ADPAN (Anti Death Penalty Asia Networks) Press Statement
APDAN is deeply concerned with the ongoing executions by Pakistan government, and if not stop, will see more than 500 people being executed for the next few months .
Pakistan has been on moratorium since 2008. Unfortunately, the moratorium was immediately lifted after the horrific “ Peshawar School Attack” which took away the lives of 132 children . The whole nation was shocked and angered.
ADPAN condemned all such acts of violence.
In the mean time, ADPAN viewed that the Government’s decision to lift the moratorium has been made hastily and on the wrong assumption that execution will successfully tackle act of terrorism. Indeed, it is the opposite. Killing will only perpetuate more violence.
Based on some news reports, it is known that out of the 500 due to be executed, at least 200 of them are not terror-related. It is even more disturbing to have known the Government is about to execute someone who might have been wrongfully condemned, such as the case of Shafqat Hussain, who was allegedly tortured into confessing to murder, and sentenced to death by an anti-terrorism court. He was 14 years old then.
What it turns out now is that those who have been victims of miscarriage of justice are on the list of execution.
ADPAN regret that Pakistan Government has rushed to lift the moratorium without regards to international human rights law. We urge the Government to stop all execution, resume the moratorium and eventually abolish the death penalty.
Issued by:
Anti Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN)
14 January 2015
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