A blot on progressive societies

The author terms death penalty as a blot on our progressive societies which still haunts the most important and basic right of humans in several places around the world- Right to Live. According to the statistics, 150 of the 193 member-states of United Nations have abolished the death penalty. The stance of countries being abolitionist (in favour of abolition of death penalty), retentionists (against abolition of death penalty) or de-facto abolitionists (which have not abolished death penalty by law, but in fact do not practice it ) is widely varied throughout the globe.

Countries in South and Central america were the first ones to enter the list of abolitionists. Still large variation in can be seen among United States on their stance on the subject. Most of the Caribbean countries have not seen a case of death penalty since many years. Europe, with an exception of Belarus, is totally abolitionist. On the other hand, the statistics are high on Asia, with China, Iran, Korea, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam on the top of the list. There has also been a shift in the voting in U.N General Assembly towards abolishing death penalty, as countries realise the soul importance of right to life.

Now, the still retentionist countries, must realise that death penalty is not a punishment but a consequence of not being able to deal with the crimes. It is the most immoral and also an irreversible punishment, which does not do justice to the laws of nature.