New strict controls on torture and execution equipment export from Europe
Good news: the European Commission has tightened laws surrounding export of equipment used for torture and capital punishment from Europe. We've been lobbying for these changes for some time. Read more
Trinidad and Tobago execution bill defeated
A
bill that would have made it easier for Trinidad and Tobago to resume
executions was defeated in February 2011 vote in Congress. The
legislation could have put dozens of death row prisoners in immediate
danger of execution. Find out more
Illinois Senate passes bill to abolish death penalty
The Illinois Senate has followed the state's House of Representatives in voting to abolish the death penalty. If the Governor Pat Quinn signs the bill into law, Illinois will become the 16th US state to ban capital punishment. We hope states including Connecticut, Kansas, Maryland and Montana may soon do the same. Read more
UN votes once again to end death penalty
In December 2010,
the UN General Assembly's human rights committee adopted a resolution on
a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, its third since 2007. It
gained more support than the previous resolution in 2008, confirming
the worldwide trend towards ending the use of capital punishment.
Bhutan, Kiribati, Maldives, Mongolia and Togo changed their vote to back the moratorium, while in a further sign of support Afghanistan, Nigeria, Solomon Islands and Thailand moved from opposition to abstention. Read story in full
Mirza Tahir Hussain returns to UK
Mirza Tahir Hussain, 36, from Leeds in Yorkshire has had his death sentence commuted.
Amnesty International was campaigning publicly on this case for over 6 months,
with members across the world taking action to call for his sentence to be commuted.
Noting the discrepancy in judgements by the many courts in Hussain's case, President Pervez Musharraf, with the support of his cabinet, used his power under Article 45 of the Constitution to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment. As Hussain had already spent 18 years in detention in Pakistan, equalling the duration of the sentence of life imprisonment, he has now been released and has since left Pakistan on his journey back to Leeds.
Tahir's brother Amjad told the BBC, "We are delighted and thrilled." He also commended Pakistan's President Mr Pervez Musharraf, who commuted the death sentence on 16 November 2006.
Tahir himself, now back in the UK has thanked all the individuals and organisations, including Amnesty International, who have campaigned tirelessly on his behalf. He said "I thank God for reuniting me with my family today... freedom is a great gift and I want to use this freedom to get to know my family again. My thoughts are with all the prisoners I have left behind."
Many thanks to all of you who took action and contributed to this good news.