Amnesty holds a webinar to discuss aspects of the death penalty
October 2026
Amnesty International does not agree with the use of the death penalty in any circumstances. Even if the individual or individuals have committed horrific crimes, the use of the penalty merely perpetuates violence by the state. There is no evidence that it acts as a deterrent. A major problem is that mistakes cannot be rectified if the individual has been executed. It is costly and in states like the US it costs millions if not billions of dollars keeping people on death row while the appeals process grinds on.
Intimidation
The webinar looked at another aspect which has probably been overlooked, namely its use as a means of intimidation. In countries like China, Saudi and Iran in particular, the penalty – or the threat of its use – is a form of intimidating people into silence. It often goes in parallel with the use of torture, it was said, to obtain the confession needed for executions to take place.
Iran in particular has seen considerable unrest much predating the February war launched on them by the US and Israel. 36 have been executed and a further 78 remain under sentence of death. It is a ‘tool for intensifying fears’. Some of the accusations against those arrested include the ‘waging war against God’ and the absurd ‘corruption on earth’.
In Saudi the numbers are massive with nearly 100 executed by June this year. It was noted there was not a proper court system which are sometimes run by intelligence officers. Torture is normalised. Intimidation is made worse by executions held in public.
Uganda was mentioned with the possibility of executions for homosexuals.
Amnesty is planning a campaign as the 10th is World Day Against the Death Penalty.
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