How the world executes its worst criminals: Methods of capital punishment used around the world from public beheading and stoning to nitrogen gas and Chinese death vans
"Methods of Capital Punishment: Examining Global Approaches to Executions"
"Controversial Practices and Human Rights Concerns"
The resurgence of capital punishment worldwide, along with the continued use of brutal methods, has reignited discussions surrounding state-sanctioned executions.
China's approach to capital punishment has drawn significant attention, with numerous reports suggesting thousands of individuals are killed annually in a disturbing process likened to a 'conveyor belt' of death. Allegedly employing firing squads and mobile death vans, the Chinese Communist Party has faced criticism for its reliance on archaic methods to expedite state executions.
However, the United States has also faced scrutiny for its use of capital punishment, as human rights groups express alarm over the increasing number of executions carried out in recent years.
Both Eastern and Western countries have adopted techniques involving shock, injury, and gas, subjecting condemned individuals to prolonged suffering before their eventual demise.
In a multipolar world with hardline governments in the Middle East, methods such as stoning and beheading with a sword have resurfaced for mass executions. In 2020, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt collectively accounted for 88% of all known executions.
As human rights organizations raise concerns about the growing prevalence of capital punishment and critics condemn the inhumanity of modern execution methods, MailOnline examines the various approaches employed by countries to execute their most heinous criminals.
Beheading remains the predominant method of execution in Saudi Arabia. This bloody and violent practice, exclusive to the country, is employed for offenses including murder, apostasy (abandoning Islam), homosexuality, witchcraft or sorcery, and 'waging war on God'. Despite promises to limit its use, Saudi Arabia executed 81 people through beheading on March 12, 2022, marking the largest mass execution in recent years. Human Rights Watch criticized the Saudi authorities for their 'brutal show of autocratic rule' and raised questions about the fairness of trials and sentencing.
Lethal injection, originally developed in the US in 1977 but now used in China, parts of Africa, and Asia, is one of the most common methods of execution globally. The condemned person is restrained and administered a combination of barbiturates, paralytics, and potassium solution, inducing unconsciousness, respiratory arrest, and ultimately, heart arrhythmia leading to death. While touted as a more humane approach, lethal injection has notable flaws. Miscalculations can result in excruciating deaths, with instances of individuals remaining conscious for prolonged periods. Past cases, such as Joseph Lewis Clark in 2006 and Joseph Wood, who required multiple injections over two hours in 2014, highlight the potential for prolonged suffering.
The ongoing debate surrounding capital punishment underscores the need for a comprehensive examination of its implications, including the methods employed, their adherence to human rights standards, and the quest for more humane alternatives.
"Methods of Capital Punishment: Exploring Execution Techniques Worldwide"
"A Look into Lethal Injection, Firing Squads, and Hangings"
The administration of capital punishment has sparked debates globally due to the medical nature of the procedures involved, which often require the involvement of healthcare professionals who have sworn to preserve human life. This ethical conflict has prompted some companies to explore alternative approaches, such as a simplified single-shot method, to address the complexities of executing individuals.
Lethal injection has emerged as the most common method of capital punishment in the United States, with 1,392 executions carried out between 1976 and 2023. In contrast, other techniques like electrocution, gas chambers, hanging, and firing squads have been used to a lesser extent, with 163 electrocutions, 11 deaths by gas chambers, three hangings, and three executions by firing squad during the same period.
As of late 2023, twenty-seven U.S. states have provisions for lethal injection as a means of execution. However, the use of firing squads has also gained attention recently. South Carolina's announcement to resume executions by firing squads surprised many, as state prosecutors argued that deaths did not necessarily need to be quick and painless. The last firing squad execution in the US occurred on June 18, 2010, when Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed at Utah State Prison. Gardner was shot by five prison staff members from a distance of 25 feet using .30 caliber rifles, and he was pronounced dead two minutes later.
Although China officially discontinued the use of firing squads in 2010, reports indicate that firing squads have still been employed in some cases. For instance, in 2018, Zhao Zewei, a man who had stabbed nine school children, was shot dead by a firing squad in front of a crowd of villagers. Similarly, Somalia continues to utilize firing squads as a means of punishment. In 2015, Hassan Hanafi, a former media officer for the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab, was tied up at a police academy square in Mogadishu before being executed by firing squad for the murder of five journalists.
Yemen's Houthi authorities also resort to death by firing squad for serious crimes. In 2021, nine men found guilty of spying for the opposing Saudi-led coalition forces were publicly executed in Sanaa's Tahrir Square. Images and videos of the executions circulated widely on social media, depicting military officers shooting the men in the back.
Following the United States Armed Forces' withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban resumed their rule and implemented strict punishments based on their interpretation of Shariah (Islamic law). Public executions, including the use of machine guns, have been witnessed as a display of authority. In Ghazni city, two men were executed by multiple shots to the back, while a woman was executed by a machine gun after being found guilty of killing her husband. Reports also indicated the introduction of a new law that involved crushing gay men to death by toppling walls onto them.
Hanging, mentioned in Homer's Odyssey and historically prevalent during the Middle Ages, remains a method of capital punishment in certain countries, including Japan and Singapore. Although its use has diminished over time, it continues to be employed as a means of execution.
The examination of these various methods of capital punishment highlights the ongoing discussions surrounding their moral implications, adherence to human rights standards, and the search for more humane alternatives.
"Electrocution: A Controversial Method of Capital Punishment"
"The Origins, Procedure, and Ongoing Debate Surrounding the Electric Chair"
The electric chair, an ironically conceived means of execution by a dentist over 140 years ago, was initially intended to be a more humane alternative to traditional forms of capital punishment like hanging.
The procedure involves securing electrodes carrying high voltage electrical currents to the head and legs of the condemned individual, who is seated and restrained in the chair. The person is then subjected to a blast of electricity for approximately two minutes, which leads to ventricular fibrillation followed by cardiac arrest, resulting in death.
The first execution using the electric chair occurred on August 6, 1890, when William Kemmler was put to death in New York. A witness, a reporter from The New York Times, described the event as follows: "Probably no convicted murderer of modern times has been made to suffer as Kemmler suffered."
The scene was described in gruesome detail: "After the initial convulsion, there was no movement in Kemmler's body... The onlookers, horrified by what they saw, rose from their chairs and groaned in agony. 'He is alive!' someone exclaimed. 'Turn on the current,' said another."
The current was activated again, and Kemmler's body became as rigid as bronze. It was an awful sight that left the witnesses unable to look away. The sound of the current could be heard snapping sharply. Blood appeared on Kemmler's face, resembling sweat. An unbearable stench filled the death chamber, and the hair and flesh around the electrodes began to singe.
Critics argue that the electric chair is a less humane method of execution compared to others, even with modern advancements. There is a risk of electrocuting a conscious individual, and post-mortem examinations suggest that the process often inflicts pain.
As of 2024, the electric chair is still utilized as an option for execution in a few US states, namely Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee. In other states, it may be employed if lethal injection is deemed unconstitutional, revealing the ongoing discussion and controversy surrounding its use.
"Alternative Methods of Capital Punishment: Gas Chambers and Mobile Death Vans"
"Examining the Controversial Practices in the United States and China"
Gas chambers:
In Europe, the mention of gas chambers evokes the horrifying memory of the Holocaust, where millions of Jewish individuals were systematically killed by the Nazis between 1941 and 1945. The use of gas chambers began with trials on people with disabilities considered "unworthy of life" and expanded to include the Roma people and other victims of the Holocaust.
While the use of gas chambers as a means of capital punishment has significantly diminished worldwide, the United States remains a notable exception. Seven states - Alabama, Arizona, California, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wyoming - still legally authorize the use of "lethal gas" for executions, although lethal injection is the primary method listed.
The process of execution in gas chambers is not swift. The execution of German national Walter LaGrand in Arizona in 1999, lasting 18 minutes, was described as "barbaric" by German Justice Minister Herta Daeubler-Gmelin and marked the last time this method was employed. Similarly, the 1992 execution of Robert Alton Harris in California was deemed a "macabre and surreal scene," as he died 14 minutes after the execution order was given.
One particularly disturbing case occurred in 1994 when David Lawson was put to death by gas chamber in North Carolina. Cyanide pellets were dropped into a bowl of sulfuric acid, causing acid to splash onto Lawson. He struggled violently, breaking the restraints around his leg and repeatedly screaming "I am human" as mucus poured out of his nose onto his blindfold. Lawson took approximately ten minutes to die, enduring agonizing moments alone in the chamber.
In 2021, The Guardian reported that Arizona had "refurbished" its gas chamber, according to documents obtained by the publication. The state was allegedly preparing to execute death row inmates using hydrogen cyanide, the same lethal gas used at Auschwitz during the Holocaust.
Mobile death vans:
While China does not disclose official figures, human rights groups believe that thousands of people are executed annually by the state, employing horrifying methods such as mobile death vans, firing squads, and lethal injections.
Death sentences in China are frequently handed down for various crimes, including drug trafficking, murder, and white-collar offenses such as corruption. According to a 2021 report, China's Penal Code, which has been in effect since 1997, includes 46 crimes punishable by death, consisting of 24 violent crimes and 22 non-violent crimes.
China's justice system is notorious for its high conviction rate, with Chinese courts reportedly maintaining a 99.9 percent rate of conviction, heavily favoring prosecutors.
To streamline the execution process, mobile death vans are allegedly employed in certain cases, enabling roaming death squads to carry out state-sanctioned killings without the need to transport the prisoner to an execution site.
Externally, these vans appear as ordinary police vehicles, lacking any markings that would indicate their purpose. Internally, however, they contain an execution chamber.
According to reports, the rear of the vehicle houses a windowless chamber where the execution takes place. CCTV cameras are installed to record or monitor the execution if desired by officials.
A bed slides out from the wall of the van, to which the convicted criminal is restrained. A technician inserts a syringe into their arm, followed by a police official administering a lethal injection by pressing a button.
These vans, reportedly in use since the late 1990s, have drawn comparisons to larger models employed by the Nazis during the Second World War to gas Jewish prisoners in the Holocaust.
According to Minghui, a volunteer operation reporting on the Falun Gong community, the vans have been utilized in China since 2004 due to their expedience in executing political dissidents. They also allege that Chinese officials view the execution vehicles as advantageous for organ harvesting, claiming that organs such as eyes, kidneys, livers, pancreas, and lungs are harvested from criminals for profit, referencing China's alleged organ harvesting trade.
"The Controversial Use of Nitrogen Gas and Stoning as Methods of Execution"
"Examining Recent Cases in the United States and Various Countries"
Nitrogen gas as a method of execution:
On January 25, 2024, Kenneth Eugene Smith's death by nitrogen hypoxia garnered significant attention. Smith, who had spent over 35 years in prison for a murder conviction, experienced a prolonged and painful death that took 22 minutes. Strapped to a gurney, he writhed in agony as his lungs filled with nitrogen. The incident sparked outrage from human rights groups, with concerns raised about the potential for torture or cruel treatment. Despite the backlash, Alabama announced plans to execute another inmate, Alan Eugene Miller, using nitrogen gas.
Alan Eugene Miller's case:
Alan Eugene Miller, a death row inmate since 2000, faces execution by nitrogen hypoxia if the state's plan moves forward. Miller was convicted of killing three individuals in two workplace shootings in 1999. His defense team argued that he should receive treatment in a mental health facility due to his mental disease or defect, claiming he was intellectually impaired.
Stoning as a method of execution:
Stoning, an ancient form of execution documented in the Torah, continues to be practiced in several countries, including Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen, and the UAE. Recent incidents have highlighted the brutality of this method.
Yemen's Houthi rebels sentenced 13 individuals to death by stoning for homosexuality, a charge commonly used in the region. Reports indicate that the rebels have executed 11 out of the 350 people sentenced to death since seizing the capital in 2014.
In 2020, horrifying footage emerged showing an Afghan woman being stoned to death by an angry mob. The woman, named Rokhshana, was accused of adultery because she was engaged to a man she did not want to marry. The incident highlighted the absence of law and order in the region and the violence against women.
ISIS (and Al-Qaeda) also carried out stonings during their control over parts of Iraq and Syria. In a chilling video from 2015, a couple accused of premarital sex was stoned to death in Mosul. The executioner-in-chief ordered the stoning as the crowd gathered to witness the brutal act.
Iran's use of stoning:
Stoning remains a relatively common punishment in Iran, with alarming rates of executions reported by the United Nations. In 2023, at least 419 people were executed in the country during the first seven months, marking a 30% increase compared to the previous year. Capital offenses in Iran include adultery, sodomy, murder, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, and drug trafficking.
The use of nitrogen gas and stoning as methods of execution continues to raise serious concerns about human rights and the use of cruel and inhumane punishments. These practices highlight the need for ongoing discussions and efforts to promote more humane alternatives and respect for human dignity.
Title: "Controversial Executions with Anti-Aircraft Guns: A Disturbing Insight into North Korea's Brutal Practices"
"North Korea's Unconventional Use of Anti-Aircraft Guns as Execution Tools"
North Korea's unconventional approach:
North Korea, in stark contrast to its South Korean neighbor, has strayed far from the norms and customs observed by other nations. While South Korea has refrained from using the death penalty since 1997, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has shown little hesitation in resorting to extreme measures, as testified by defectors fleeing his oppressive regime.
Reports emerged in 2015, based on South Korean intelligence, indicating that North Korea had publicly executed its Defense Minister Hyong Yong Chol using an anti-aircraft gun. The minister's alleged offense was falling asleep during an event and failing to carry out instructions.
A rights group in North Korea later released satellite footage, which appeared to show a group of individuals lined up in a military training area with six ZPU-4 anti-aircraft guns positioned opposite a viewing area.
Further incidents involving anti-aircraft gun executions:
A year later, reports claimed that a former agriculture minister and a senior education official were executed in a similar manner, with allegations of falling asleep during meetings. These executions supposedly took place at a military academy in Pyongyang
Another chilling account came from defector Hee Yeon Lim, who claimed to have witnessed the execution of 11 musicians accused of making a pornographic film. According to Lim, approximately 10,000 people, including herself, were forced to watch the musicians being lashed to the end of anti-aircraft guns. One after another, the guns were fired, resulting in the musicians' bodies being obliterated. In a gruesome aftermath, military tanks reportedly ran over the remains strewn on the ground.
Previous instances of extreme execution methods:
Prior to these incidents, reports circulated about Kim Jong Un purging senior officials, including the alleged execution of a deputy public security minister by flamethrower. Other officials were said to have been executed or sent to North Korean concentration camps.
The debate surrounding capital punishment:
Capital punishment remains a contentious issue, with proponents arguing that the severity of the methods used serves as a deterrent and provides a proportionate response to heinous crimes. On the other hand, opponents contend that the death penalty does not deter desperate criminals, and wrongful executions cannot be rectified. They argue that it is beyond the state's authority to take the lives of its citizens.
Conclusion:
The utilization of anti-aircraft guns for executions in North Korea offers a disturbing glimpse into the regime's brutal practices. While capital punishment persists worldwide in various forms, such extreme methods highlight the range of means humans have devised to end lives. The alarming executions conducted by North Korea underscore the importance of upholding human rights and promoting more humane alternatives to punishment.
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