Death penalty in the Arabic world

Death penalty in the Arabic world

by LADJEMI Mehdi

Death penalty is considered international authorities as exceeded. But, the situation in the Arabic world didn't evolve.

I am totally against capital punishment in Arabic countries.

Death penalty doesn't discourage crime in fact fear of the death penalty has never reduced crime. And the most important motivation for capital punishment is the revenge, legal vengeance solidifies social solidarity against law breakers and it's a mean to satisfy the private revenge of those who feel harmed. When you take a look on the nature of crimes in the Arabic world we point out that the number of crimes based on revenge is more important. As we know the death penalty doesn't reduce the crime because people wants to take revenge by themselves.

Besides, the right to life and the right to not be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are enshrined in international standards, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) that's why we mustn't forget that human rights should be above all laws.

Personally, I consider death penalty as a violation of the right to life and the ultimate form of inhumane, cruel and degrading punishment in the world.

In addition, it must be said that as long as the death penalty remains an option, the risk of executing the innocent can never be eliminated.

On a world scale, the use of the death penalty is on the decline. The problem in the arabic world is that population still too religious and this slows down the evolution of situation.

The general picture of the death penalty in the Arab World allows us to be modest optimists. The de facto moratorium and abolition in countries such as Mauritania,

Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia is a very positive development that could lead to

official abolition in these countries, in particular Morocco.