Thailand executions condemned

Thailand’s decision to resume executions prompts criticism from European Union.

US death penalty execution supreme court
Thailand started carrying out executions by lethal injection in 2003 [File: GALLO/GETTY]

The official said their petition for clemency to King Bhumibol Adulyadej had been refused.

According to Amnesty, Thailand’s last executions were in 2003, when four people were killed by lethal injection.

Clemency

The same year, Thailand changed its law to have executions carried out by injection instead of shooting.

The corrections department also said there are 832 people sentenced to death, 371 of whom were convicted of drug-related crimes.

There are currently 115 people who have petitions for clemency pending.

In the last 10 months, Burundi, Togo and the US state of New Mexico have
abolished the death penalty, while the UN General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly for a moratorium on executions, Amnesty said in a statement.

“The government of Thailand should follow their example and urgently review its use of the death penalty,” the statement said.

Source: News Agencies