Dear Editor,

Annually, October 10 is observed as the World Day Against the Death Penalty. It is recognised as the day to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty and raise awareness of the conditions and circumstances which affect prisoners serving death sentences.

The use of the death penalty is not aligned with the right to life and freedom from torture or inhumane punishment. The right to life is the belief that a being has the right to live and should not be killed by another entity.

According to recent statistics from the United Nations, 170 states have abolished or introduced a moratorium on the death penalty either in law or in practice. This indicates a growing consensus for universal abolition, which is necessary for the enhancement of human dignity and the development of human rights.

As the 20th World Day Against the Death Penalty is celebrated universally, we should recognise the gains of the advocacy toward its complete abolition worldwide. According to Amnesty International, the five States which have continued executions up to 2021 are China, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Also, 28,670 individuals are known to be under a sentence of death as at the end of 2021.

Human rights group Stand Up for Jamaica (SUFJ) firmly opposes the death penalty at all times and in all circumstances. We are dedicated to the right to effective legal representation for individuals who may face a death sentence who lack access to effective legal representation during arrest, detention, trial, and post-trial, and especially in cases where due process cannot be guaranteed.

In a capital case, the consequences of not having that access can be the difference between life and death; hence, the ones found on death row are those who cannot afford to pay for first-rate lawyers and are often from the poorer class.

We have seen cases across the world in which those given the death penalty are later found innocent, either just before it was inflicted or sadly afterwards. There are instances of innocence arriving similarly late using DNA or through a late confession of the actual guilty person or from some other piece of discovered evidence. These reveal the danger of not granting the accused, who affirms innocence, the possibility of such an eventuality. It also allows the condemned person, if guilty, the opportunity for repentance and reform.

An instance of this last kind occurred in Jamaica when, after 10 years on death row, an inmate had his sentence commuted to life. Later, because of his religious conversion and becoming a pastor, he was released and continues his pastoral work today.

Last year, Jamaica experienced an alarming increase of violence with episodes of cruel behaviour and mass killings. Such an emergency has increased the advocacy for the death penalty as a possible solution to deter crime. While we stand with the victims who must live with the horror of these violent crimes, we do not believe the death penalty is the answer to bring justice to the citizens of Jamaica. We should hold the leaders accountable for not finding strategies to address Jamaica’s crime problem. As a nation, we have the power to create a clean and safe environment for ourselves and generations to come while building Brand Jamaica, the land we love.

Stand Up For Jamaica

standupforjamaica02@gmail.com