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U.S. | 'I comfort death row inmates in their final moments - the execution room is like a house of horrors'

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Reverend Jeff Hood, 40, wants to help condemned inmates 'feel human again' and vows to continue his efforts to befriend murderers in spite of death threats against his family A reverend who has made it his mission to comfort death row inmates in their final days has revealed the '"moral torture" his endeavor entails. Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood, 40, lives with his wife and five children in Little Rock, Arkansas. But away from his normal home life, he can suddenly find himself holding the shoulder of a murderer inside an execution chamber, moments away from the end of their life. 

Two more hangings in Japan

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Today (Oct. 28), 2 death row inmates were executed in Japan: one in Fukuoka and the other in Sendai.

Michitoshi KUMA, age 70, was condemned to death in October 2006 by the Supreme Court. He was accused of murdering 2 young girls (both 7 years old) in February 1992. He claimed his innocence throughout the trial butcourts found him guilty based on the result of DNA test conducted by police, while the other result of the test by Teikyo University was negative.

Masahiro TAKASHIO. Age 55, was originally sentenced to life imprisonment by Iwaki Branch of Fukushima District Court,

But Sendai High Court overturned the decision and sentenced him to death. He withdrew his appeal to the Supreme Court and the sentence became final.

He is the 1st executed inmate who's original sentence was life imprisonment AND whose sentence was convicted without exhausting his right to appeal after executions were resumed in 1993. He was accused of murdering 83-year-old mother and her 55-year-old daughter and robbery of about 50,000 yen (approx. 500 US dollars)

Today, based on consideration of the 5th review of Japan by HRC, concluding observation and recommendations are to be adopted by the Committee.

These executions are an apparent challenge against international community which requires moratorium in Japan.


Maiko TAGUSARI, Center for Prisoners' Rights
_________________________________________________

Japan: Two more executions

Stepped-up executions in past years have brought protests from advocacy groups. There are about 100 people on death row in Japan.

Japan executed 2 death-row inmates Tuesday, bringing the total number of prisoners hanged this year to 15, a news report said.

The hangings, reported by Kyodo News agency, were the 1st since 3 inmates were executed in mid-September.

Japan in recent years has increased the pace of its executions, which are not announced beforehand and are carried out in secret. 9 inmates were executed in 2007.

The 2 hanged on Tuesday were Michitoshi Kuma, 70, and Masahiro Takashio, 55, Kyodo reported, citing the Justice Ministry. The report did not detail their crimes.

The stepped-up pace of executions over the past few years have brought strong protests from advocacy groups such as Amnesty International, though capital punishment has public support in Japan.

There are about 100 people on death row in Japan.

Source: Associated Press
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