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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.

Virginia: Hundreds of faith leaders call for veto of "electric chair" bill

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Three local faith leaders are among more than 300 who are calling on Governor Terry McAuliffe to veto the "electric chair" bill.

House Bill 815 says that if lethal injection cannot be used to execute an inmate because of a lack of the necessary drugs, then the inmate shall be executed by electrocution.

According to a release, the group of interfaith clergy says it believes "the death penalty is wrong, ineffective, born of a mistaken conception of justice."

Reverend Eric Liles, Reverend Joshua Andrzejewski and Reverend Diana Brawley are among the hundreds of faith leaders calling on McAuliffe to veto the bill.

"At the heart of the Christian faith is a belief in redemption and a rejection of cruelty. Resurrecting a brutal killing machine such as the electric chair violates these values," said Richard Cizik, President of the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good in Fredericksburg. "Gov. McAuliffe has no moral choice but to veto this bill."

Pope Francis has spoken on the Catholic Church's opposition to the death penalty, saying it shouldn't be used no matter how serious the crime that was committed.

He also proclaimed 2016 the Year of Mercy.

The faith leaders are urging McAuliffe to honor the teachings of his Catholic faith, which says execution by the state would violate the sanctity of life.

Source: newsplex.com, April 8, 2016

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