Across the world, most developed countries, after much research, have come to the conclusion that death by hanging, that is capital punishment is not actually a good idea to end the evil in society and therefore do away with capital punishment.
Most developed countries believe that the death penalty inherently violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment and the guarantees of due process of law and of equal protection under the law.
The 7th century BCE’s Draconian Code of Athens, the 5th century BCE Roman Law and Kautilya’s Arthshashtra all advocated death, that is capital punishment by crucifixion, drowning, stoning, burning, hanging and so on. However, now, at least 98 countries in the world have done away with capital punishment claiming that the death penalty is uncivilized in theory and inequitable in practice.
Amidst this scenario, as many as 50 people have been sentenced to death by various trial courts in Gujarat in the last eight months. These sentences were pronounced in 11 different cases. Official sources said this was the highest figure of death sentences ever since Gujarat became an independent State in 1960.
Court documents reveal that the maximum number of 38 convicts who have been sentenced to death by hanging were all involved in the serial blast case of Ahmedabad. Tiffin bombs had been planted and Ahmedabad had been put to intense risk by serial blasts in 2008. All these blasts were planned in busy street markets and hospitals.
The rest 12 cases where convicts have been sentenced to death by hanging including rape and murder.
Before this case 50 people were sentenced to death by hanging, the majority of sentences till the highest number of these sentences was 13 in 2011 when Godhra bomb blast convicts were awarded death by hanging. The Gujarat High Court has upheld the sentence of four of these people.
