Call to abolish death penalty in Ethiopia

[dArKeR]

The Ethiopian government faced fresh calls from human rights organisations on Friday to abolish the death penalty.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) appealed to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to bring an end to executions in the country.

International rights organisations estimate that around 50 people have been sentenced to death in the last decade -– many former officials from the previous regime.

The call for the abolition of the death penalty comes after four men were sentenced to hang in August after being convicted of “genocide” under the former government.

http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=21422

[FlashHarry]

1. Another 'third-world' country moves ahead of the US

I love the fact that it's 2003 and we're still executing people. Here in Nebraska, we still use the electric chair!

Personally, I don't see how you can mete out an irreversible punishment of any kind unless you know with 100% certitude that the person is guilty. So long as we are judged by our peers, who, being human, are fallible, we cannot ever be 100% certain.

That alone, in my opinion, is reason enough to abolish the death penalty.

[dofus]

2. Hey, if the death penalty's good enough for the U.S.

then it's good enough for Ethiopia!

I'm constantly astonished at the people who still support the death penalty in this country. I wonder if they realize that most of the rest of the world somehow manages without it.

[FlashHarry]

3. It's totally illogical.

See my post, above. The only purpose it serves is revenge.