Human Rights- Death Penalty

  Human Rights - Death Penalty  By: Tayam Mourad / Ali Hage Sleiman What is the Death Penalty?  The death penalty is a type of capital punishment in which a government or state executes (kills) a person, usually but not always for committing a significant crime.  The problem with the death penalty is that it is a violation of the right to life, which is the most fundamental of all human rights. It also infringes on the right not to be tortured or subjected to other brutal or degrading treatment or punishment. Furthermore, the death penalty degrades the basic dignity of every human being. The risk of executing an innocent person is inherent in the death penalty. Since 1973, at least 186 people in the United States have been exonerated after being wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death. The death sentence in the United States is a clear violation of international human rights law. It is frequently used arbitrarily and discriminatory, with no regard for fundam...