Executions and secrecy in Japan
Asia
The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty is deeply concerned about the accelerated pace of executions in Japan and continued secrecy regarding the executions.
Four persons were executed on 10 April 2008, bringing to seven the number of persons executed in 2008. According to Amnesty International, ten executions have been carried out in less than six months.
Executions are held in secret. Relatives are informed of the executions only after they have taken place, and until December 2007, the names of the persons executed were not made public. The World Coalition appeals to the Japanese government to put an end to this practice, contrary to human dignity.
On 18 December 2007, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed with a large majority a resolution calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty worldwide.
The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty calls upon the Japanese government to follow the recommendation of the resolution and apply a formal moratorium on executions, with a view to abolishing the death penalty.
