10 Lesser Known Facts About Death Penalty Around The World

Death Penalty or Capital punishment is a government practice whereby a person is sentenced to death as punishment for a crime. The commonly offences include war crimes, murder, genocide or espionage. In some regions, sexual crimes including sodomy, adultery or rape carry the death penalty. 

Today, the public opinion on the death penalty differs by the crime in question and country. In Australia only 23% of people support death penalty, Norway only 25% of people favor while in New Zealand 55% of the population opposes its use. 

Here are some more fascinating facts about Death Penalty around the world.

1) The Youngest person to put on death penalty was just 14 years old

George Stinney, was just 14 years old when he was punished to death. Only after 83 days of his first crime he was put to death. Weighing 95 pounds and 5’1” of stature, he was first hit with 2400 volt surge of electricity, the mask on his face slipped off, tearful eyes and saliva coming from his mouth.

2) When 1 in 25 people are innocent

Do you know 1in 25 people who are sentenced to the death penalty in the US are innocent? But what happen next if found that person was not guilty? Death Penalty is legal in 32 states of United States.. 

3) Execution Method In US

From Jan 1977 to December 2009 nearly 2000 people were executed in the US. Out of those 80% were executed by lethal injection, 12% by electrocution, 5% were hanged 1% executed in the gas chamber while 2% were executed by firing squad.

4) China keep its death penalty numbers secret

The Chinese government never opens about the number of execution. In the past years, Amnesty International was forced to rank China to have minimum number of executions. Since the number of executions in China is always lower than the reality (assumed) researchers now rely on human rights groups rather than government source to find the number of executions in China.

5) Employees in China can get sentenced to death for enacting fraud

Can you believe this? China can do anything! Even they can sentence the death to the company executive if they got caught committing fraud with the company. 

6) Death Penalties are Expensive 

Do you know death penalty are 20 times expensive than a sentence of life in prison without parole. Defense cost for death penalty in Kansas cost averaged about $445,000 per case as compared to $15000 when the case was not sought. Depending on the country charges may vary for the death penalty.

7) Death Penalty For Watching Pornography & Murdering Cats

If caught distributing pornography or watching South Korean movies you may be sentenced to death in North Korea. Similarly, Iran charges death penalty if the citizens of the country decide to change their religion. In ancient Egypt, killing a cat even accidentally can lead you to death penalty. 

8) Nike’s slogan is closely related with death Penalty

Wondering how? Nike’s slogan ‘Just Do it’ is inspired from the last words of a person who was about to be executed. 

9) An innocent man was punished because of same looks

In 1989, Texas, an innocent man was sentenced to death because the judges confused him for another with the same match viz. looks, height and name.  

10) Japanese Culprits are not told their date of execution

The culprits are not told about their date of execution. They wake up each morning wondering this might be their last day.