. In some, a step further to reduce a particular group through death sentences because of their race or religion has gained prevalence. Most Immigrants and other people are imprisoned to either stop more or even silence them. Abolishing the death penalty has reduced the option of executing individuals without cause or previously committed crime that is not deemed a capital offense.
Human Rights
There is no humane way to take someone's life away. According to Amnesty International, Death penalties in Iran ranks as the highest in the world with ever-growing numbers. Abolition of the death penalty in Iran will be a significant problem as it is enshrined in their constitution. The government claims it is being used to fight drug trafficking. Minors have been executed because of such allegations. It is a legal penalty, and thus The numbers show that an increase of 20% yearly from 2015 to 2017 of the people put on the death penalty in Iran is around the border prisons with Afghanistan. A clear intention is to stop immigrants through the pretext of drug trafficking.
Related Crimes
There exist crimes that warrant the death penalty. Crimes like murder, genocide, and many more are considered capital crimes. Lawyers have argued that this does not necessarily reduce crime. In Canada, murders had decreased since the abolition of the death penalty than when it was still in effect. The death penalty does not deter offenders from actually committing the crimes.
Public Opinion
The spectacle of putting the ends to one life on show has brought backlash on the act of execution. More and more people are against this practice. Human rights commissions and activists are lobbying countries that are yet to abolish this to put an end to it. It is increasingly difficult to avoid the conversation in judicial systems about the death penalty. In Iran, Maryam Rajavi and the Iranian resistance call for equality in the treatment of all individuals and the end of the death penalty.
In more Authoritarian states, this will be difficult as dissent is also a capital offense, and even treason can be used to put one on death row.
Abolition of Death penalty in Iran might be harder than it seems
More countries are abolishing this act to help preserve lives. Legal systems are finding more ways to reduce crimes as the death penalty gets more and more people on death row waiting for their final breath. Governments are changing policies on ways to deal with capital offenses. Allies to The United States refuse to extradite offenders that might be capital offenders and be put to the death penalty. This shows that there are more people against the death penalty in other countries.