A wave of recent reforms across several of the 11 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been redefining the picture of the death penalty in this region.
Although the retention and use of this cruel punishment have long varied across ASEAN, a growing number of states have achieved significant milestones on their path towards abolition in recent years.
As these developments gather momentum, claims that the death penalty acts as a uniquely effective criminal justice measure have been subjected to increasing scrutiny. The continued human rights violations associated with its use, together with its disproportionate impact on those most marginalized and disadvantaged in society, underscore the urgency of abolition as a necessary imperative for the protection of human dignity and the progressive development and enjoyment of human rights for all people in ASEAN.
This briefing examines the changing tides of the death penalty in ASEAN, analyzing historical and more recent trends on its use, as well as some of the prevailing human rights concerns associated with its retention in several countries. It also considers forthcoming opportunities at regional and international levels to build on the momentum and gain further advances towards its full abolition.
Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception, regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime; guilt, innocence or other characteristics of the individual; or the method used by the state to carry out the execution. The organization campaigns for total abolition of the death penalty, as a violation of the right to life as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.
Read “Changing Tides: Reform and Resistance on the Death Penalty in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)”