Death Penalty
The death penalty is the ultimate, irreversible denial of human rights. By working towards the abolition of the death penalty worldwide, Amnesty International USA's Death Penalty Abolition Campaign looks to end the cycle of violence created by a system riddled with economic and racial bias and tainted by human error. Please join us in taking action against the death penalty and learn death penalty facts.
José Medellín, a Mexican national, is scheduled to be executed on August 5th in Texas, despite not having been informed of his right to seek assistance from Mexican consular officials. The US is obligated by Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations to inform foreign nationals of their right to seek consular assistance. Urge Texas officials to honor US treaty commitments by granting clemency for José Medellín. » More actions
Good news, but more action needed
Kevin Young is now scheduled to be executed in Oklahoma on August 21 for a killing during a robbery that went "amiss", despite the absence of proof that he actually fired the fatal shot. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 4-1 to grant him clemency and Governor Brad Henry granted a 30-day stay to consider his decision. Urge the Governor to accept this recommendation and grant clemency to Kevin Young. » More actions
Thomas Arthur is scheduled for execution on July 31 in Alabama. The state is pursuing his execution even though his conviction was based mainly on the testimony of an admitted perjurer who had an incentive to lie at his trial. Although DNA evidence exists which Thomas Arthur says could help demonstrate his innocence, the State of Alabama has not granted his request to be allowed to conduct DNA testing of evidence. Take action for Thomas Arthur now!
Iran is one of the only countries left in the world today that still executes children and child offenders (those accused of committing an offense when they were under eighteen years of age). Currently, there are at least 84 known juvenile offenders awaiting execution in Iran, but the total number could be much higher. Many of those scheduled to be executed were convicted in flawed legal proceedings. PDF format | RTF formatTroy Davis Update
On March 17, 2008 the Georgia Supreme Court decided 4-3 to deny a new trial for Troy Anthony Davis, despite significant concerns regarding his innocence. Today's stunning decision by the Georgia Supreme Court to let Mr. Davis' death sentence stand means that the state of Georgia might soon execute a man who well may be innocent. Please take action today by calling on the Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles to commute the death sentence for Troy Anthony Davis.
» TAKE ACTION! Send a letter to the Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles
» Listen to Troy tell his story
» Help get more support! Download the petition
» Read AIUSA's press release
» Learn more about Troy Davis
Activists Turn Out in Support of Troy Davis
Activists rallied in Savannah last summer and in Atlanta on Martin Luther King Day on behalf of Troy Davis.
Amnesty International activists and others continue to rally in support of Troy Davis, on death row in Georgia despite strong evidence of his innocence. To commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Davis' sister Martina Correia spoke about the case at the annual march in Atlanta on January 21, 2008.
Human Rights Goals
- Seek Understanding - Mental Illness
- The execution of those with mental illness or "the insane" is clearly prohibited by international law and virtually every country in the world. Despite these standards, and constitutional law, the USA continues to execute people with diagnosed schizophrenia, those that suffer from severe delusions, and others with clinically-labeled mental illnesses.
- Prevention Not Punishment: Educating the Public on the Intersection of the Death Penalty and Severe Mental Illness
- ABA Recommendation
- The Execution of Mentally Ill Offenders
- USA: Supreme Court tightens standard on 'competence' for execution, an analysis of the recent Supreme Court ruling in Panetti v. Quarterman
- Cruel and Inhumane: Executing the Mentally Ill, article from Amnesty Magazine
- Learn More About Capital Punishment in the USA
- Since 1977, over 1,000 people have been executed in the U.S.; there are currently around 3,500 men and women on death row across the country. Grassroots activists throughout the USA play an essential role in advocating against this human rights violation through monitoring cases, mobilizing around upcoming events, and lobbying for anti-death penalty legislation.
- More Information on the Death Penalty (including pending executions)
- Death Penalty Facts (including executions by year, state, method)
- Encourage Worldwide Abolition
- Around 137 countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice. On average, in the past decade more than three countries a year have abolished the death penalty for all crimes. Despite international human rights standards, some nations still execute people. Around the world, the death penalty is used as a tool of political repression and a means to forever silence political opponents or eliminate politically 'troublesome' individuals. » Learn more
- In 2007, 88 per cent of all known executions took place in five countries: China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and the USA.
- International law prohibits the use of the death penalty for crimes committed by juveniles, yet the execution of child offenders continues in a few countries, particularly Iran.
- International Human Rights Standards
