Amnesty International: Urgent Action Appeal for Zoda Hiroshi in imminent danger of execution in Japan

Tokyo Detention Center

Two men, Ogata Hidenori and Shinozawa Kazuo, were hanged in the Japanese capital, Tokyo, on 28 July. Of five men on death row in Japan highlighted by Amnesty International in UA 54/09, four have now been executed. The fifth man, Zoda Hiroshi, could be executed at any time.

Ogata Hidenori (also known by the name Hideki) and Shinozawa Kazuo were hanged in Tokyo Detention Center. They had been convicted of murder. Shinozawa Kazuo’s death sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court in February 2007. Ogata Hidenori had expressed his intention to withdraw his appeal against the death sentence filed by his attorney. The Supreme Court confirmed his death sentence in July 2007. They were the first people to be put to death since a new government took office in Japan following elections in August 2009.

Zoda Hiroshi remains in imminent danger of execution. He is also held in Tokyo detention center.

Executions in Japan are by hanging and are usually carried out in secret. Prisoners are typically given a few hours’ notice but some may be given no warning at all. This means that prisoners who have exhausted their appeal options spend their time on death row knowing they could be executed at any time. Families are notified after the execution has taken place.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

These execution orders are the first to be signed by Minister of Justice Keiko Chiba since she took office as part of the government formed by the Democratic Party of Japan in September 2009. Seven people were executed in 2009, but there had been no executions since 28 July 2009.

Minister Chiba, who has previously spoken out against executions, announced plans to set up a working group on the death penalty within the Ministry of Justice following the hangings on 28 July 2010. She is the first Minister to attend the executions in person.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:

- Expressing regret at the Justice Minister’s decision to proceed with the executions of Ogata Hidenori and Shinozawa Kazuo;

- Urging the Minister not to execute Zoda Hiroshi;

- Calling on the Minister to order an immediate moratorium on the death penalty with a view to full abolition and to commute the sentences of all those now on death row.

APPEALS TO:

Justice Minister

Keiko Chiba

Ministry of Justice

1-1-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku

Tokyo 100-8977

JAPAN

Fax: 011 81 3 5511 7200

Salutation: Dear Minister

COPIES TO:

Prime Minister

Naoto Kan

Prime Minister

Prime Minister’s Office

1-6-1 Nagata-cho

Chiyoda-ku

Tokyo 100-8968

JAPAN

Fax: 011 81 3 3581 3883

Email: (via website) http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/forms/comment.html

Newspaper

Asahi Shimbun

5-3-2 Tsukiji

Chuo-ku

Tokyo 104-8011

JAPAN

Fax: 011 81 3 3545 0285

Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki

Embassy of Japan

2520 Massachusetts Ave. NW

Washington DC 20008

Fax: 1 202 328 2187

Email: jicc@embjapan.org

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.

Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 10 September 2010.