Melanie Lofgren
9/11/09
4:30 p.m.
James Welsh, Amnesty International’s Health Coordinator, conducted a report for Amnesty International concerning the death penalty in Japan. Japan has signed up to international standards that prohibit a prisoner diagnosed with a mental illness to be put to death. According to Welsh, Japan is violating their commitment to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. These prisoners that are on death row face cruel situations: they are lucky if they have a shed of light in their cell or fresh air, they are not allowed to move within their cell but to remain seated (apart from visiting the toilet), they are prohibited to communicate with staff or other prisoners, if they are granted the privilege to see their lawyer or family member it can be as short as five minutes and to top it all off, they are not told the date of their execution. Prisoners can face days, months, years, even decades in anxiety and distress awaiting their day of execution which can push inmates off the edge and into a world of mental illness. Although the exact number of inmates diagnosed with a mental illness is unknown (due to the high secrecy level within the prisons of Japan), we do know that as of September 3, there are 102 inmates on death row.
I completely do not agree with this cruel punishment. I would agree with Welsh’s following statement, "To allow a prisoner to live for prolonged periods under the daily threat of imminent death is cruel, inhuman and degrading”. A prisoner living with any kind of mental illness is a serious condition that should be treated effectively. I feel that Japan is simply exterminating those within the prison system who are “rejects” or who need more help and medical attention that is worth giving. Japan’s way of executing their prisoners is by hanging which I am also not in compliance with at all. If a prisoner is issued that death warrant, they should at least be given the date and time of their execution.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/japan-continues-execute-mentally-ill-prisoners-20090910
1 comment:
Joy Weems
I agree with your comment whole heartedly. I do believe their system of execution is an unfair outrage to their society members. To execute and mistreat individuals on the level that Japan does is an injustice. Further more having inmates live in those type of conditions would send anyone into a mental state. Not ever knowing which day is your last is far from just and Japan needs to rethink its practices within their prison system.
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