Amnesty International is calling all Malaysians to participate in the World Day against the Death Penalty today, and press for the immediate halt to death sentences in this country and elsewhere.

The movement's coordinator for Malaysia Josef Roy said Malaysia was one of the 83 countries that had yet to ratify an international treaty which abolishes death sentences.

Other countries include the US, Japan, China, Nigeria, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan, he said in a statement today.

"In view of this, Amnesty International is urging all Malaysians to sign an online petition calling on governments to cease executions immediately," he added.

Roy said that a total of 76 nations have now abolished the death penalty for all crimes, and 16 for all but exceptional crimes. He added a further 20 countries are abolitionist in practice - they no longer carry out executions.

The latest country to ratify the international covenant, Protocol No 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights, was Armenia last month, he added.

Creating awareness

"Death is not justice. The death penalty violates the very foundation of human value and dignity. It is outrageous that states still carry out executions. No research has shown that it deters criminality more effectively than other punishments - instead it fuels a culture of violence, is often applied in a discriminatory manner and has no place in a modern society respecting human rights values," said Roy.

He said that various activities have been organised around the world today to commemorate the World Day against the Death Penalty.

"This will be done through manifestations, debates and seminars to increase the pressure on governments to abolish the death penalty, and to create awareness about this cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment," he said.

The World Day against the Death Penalty is organised by the World Coalition against the Death Penalty, an organisation of trade unions, bar associations, local and regional governments and human rights organisations working for the universal abolition of capital punishment.

Roy also said that in the local front, AI Malaysia and Taylor's College yesterday co-organised an event on the death penalty.

The event included a debate on the death penalty, sketches as well as an exhibition

He added that despite the clear trend towards abolition, some countries continue to execute prisoners by lethal injection, hanging, firing squad and even by stoning.

Awaiting death

According to Amnesty International data, during 2003 to date, 57 people have been executed in the USA, at least 83 executions in Iran and 40 in Saudi Arabia.

During 2002 Amnesty International recorded that 3,248 people were sentenced to death in 67 countries.

In Malaysia, death sentences can be carried out for offences involving drugs trafficking, discharging or possessing firearm, murder, kidnapping and for any offences against the King and the state.

According to the latest available records, as at the end of 2001, there were 159 people on death row, pending appeal.

Deputy Home Affairs Minister Zainal Abidin Zin was reported in the media as saying that between 1970 and 2001, there had been 359 executions in Malaysia, the majority of which were for drug offences.