Death sentences drop by 17% globally (Updated)

PETALING JAYA: The imposition of death penalties and executions in 2017 have declined 17% globally, Amnesty International said today.
Amnesty viewed this narrow decline, along with 106 countries abolishing death penalties for all crimes, as positive developments worldwide.
Other countries are taking initiatives to do away with the death penalty, it noted.
According to the Amnesty International Global Report, “Death Sentence and Executions 2017”, at least 993 executions were recorded last year in 23 countries, including four in Malaysia.
It said the total recorded executions is a decline of 4% from 1,032 executions in 2016 and 39% from 1,634 executions in 2015.
The total number of executions in 2015 was reportedly the highest since 1989.
Based on the 2017 report, the numbers, however, excluded China, which is believed to have carried out executions “in the thousands yearly”, but kept the statistics as state secrets.
Citing the report, Amnesty International Malaysia interim executive director Gwen Lee said Malaysia was among 11 countries in the world that carried out executions every year in the past five years.
“But there seems to be a slight drop in the number of executions in Malaysia. However this information is not made accessible to the public.
“Amnesty believes that the number is higher than what has been reported. This shows there is still much work to be done in ending the death penalty in Malaysia,” she said at the launch of the report here today.
Malaysia has amended the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 to give judges discretion over the previously mandatory death penalty.
However, she noted that despite the amendments passed on Nov 30, 2017, the delay in gazetting and enforcing the amended law had led to some accused being sentenced to death.
It was reported that a Malaysian and four Indian nationals were sentenced to death on Jan 17 this year.
“The new legislation finally came into force on March 15, a bit longer than we thought because between Nov 30 and March 15 some cases (were still) sentenced (to mandatory death because) they can’t use the new amendment,” Lee said.
Another case she cited was three men, including two Taiwanese nationals, who were sentenced to death on April 4.
The full report can be accessed via http://www.amnesty.my/death-sentences-and-executions-2017/