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After acquittal of ex-death row inmate, debate needed on Japan's death penalty

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Japan should be ensuring the safety of its citizens, but instead it is taking people's lives. Is it acceptable to maintain the ultimate penalty under such circumstances? This is a serious question for society. The acquittal of 88-year-old Iwao Hakamada, who had been handed the death penalty, has been finalized after prosecutors decided not to appeal the verdict issued by the Shizuoka District Court during his retrial.

Iran: group of 10 prisoners hanged in Kerman

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The mullahs' regime judiciary in Kerman province said on Saturday that 10 prisoners have been hanged in the main prison in southern city of Kerman, state-run Fars News Agency reported.

Those hanged had been accused of drug smuggling. The prisoners were identified by their initials.

More than 700 have been executed in Iran during 2013, 2/3 of which occurred during Rouhani's tenure.

In a report to the U.N. Human Rights Council, the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said earlier this year that Hassan Rouhani, the president of clerical regime has failed to allow greater freedom of expression and there has been a sharp rise in executions since his election.

Ban highlighted the prevalent use of capital punishment in Iran.

In fear of the rage and abhorrence of the Iranian people regarding these anti-human verdicts, Hassan Rouhani last must approved the executions but he said that the victims not to be mistreated at the time of their execution.

Speaking to commanders of the Iranian regime's State Security Forces on April 19, he said: "when someone is condemned to death and he comes to the gallows according to the law, then we have no right to insult him as he is being taken to the gallows... in any case, the law has condemned him and he is punished and this has nothing to do with us. It is either the commandment of God or a law approved by the parliament that belongs to the people and we only execute it," state-run Tasnim News Agency reported.

Source: NCR-Iran, May 18, 2014
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After acquittal of ex-death row inmate, debate needed on Japan's death penalty

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Iran Executes 16 People in One Day Amid Surge in Death Penalties

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