Donate by Sept. 30 and your gift will be matched.
spacer spacer Amnesty International USA spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer
donatetake actionjoin usshopen espanol
spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
shadow spacer shadow
spacer
spacer
curve
spacer spacer
Home > Our Priorities > Death Penalty
spacer
Bookmark and Share print this page
spacer
spacer rule

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.

Latest on The Death Penalty Expand [+]
» ACTIONS   » NEWS   » REPORTS   » RESOURCES
Thank Ohio Governor for commuting death sentence of Kevin Keith!   Amnesty International call on Gov. riley to commute Wood death sentence   USA: Less than 'ironclad', less than safe: Federal court ruling may clear way for Georgia to set new execution date for Troy Davis   Fact Sheets

Featured news

BREAKING: Troy Davis' petition denied

On Tuesday, August 24th, a federal judge rejected Troy Davis' petition - ruling that he did not clearly establish his innocence.

This ruling puts Georgia death-row inmate Troy Anthony Davis back on track for execution, despite doubts about his guilt that were raised during a June evidentiary hearing.

Judge William T. Moore, Jr. ruled that while executing an innocent person would violate the United States Constitution, Davis didn’t meet the extraordinarily high legal bar to prove his innocence. An appeal of this ruling is likely, and we will post more details as they emerge.

» Take action: Write a letter in support of Troy Davis and ask key newspapers to publish it
» Read the latest updates on Troy's case

Success story

Ohio Gov. commutes Kevin Keith's death sentence

On September 2, 2010, Gov. Strickland of Ohio commuted the death sentence of death row prisoner Kevin Keith. This was an amazing victory, especially considering that the state parole board recommended against clemency in a 8-0 vote. Also, in Strickland’s statement on the case, he held that while he was not fully convinced of Keith’s innocence, the amount of doubt about Keith’s guilt were too great to allow an execution to go forward. AI commended the governor for this courageous act.

Thanks to all who took action!

More success stories »

    Video Spotlight

June 23: Day One of Troy Davis Hearing

More videos on Troy Davis »

Get involved
 
Sign up to receive actions and updates relating to the DEATH PENALTY
   
 
Support Us
  Your donation will help us abolish the death penalty!  
Donate today!


Find out what's happening in your state »

Join our Facebook Cause »

The Issues

 

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.

» The Execution of Mentally Ill Offenders
» Cruel and Inhumane: Executing the Mentally Ill, article from Amnesty Magazine

International Death Penalty

Around 139 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.

» Read the new Amnesty International report, Hanging by a thread: Mental health and the death penalty in Japan
» Read the new Amnesty International report, A thousand people face the death penalty in Iraq
» More on the Death Penalty Worldwide

   

Capital Punishment in the USA

Since 1977, over 1,200 people have been executed in the U.S.; there are currently around 3,300 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.

» Death Penalty Facts
» Pending Executions
» Amnesty International Debates the Death Penalty on Opposing Views:
Amnesty International Debates the Death Penalty on Opposing Views

 


spacer
spacer
bottom