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Communist Vietnam's secret death penalty conveyor belt: How country trails only China and Iran for 'astonishing' number of executions

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Prisoners are dragged from their cells at 4am without warning to be given a lethal injection Vietnam's use of the death penalty has been thrust into the spotlight after a real estate tycoon was on Thursday sentenced to be executed in one of the biggest corruption cases in the country's history. Truong My Lan, a businesswoman who chaired a sprawling company that developed luxury apartments, hotels, offices and shopping malls, was arrested in 2022.

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

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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

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

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 10 September 2010.
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