Bali Nine executions commence
I’m sad to see Indonesia execute the ring-leaders of the Bali Nine. I don’t support any state having the death penalty. Apart from the possibility of miscarriages of justice, I think the world is a better place if no state executed people – whether it be for apostasy, drug smuggling, or murder. We should not give to our own governments the power of deciding who is worthy to live or die.
However 36 countries do retain and use the death penalty, including Indonesia. The fact Indonesia has the death penalty for drug smuggling is well known. They have prominent signs up at airports stating this. If you choose to smuggle drugs (especially 8 kgs of heroin) in Indonesia, you are choosing to expose yourself to the risk of capture, conviction and execution.
As I said I’m against the death penalty. But you know what- if you don’t want to be executed, then don’t smuggle drugs in countries that have the death penalty for smuggling drugs.
Hopefully one day all counties will have abolished the death penalty.
Counties that executed more than 10 people in 2013 are:
- China – 1,000s
- Iran – 369+
- Iraq 169+
- Saudi Arabia 79+
- USA 39
- Somalia 34+
- Sudan 21+
- Yemen 13+