Amnesty urges Govt to abolish death penalty

In its report Lethal Lottery: The Death Penalty in India, the rights body alleged that the administration of death penalty in the country is 8220;manifestly flawed and fraught with error8221;.

8220;It is shocking that most death sentences handed down in India are based on circumstantial evidence alone. Over the 700 cases examined, more than 100 were found to have resulted in acquittals by Supreme Court.

8220;8230;These are perhaps the most blatant examples of arbitrary and deadly potential of the criminal justice system,8221; the report claimed.

The rights body said they feared the Indian leaders lacked the 8220;political courage and human rights leadership8221; to abolish death penalty.

8220;Public opinion often supports retention of the death penalty based on the erroneous view that it deters violent crime. It is therefore up to the nation8217;s leadership to explain the futility of retaining executions on this basis,8221; it said.