The state of Arkansas has executed Ledell Lee, the first of four prisoners scheduled to be executed before the state’s supply of lethal injections expires at the end of the month. This was the first execution in the state since 2005. Lee’s final appeals had requested DNA testing that could potentially prove his innocence, but […]
The adoption of a draft law by the Philippine House of Representatives to revive the death penalty sets the country on a dangerous path in flagrant violation of its international legal obligations, Amnesty International said today. “The idea that the death penalty will rid the country of drugs is simply wrong. The resumption of executions […]
The Australian Government has failed to commit to reforms that would prevent a future Bali-Nine situation. Today Australia handed down its response to the report of the Parliamentary inquiry into the role Australia can play to abolish the death penalty worldwide. “It is extremely disappointing that the Government did not take this opportunity to ensure […]
At 8 am on 3 February 1967, Australia held its last execution. Ronald Ryan was led to the gallows and hung to death at Pentridge Prison, Melbourne. He was charged with killing a prison guard during an escape attempt. The emotion and anger over the execution contributed to Australia become an abolitionist county 18 years […]
Amnesty International Australia’s Organising Team has been working with thousands of grassroots activists across the country in 2016 to build a stronger, more resourceful activist base. We’ve been developing the skills of our existing and future activist leaders in readiness for our 2020 vision work. Here are some highlights of what we’ve achieved in 2016: […]
It’s been over 100 days since the election and we’ve been working hard to kick start our Amnesty International Parliamentary Group in the 45th Parliament. This Amnesty group has members from across the political spectrum working together to promote human rights in the Australian Parliament. The Amnesty International Parliamentary Group has been around since 1973 […]
Since parliament returned after the election, we’ve been in touch with both new and returned politicians on a raft of our campaign issues. In particular, a focus has been to ensure the great steps taken in the last parliament when it comes to Australia’s role in the global death penalty abolition movement do not fall […]
Guy Ragen represented AIA at this year’s World Congress Against the Death Penalty. Here’s what he learned. Every three years, the global movement for the death penalty’s abolition comes together at the World Congress Against the Death Penalty. This year’s Congress was held in Oslo, Norway in late June, and I was lucky enough to […]
The Bangladesh authorities must halt the imminent execution of a senior political leader who has been sentenced to death following a deeply flawed trial. “The people of Bangladesh deserve justice for crimes committed during the War of Independence. The continued use of the death penalty will not achieve this. It only serves to inflame domestic […]
2015 saw a rise in the number of people executed – at least 1,634 – the highest recorded by Amnesty International since 1989. Glimmers of hope Countries used various methods to kill: hanging, shooting, lethal injection, beheading. They did this with cold efficiency, driving the number of executions up by more than half, compared to […]