Death penalty: ‘Thousands’ executed

THOUSANDS of people were beheaded, poisoned or hanged in 23 countries around the world in 2010, according to the annual death penalty report published by Amnesty International.

The total number of executions officially recorded by the human rights group was at least 527, down from at least 714 people in 2009. However, China is believed to have executed thousands last year but keeps the number of people put to death a secret.

Colm O’Gorman, executive director of Amnesty International Ireland, said the tiny minority of states that continue to use the death penalty were responsible for the deaths of thousands last year in defiance of the international community.