*Ø* Amnesty: Child executions on the way out

"The US Supreme Court has the opportunity to consign the execution of child offenders to history and bring the USA into line with the vast majority of countries that have already done so, said Amnesty International today as it published a new report on the issue.

"The US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on 13 October. Its decision on the constitutionality of the death penalty against 16 and 17-year-old offenders is expected in the first half of 2005.

"'Such executions violate international law. The international consensus against putting people to death for crimes committed when they were children reflects the widespread recognition of the capacity of young people for growth and change,' said Amnesty International.

"Since 2003, six people were executed in China, Iran and the USA, for crimes committed when they were children. Other convicted child offenders remain under sentence of death in Pakistan, the Philippines and Sudan."

The report: "Stop Child Executions! Ending the death penalty for child offenders" is available here.
For more information on Amnesty International's campaign against child executions, click here.