An Analysis of the Human Rights Violated by the Death Penalty

When thinking about which human rights the death penalty violates, the first one that comes to mind is Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person." Obviously, killing someone takes away his/her right to life. The death penalty also violates Article 5: "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." Often the electrocution, lethal injection, or other form of legal killing is not properly administered and can cause intense suffering. And even when an inmate is killed "properly," the usage of the death penalty is a cruel and inhuman punishment because this person should be allowed to absolve his/her wrongdoing. This ties into another article that the death penalty violates, Article 8: "Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law." In prisons around the world, there is clearly a lack of effective rehabilitation programs to help inmates because, when released from jail, many fall back into a life of crime.  If the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were followed, then criminals would not be killed for their crimes but instead, effectively remedied and allowed to make a better life for themselves.  The fact that the above three articles are violated means that Article 28 is violated: "Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized." This is not currently true because, due to the death penalty, everyone cannot live in a place where they can realize the freedoms stated above.

Source: un.org
Picture source: http://book.coe.int/ftp/image/110044.png

Erica and Danielle's Opinion on the Death Penalty

The death penalty is atrocious and cruel. It violates many human rights and most of the time is completely inhumane. As stated above in our human rights post, there are many instances in which someone has been improperly administered a lethal injection or electrocution and the prisoner suffers the most painful of deaths. Often, there is not even a doctor on hand. Besides, the very idea of the death penalty is barbaric. Legalizing the death penalty has put the blood of thousands of murders on the hands of the government. It is surprising that the US is one of the few developed nations practicing the death penalty because, not only is it stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that everyone has the right to life, but it is stated in our own Constitution's Bill of Rights, Amendment Eight that "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted." The death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment.  Killing murderers is just as bad as killing innocent people because all it serves to do is teach the public that killing is acceptable. Although it is a tired cliché, two wrongs really do not make a right!

Source: billofrights.org

Picture Source: http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists.jpg

Racial Disparity Regarding the Death Penalty

Source: www.deathpenalty.org/img/original/race2.jpg

There are more white people on death row in the U.S. simply because there are more white people in general in the U.S.

Source: www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/images/racevictim2.png

 In North Carolina, a defendant is 3.5 times more likely to receive a death sentence if the victim in the case is white than if the victim is black.  Similarly, in California, a defendant is over 4 times more likely to receive the death penalty if the victim is white than if the victim is Latino. This is a violation of Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, "Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status." The right that is not entitled to everyone is Article 7: "All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination." Obviously, if murdering a white person increases the chances for a death sentence over murdering a black or hispanic person, all are not equal before the law.
Source: deathpenaltyinfo.org and un.org

Death Penalty Practices Around the World

    = Abolished in all forms
    = Abolished for crimes not committed in exceptional circumstances (such as in war time)
    = Abolished in practice
    = Legal form of punishment for certain offenses

In the US, crimes punishable by the death penalty vary from state to state. However, wherever the death penalty is legal the primary offense that would land you on death row is murder. Around the world, most countries that use the death penalty today are considered "undeveloped." Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the US are the only developed countries where the death penalty is legal.
Source- wikipedia and deathpenaltyinfo.org

Links!

Statistics and Basic Information on the Death Penalty


Timeline of Death Penalty Policies Regarding Human Rights


Amnesty International: "Why Abolish the Death Penalty?"


 Changes in Death Penalty Laws Over the Last 35 Years

What Happens on Execution Day? A Death Penalty Documentary

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1htDY230jx4

An opinion video on lethal injection, one of today's common forms of the death penalty

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfVSSvDZ8v4&feature=related