Shining a light in the darkness: Holding vigil against the death penalty

There will be a glow with candlelight on the evening of 10 October, as local Amnesty International supporters light one hundred of candles in solidarity with people on death row around the world, to mark World Day against the Death Penalty.

“We invite everyone in the Hobart area to come down to Franklin Square at 5:30 PM. Next Thursday night, light a candle against the death penalty; hear from a former national president of Australians lawyers’ alliance and the Australian republican Movement. Barrister Greg Barnes,” said President of Amnesty International Australia – Tasmania, Clare Wiseman.

“Next Thursday, the flames of our candles will symbolise our hope for a world without state-sanctioned murder. No matter what crime someone has committed, killing is never justified. The death penalty is barbaric and its use in society dehumanises us all.”

The good news is that the world is continuing its trend toward abolishing the death penalty. The use of the death penalty is limited to an isolated group of countries and in 2012 only 21 countries carried out executions.

The bad news is that many of those countries are in our own Asia Pacific region and, over the last year, some of Australia’s neighbours resumed executions after a long break: Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Japan. Papua New Guinea also has recently introduced laws that expand its use of the death penalty.

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception, irrespective of the crime the subject has been convicted of, and looks forward to a day where capital punishment has been completely abolished across the world.

Vigil for World Day Against The Death Penalty
Location: Franklin Square, Hobart, TAS, 7000
Date and Time: 10 October, 2013
5:30pm – 6:30pm
Clare Wiseman, Branch President of Amnesty International Australia – Tasmania