Worldwide: 2,400 people were executed in 2008

2,390 people worldwide were executed last year, but most countries moved a step closer toward abolishing the death penalty.

Amnesty International- http://www.amnesty.org/ - said in a report issued on Monday 23rd March 2009, click HERE

Of 25 nations using the death penalty in 2008 [including Malaysia], China was the most prolific.

The report said P. R. of China used lethal injection and shooting to execute at least 1,718 people.

However P. R. C.does not publish data on the death penalty.

Of the top-six execution countries in Amnesty's list, only the USA (37 executions) publishes statistics on the penalty's use.

The figures for the others are estimates based on what Amnesty International had verified through media reports, information from rights groups and official statements.

Other groups frequently give much higher figures than those stated by Amnesty International.

The other leading executioner nations on the list are:

Iran (346 executions)

Saudi Arabia (102 executions)

Pakistan (36 executions) and

Iraq (34 executions).

To link to the full Amnesty International Report please click HERE

Lex talionis

The law of revenge

Amnesty International Report on Death Sentences and Executions in 2007

Malaysia is mentioned in the report:

"During 2007, at least 1252 people were executed in 24 countries.
At least 3347 people were sentenced to death in 51 countries.

These were only minimum figures; the true figures were
certainly higher.

Many countries carry out executions in secret and refuse
to divulge any information on the use of the death penalty.

Such countries include China, Singapore, Malaysia and
Mongolia.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for the death
penalty only to be used in an open and transparent manner."

"Amnesty International remains concerned that
executions may have taken place in Mongolia
and Malaysia.

However, due to the secretive nature of the use of the death penalty the organization was unable to obtain reliable information."

To read the AI report:

"Index Number: ACT 50/001/2008 Date Published: 15 April 2008

This document details the countries and territories that carried out executions, and the countries and territories that imposed death sentences, in 2007. During 2007, at least 1,252 people were executed in 24 countries. At least 3,347 people were sentenced to death in 51 countries. These were only minimum figures; the true figures were certainly higher. In 2007, 88 per cent of all known executions took place in five countries: China, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the USA."

in full, click HERE

Visit the AI Malaysia web site HERE

The Amnesty International Tartan

image source

UPDATE:
Read the comments by Malaysia's Minister of Home Affairs Syed Hamid Albar HERE and the Deputy Inspector General of Police Ismail Omar HERE, it is obvious by their comments that they cannot even read and understand a report written in simple English!

What low calibre ministers and senior police officers Malaysia has, how shamefully embarrassing!

Inhumanitas omni aetate molesta est

- Inhumanity is harmful in every age